New York, NY (May 6) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg was joined by Eli Manning, Billie Jean King, Carl Lewis, Walt Frazier, Tony Dorsett, Martina Navratilova, Jim Craig, Bob Cousy, Mario Andretti, and thirty other hall of fame athletes to celebrate the opening of the Sports Museum of America (SmA) in New York City tomorrow.

Cheering New Yorkers waving oversized foam fingers became part of the pep rally - with the West Point Color Guard, college marching bands, cartwheeling cheerleaders, Red Bulls Soccer team teaching kids to juggle balls, high-kicking pep dancers and familiar team mascots - to kick off the city's new multi-media, interactive, next generation museum-attraction with great fanfare.

The Sports Museum of America (SmA), www.sportsmuseum.com, is the first museum to pay tribute to the history and excitement of all sports. SmA has partnered with more than 50 single sport Halls of Fame, national governing bodies and other top athletic organizations, to showcase inspiring exhibits, memorabilia, stories and heroes that resonate with fans of all ages. In addition to hosting the first women's sports hall of fame, SmA is also the new permanent home of the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center and the legendary Heisman Trophy.

Located at 26 Broadway, in the heart of Lower Manhattan and at the corner of Broadway and Beaver Streets, SmA is steps away from the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferries, Wall Street, South Street Seaport and the 9/11 memorial currently underway.

"New York City is the greatest sports town in the world, so it's fitting that it is now the home of the Sports Museum of America, the nation's first museum dedicated to all sports," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Not only is this an exciting occasion for the sports world, but also it's an important moment for Lower Manhattan and all of New York City. After 9/11, we outlined a vision of Lower Manhattan as a vibrant, mixed-use community, and the growth of the area's cultural attractions is playing a vital role in making that vision a reality."

"The Sports Museum of America offers visitors, for the first time ever, one destination where they can come to experience the feeling of triumph at the core of all great athletes and all sports," said Philip Schwalb, the museum's Founder & CEO. "With the tremendous support of our partners in top professional athletic organizations and the generosity of some of the nation's greatest and most legendary athletes, we're able to share their stories, and through them, showcase the excitement, grandeur and significance of sports in American culture."

Partners include the National Baseball Hall of Fame, USA Football and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, NASCAR, USA Basketball and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the United States Olympic Committee, the United States Tennis Association, NCAA Hall of Champions, the United States Golf Association, the United States Paralympics Committee, USA Hockey, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Women's Sports Foundation, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum, USA Track & Field, the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and more.

"The opening of the Sports Museum of America is truly a historic moment in New York City sports and we're thankful to Philip Schwalb, the Museum's founder and CEO, for his vision and brilliance in developing what will surely be a must-see attraction for our local and visiting sports fans." said New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth Podziba. "The unique experience of visiting the Museum will be further enhanced by the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center, which will showcase the amazing athletes and pioneers who have paved the way for the growth of women's sports."

"The Sports Museum of America provides New Yorkers and City visitors with an outlet to enjoy the best possible combination of two of our country's most popular leisurely pursuits: sports and culture," said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. "The museum's opening marks a truly significant milestone for our City as an unparalleled travel destination, and we're thrilled to be able to add it to the comprehensive inventory of world-class attractions that only exist in NYC."

The Sports Museum of America is now the permanent home of the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center, which includes the first and only hall of fame dedicated to the athletes and pioneers in women's sports, as well as one of sports most revered honors - the Heisman Trophy and annual presentation.

"All of us at the Women's Sports Foundation are honored to be part of this exciting project. Our wing in the Sports Museum of America will be the only museum exhibit and hall of fame dedicated exclusively to the female athlete," said Billie Jean King, legendary athlete and founder of the Women's Sports Foundation. "I am grateful to be included in a museum exhibit that recognizes both female and male athletes from a wide range of sports and all walks of life."

SmA has also tapped some of the most decorated, iconic sports stars in America for its Honorary Board of Trustees. Founding members of the Board include 7-time NBA All-Star Jason Kidd, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie, Olympic Hall of Famer Mary Lou Retton, former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Frazier, racing legend Mario Andretti, tennis great Martina Navratilova and Basketball Hall of Famer Julius "Dr. J" Erving.

Some of these athletes have donated memorabilia of great significance to the Museum so visitors can personally connect to the lives and history of their favorite sports legends. "SmA is a great sports concept bursting to life in the world's most exciting city. As a former New Yorker there's a real emotional connection for me, and I can't think of a better place for it to be a great success," said Bob Cousy, Basketball Hall of Famer and SmA Honorary Board Member.

Museum visitors will have access to an array of personal artifacts, including:

• The #48 car driven by Jimmie Johnson in 2006, the year he earned NASCAR's top title as the NEXTEL Cup Champion.
  
  
• Jesse Owens's diary that he kept during the 1936 Olympics and his invitation to have lunch with the Queen of England.
  
  
• The U.S. flag that goalie Jim Craig wore after the U.S. Hockey Team upset the heavily favored Russian rivals in the Miracle on Ice during the 1980 Winter Olympics.

"It's not always the actual sport that takes center field. Sometimes it's the athlete's journey that provides a greater reward, and that's why these legends are celebrated," said Sameer Ahuja, SmA's Co-Founder & COO/CFO.

Through cutting-edge interactive exhibits, SmA will use the latest technology to put visitors "in" the game.

• As visitors make their way into the Museum's hockey exhibit, "Intensity on Ice," they step right into the goal, put their face inside the interactive goalie masks and experience "A Goalie's Eye View." They will feel the pressure as the clock is counting down, and the hockey puck comes hurtling toward their mask at blinding speeds.
  
  
• In the Fan Culture gallery, guests can test their skills against broadcasting legends when they broadcast a play-by-play from the famed Shot Heard 'Round the World', or other key moments in sports history in the Broadcaster's Booth.
  
  
• In "Auto Racing: The Need For Speed," visitors strap themselves in the driver's seat as great moments of the Daytona 500 speed by.

SmA is the only multi-media museum experience dedicated to the celebration of all sports. In addition to the memorabilia and state-of-the-art digital interactives, there are 19 original signature films within a number of the exhibits:

• "The Pit Crew Video: The Race Within the Race," showcases the tension and teamwork as a pit crew performs during a race.
  
  
• "Intensity of the Game" features basketball highlights while artfully showcasing the grace of the game.
  
  
• From quarterbacks to linebackers to placekickers, "Pros on the Field" takes a look at how Lawrence Taylor, Sammy Baugh, Jerry Rice, Jim Brown and others changed the style of play for their respective positions as well as the players who followed in their footsteps.

"America has always been a nation of fans, and we are confident the Sports Museum of America is going to be the must-visit destination for them," said John Urban, SmA's President & General Manager. "That's why there is something for everyone here. We want our guests to touch, explore, listen and take more than one 'Wow! I didn't know that' moment away with them."

In addition to the exhibits that highlight individual sports, SmA also boasts themed sections including:

• Dare to Dream: "Dreaming Big"
  Dare to Dream is an engaging display featuring professional athletes as children before they realized their athletic dreams. Expressed through film, artifacts and images recovered from their parents attic, such as Derek Jeter's Little League uniform or Jeff Gordon's first racing trophy, this gallery reminds anyone who has ever played a sport of how they once imagined themselves as the star in a championship season.
  
  
• "Olympics: When The World Comes Together"
  From the "The Miracle On Ice" to Jesse Owens's "Triumph for the Ages," the Olympic exhibit tells the stories of America's greatest athletes and teams throughout history. In addition to Olympic Gold Medal winner Sarah Hughes, Olympic wonder Michael Phelps, the "First Lady of Sport," Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and dozens of others, the display also features two interactive databases that visitors can access and explore. The Record Shatterers and Heavy Medal interactive recognizes those athletes who have excelled at their sport, and, as a result, have taken home the most Olympic medals. While the Innovators database displays those athletes who have introduced something new to the game, and Heart Breaks explores the side of the game no one wants to be on - when despite your best efforts, all does not go as hoped.
  
  
• "Barrier Breakers"
  Sport is often the arena of important progressive social change. This area highlights the amazing tales of six athletes who all overcame adversities such as immigrant status, gender discrimination and prejudice, to become the best in their respective sports. Fans will appreciate the cultural significance of Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy talking about Fritz Pollard, the first African-American coach in the NFL and the impact he had on the future of football, among dozens of similar interviews.
  
  
• "SportsNation: Where Everybody Plays"
  Recognizing that 45 million Americans bowl at least twice a year, 43 million fish at least as often, 11 million play volleyball, seven million pitch horseshoes, and 14 million play softball, this gallery pays homage to "weekend warrior" sports. Along with areas dedicated to cycling, horse racing, boxing, extreme-games, lacrosse and running, and decorated with memorabilia from across the country, this gallery also features four interactive databases for fans to share their dizzying love of the sports they play.

The Heisman Trophy is one of the most recognized trophies in all of sports. Since the events of 9/11, the Heisman has been presented in various midtown Manhattan locations, but now takes permanent residence in SmA's Heisman Gallery. The Gallery presents the history of the award, defines the attributes that make a Heisman winner, and pays tribute to all Heisman winners past and present. At the center of the gallery, visitors are able to touch and pose with the original Heisman Trophy, and can cast their votes for the next Heisman winner, who will be awarded the trophy each December at the Sports Museum of America.

The Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center, home to the Women's Sports Foundation International Women's Sports Hall of Fame, offers interactive exhibits and educational databases highlighting female accomplishments in sports and their impact on the story of sports in America. Several high-profile pieces of memorabilia are featured, including Billie Jean King's racquet from her 1975 Wimbledon title, a scrapbook of fan letters she received prior to her battle-of-the-sexes match against Bobby Riggs, and her iconic blue and white tennis shoes.

The Sports Museum of America (SmA) is the nation's first and only all-sports experience richly showcasing the history, grandeur and significance of sports in American culture. Created in exclusive partnership with over 50 single-sport Halls of Fame, National Governing Bodies and other sports organizations across North America, SmA features amazing state-of-the-art interactive technologies, dramatic original films and an iconic collection of sports memorabilia. SmA is also home to the legendary Heisman Trophy and the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center, including the first Women's Sports Hall of Fame. The Sports Museum of America (SmA) is located in New York City at 26 Broadway (next to the "Charging Bull" and footsteps from the Statue of Liberty Ferry).