Netflix Movie Watching World Championship to Take Place in Times Square
from October 2-7
'The Quest for the Popcorn Bowl'
LOS GATOS, Calif., Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Their eyes may be
glued to the screen, but all eyes will be on the eight competitors who will
participate in the Netflix Movie Watching World Championship: The Quest for
the Popcorn Bowl. Hosted by Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX), the world's largest
online movie rental service, the grueling movie watching marathon will
begin on October 2nd in New York's Times Square and is expected to last
until a new Guinness World Record(R), for most consecutive hours spent
watching movies, is set five days later on October 7th.
At stake is the undeniable notoriety associated with holding the title
of world champion, a $10,000 cash prize, a lifetime subscription to Netflix
and the first-ever Popcorn Bowl trophy.
Featuring some of the world's most accomplished endurance enthusiasts,
the Netflix Movie Watching World Championship challenges contestants to
watch a continuous run of movies in an effort to eclipse the existing world
record of 120 hours and 23 minutes held by Ashish Sharma of Mathura, India.
Mr. Sharma will be on hand to defend his title. Netflix will also give
everyday people a chance to participate by inviting the submission of video
auditions at http://www.facebook.com (keyword search: Netflix Movie
Watching World Championship). Additional information, including contest
rules and other mesmerizing tidbits, can also be found there.
The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time with competitors
assuming their positions in the Netflix Movie Watching Arena, a plexi-glass
living room in the center of New York's Times Square. Gawkers and passersby
will have ample opportunity to cheer on or watch in wonderment as each
competitor creatively and, towards the finale, desperately attempts to
stave off sleep.
"The Netflix Movie Watching World Championship is a showcase for
die-hard movie buffs who possess incredible focus and discipline," said
Leslie Kilgore, chief marketing officer for Netflix. "It combines the love
of movies with the thrill of competition at the crossroads of the world."
Said Mr. Sharma, the brash, current Guinness World Record holder: "I am
the one who is going to win and India will retain this world record. I will
put the fire in the heart of my competitors."
The field of movie watchers includes record holders, as well as rookies
to marathon movie watching. The competitors include:
-- Mr. Sharma, who watched movies for 120 hours and 23 minutes in June
in Mathura, India, and is traveling to New York for the event.
-- Former three-time movie marathon record holder Claudia Wavra of
Germany who will attempt to reclaim the title she lost to Mr. Sharma in
June.
-- Suresh Joachim, a Canadian of Sri Lankan descent, who holds 32
Guinness World Records. Mr. Joachim is an endurance champion whose records
include television viewing (69 hours, 48 minutes), dancing (100 hours),
radio dj-ing (120 hours), and ironing (55 hours, 5 minutes), among other
disciplines.
-- Cheryl Jones of Portland, Ore. who was a part of the team of Netflix
members who broke the Guinness World Record for continuous movie watching
in 2003.
-- Dallas movie buff Jeff Jones who won $250,000 on the movie edition
of the popular game show series "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" in 2007.
-- New York-based competitive eating champion, Crazy Legs Conti, who
also happens to be a cinephile with a penchant for '80s films, will join
the ranks of endurance enthusiasts for a shot at the title.
Guinness World Records rules require the contestants to watch films
non-stop without averting their eyes from the screen. Competitors will be
given 10 minutes between each movie, or approximately every two hours, to
refresh themselves. Eating, drinking, standing and stretching are allowed
as long as eyes are on the screen. Gourmet, chef crafted popcorn will be
provided by Dale and Thomas Popcorn (http://www.daleandthomas.com)
throughout the event. Medical professionals will monitor the contestants'
conditions throughout the event and assess if contestants are truly
"watching" or are simply staring blankly at the screen.
About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) is the world's largest online movie rental
service, with more than eight million subscribers. For one low monthly
price, Netflix members can get DVDs delivered to their homes and can
instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and PCs, all
in unlimited amounts. Members can choose from over 100,000 DVD titles and a
growing library of more than 12,000 choices that can be watched instantly.
There are never any due dates or late fees. DVDs are delivered free to
members by first class mail, with a postage-paid return envelope, from over
50 U.S. shipping centers. More than 95 percent of Netflix members live in
areas that generally receive shipments in one business day. Netflix is also
partnering with leading consumer electronics companies to offer a range of
devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes to members' TVs
from Netflix. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com.
About Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on
record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness
World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 25 languages
and is one of the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with
more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Guinness World
Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition in 2004, a year after the
sale of its 100 millionth copy. Guinness World Records also annually
publishes the Gamer's Edition; a records book devoted solely to the world
of computer gaming and high score record achievements. The Guinness World
Records website (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com) receives more than 11
million visitors a year. Guinness World Records is part of the Jim Pattison
Group, one of Canada's largest privately owned companies which is a
conglomerate of interests, including advertising, broadcasting, grocery
stores and automotive retailing.
SOURCE Netflix, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.netflix.com
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com
CONTACT:
Fenot Tekle of Netflix, Inc.,
+1-408-540-3787; or Brian Reinert, or Shannon Swaggerty, both of
BENDER|HELPER IMPACT, +1-212-689-6360, for Guinness; or Richard
Shea, or George Shea, or Ryan Nerz, all of Shea Communications,
+1-212-627-5766; or Laura Plunket of Guinness World Records,
+1-212-463-9623
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