Nation's Largest Specialty Retailer of Sports Nutrition Products Brings the Live Well Message to 18,000 Athletes and 170,000 Fitness Fans (and 1 Sitting Governor)
PITTSBURGH, PA --(// Marketwire //) - As the main sponsor of the 21st annual Arnold Sports Festival, the largest multi-sport event in the nation, the 170,000 sports and fitness fans expected at the four-day extravaganza will have a chance to see a lot of GNC -- from the GNC Pro Performance IPF Deadlift Championship (4-6 p.m. Saturday, March 6 on the Arnold EXPO Stage) to the planned visit of Arnold Schwarzenegger himself to GNC's booth at the Arnold Fitness EXPO.
"From a 1-day bodybuilding event in 1989, the Arnold has grown into a 44-sport event featuring some of the best of America's professional and amateur athletes in competitions ranging from archery to wrestling. GNC is proud to be the main sponsor of this unique sports festival because every one of the 18,000 athletes expected to compete this year is living the GNC Live Well lifestyle," said Tori Binau, Senior Vice President of Marketing.
Arnold Sports Festival athletes and fans are also invited to visit the new GNC booth located directly in front of the EXPO Hall main stage to review the latest in consumer interactivity and product sampling as well as information on GNC's best high quality brands and sports nutrition products. Visitors may also have a chance to see Gov. Schwarzenegger when he stops by the booth.
Another key event at the Arnold Sports Festival is the GNC Pro Performance IPF Deadlift Championship, one of the four main events of the Arnold USA Powerlifting Championships. The event is led by GNC's two-time champion Brad Gillingham, one of the top drug free powerlifters in the United States for over a decade.
About the Arnold Sports Festival
With 44 sports and events, including 12 Olympic sports, the 2010 Arnold Sports Festival presents fitness and fun for all ages March 4-7 in Columbus, Ohio. Since its beginning in 1989 as The Arnold Classic, a one-day professional men's bodybuilding competition, the festival has expanded into the world's largest multi-sport fitness weekend. About 170,000 sports fans are expected to see 18,000 athletes compete during the four-day festival. The 2010 Arnold Fitness EXPO will feature a record 700 booths of the latest in sports equipment, apparel and nutrition and a stage that hosts a unique, non-stop mix of competitions and entertainment that combine to make the Arnold Fitness EXPO the heart of the Arnold Sports Festival.
About GNC
GNC, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., a leading global specialty retailer of nutritional products including vitamin, mineral, herbal and other specialty supplements and sports nutrition, diet and energy products. As of December 31, 2009, GNC has more than 6,900 locations, of which more than 5,400 retail locations are in the United States (including 909 franchise and 1,869 Rite Aid franchise store-within-a-store locations) and franchise operations in 47 countries.
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