Ingle takes 2002 Media Cup crown
Guardian writer beats all comers to take £500 prize money.
Over 200 people were in attendance as Sean Ingle, sports writer for The Guardian, swept to victory in Konami's 2002 Pro Evolution Soccer 2 Media Cup tournament at Vinopolis, near London Bridge.
Ingle met with PSW designer Blue Buxton in a charged final, where his French XI took on Buxton's England, with goals in either half deciding the 2-0 victory. As TV's Emily Newton-Dunn presided over the matches with a running commentary, Buxton was left ruing a series of missed opportunities, with his forward line of Owen and Heskey spurning a number of clear-cut chances.
The Guardian Writer was one of 32 mainstream journalists that entered the competition, with 32 specialist press writers also taking part. As such, representatives from the BBC, The Sun, Internet and football press battled it out between each other in a series of ten-minute matches, while the likes of Official PlayStation 2, PSW, Play and CVG sought to find the leading specialist press players. Ultimately, Ingle and Buxton saw off the competition in their groups to go head-to-head, with the Guardian man eventually lifting a specially designed Trophy and the £500 top prize, with Buxton earning £250 as runner-up.
The 2002 Media Cup Tournament also saw the introduction of a special Trade Cup, sponsored by MCV. Entrants included key Infogrames, Capcom, THQ and Rage personnel, with all falling by the wayside as Konami's UK PR and Marketing Manager Jon Murphy - playing for charity - met Matthew Miles Griffiths from SCi in the final.
In a shock result, Murphy's English team was soundly beaten 2-0 by the SCi man's France, with Griffiths constantly pressuring and could have easily doubled the score-line but for some good saves from the Pro Evolution Soccer 2 version of David Seaman. Thus the SCi man walked away with £500 and the MCV cup, while Murphy donated his £250 runners-up prize to the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer campaign.
In recognition of Pro Evolution Soccer 2's 'football is the new religion' marketing creative, the venue was decked out as a church. The stained glass window motif that grace the TV and press ads were prevalent, while bar staff were dressed as Nuns and Monks. The food was based on football favourites, with pies, chips and burgers washed down with beer, vodka and whiskey - all delivered by hostesses dressed as angels. Also on hand to up the glamour ante were Page 3 favourites Jo Lawden and Leilani, who presented the winners with their prizes and were mingling with guests in their Pro Evolution Soccer 2 football kits.
Said Konami's UK PR and Marketing Manager Jon Murphy of the evening: "The Pro Evolution Soccer Media Cup event is a key date in Konami's year. The game received an unprecedented amount of support from all areas of press, and is played non-stop in most offices. The tournament not only allows us to congregate to celebrate the release of the new version, but find out who is truly the best - and the heats were more hotly contested this year than in any other."
"This years' event was the biggest and best yet," Murphy added. "But Pro Evolution Soccer 2 is a game that deserves a fuss to be made of it."
Pro Evolution Soccer 2 is released on Friday for PlayStation 2. The PSone version will follow on November 1st.
Ingle met with PSW designer Blue Buxton in a charged final, where his French XI took on Buxton's England, with goals in either half deciding the 2-0 victory. As TV's Emily Newton-Dunn presided over the matches with a running commentary, Buxton was left ruing a series of missed opportunities, with his forward line of Owen and Heskey spurning a number of clear-cut chances.
The Guardian Writer was one of 32 mainstream journalists that entered the competition, with 32 specialist press writers also taking part. As such, representatives from the BBC, The Sun, Internet and football press battled it out between each other in a series of ten-minute matches, while the likes of Official PlayStation 2, PSW, Play and CVG sought to find the leading specialist press players. Ultimately, Ingle and Buxton saw off the competition in their groups to go head-to-head, with the Guardian man eventually lifting a specially designed Trophy and the £500 top prize, with Buxton earning £250 as runner-up.
The 2002 Media Cup Tournament also saw the introduction of a special Trade Cup, sponsored by MCV. Entrants included key Infogrames, Capcom, THQ and Rage personnel, with all falling by the wayside as Konami's UK PR and Marketing Manager Jon Murphy - playing for charity - met Matthew Miles Griffiths from SCi in the final.
In a shock result, Murphy's English team was soundly beaten 2-0 by the SCi man's France, with Griffiths constantly pressuring and could have easily doubled the score-line but for some good saves from the Pro Evolution Soccer 2 version of David Seaman. Thus the SCi man walked away with £500 and the MCV cup, while Murphy donated his £250 runners-up prize to the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer campaign.
In recognition of Pro Evolution Soccer 2's 'football is the new religion' marketing creative, the venue was decked out as a church. The stained glass window motif that grace the TV and press ads were prevalent, while bar staff were dressed as Nuns and Monks. The food was based on football favourites, with pies, chips and burgers washed down with beer, vodka and whiskey - all delivered by hostesses dressed as angels. Also on hand to up the glamour ante were Page 3 favourites Jo Lawden and Leilani, who presented the winners with their prizes and were mingling with guests in their Pro Evolution Soccer 2 football kits.
Said Konami's UK PR and Marketing Manager Jon Murphy of the evening: "The Pro Evolution Soccer Media Cup event is a key date in Konami's year. The game received an unprecedented amount of support from all areas of press, and is played non-stop in most offices. The tournament not only allows us to congregate to celebrate the release of the new version, but find out who is truly the best - and the heats were more hotly contested this year than in any other."
"This years' event was the biggest and best yet," Murphy added. "But Pro Evolution Soccer 2 is a game that deserves a fuss to be made of it."
Pro Evolution Soccer 2 is released on Friday for PlayStation 2. The PSone version will follow on November 1st.