July 15, 2008 07:00 AM Eastern Time 

Gaia Online Gives Teens the Chance to Take Home “Olympic Gold”

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For those of us who have dreamt of Olympic glory, but prefer thumb wrestling and hot dog eating to swimming and hurdles, Gaia Online, the leading online hangout of more than 5 million teens, today announced it will host the Olympics Games for the rest of us…the Rejected Olympics. From the nearly 100 new off-beat games (that didn’t quite make the cut for Beijing) and Olympic themed avatar uniforms, to virtual training areas and the Olympic stadium, the Rejected Olympics will give loyal Gaians and newbies alike the opportunity to compete and take home the gold, Gaia Gold that is.

According to a recent survey of more than 75,000 teens and young adults, 62 percent will be following the Olympics this year, but that doesn’t mean they like the traditional approach to the games. Survey respondents made it clear they’re looking for something a little different this year, with Rock, Paper,Scissors selected as the event they’d most like to see added to the Olympics. And although the majority would prefer an Olympic gold medal over a Super Bowl ring or the Stanley Cup, 53 percent think the Olympics would be a lot cooler if medals were also awarded for the biggest choke, best wipeout and hottest athlete.

Gaia Online lets teens and young adults express their originality and creativity and the Rejected Olympics will be no exception, with flag designing, Olympic inspired art arenas, comics and forums. As part of the Rejected Olympics, Gaians will join a team and compete online in a wide variety of games –from connect the dots to watermelon chopping – all while hanging out and socializing with other Gaia Olympians. Gaians will earn Gaia Gold for participation in all Olympic activities and have a chance to win virtual prizes daily. At the end of the weeklong event, Gaians from the three top scoring teams will be awarded virtual gold, silver or bronze medals. Members of the fourth place team will take home stale bread.

“The Olympics are an aspiration for millions of our users, and we think the Rejected Olympics is a fun, irreverent way to bring the energy and enthusiasm around Olympic competition to our community,” said Scott Kinzie, vice president of creative and user experience, Gaia Online. “We’re continually looking for ways to provide our users with online experiences that take their real-world interests to a whole new level.”

The Rejected Olympics will kick off on Monday, July 21 and run through Sunday, July 27. Start training now and get ready for nonsensical games, faulty athletics, questionable sportsmanship and a grand celebration of the human passion to win!

The event is free and the glory is virtual. To learn more about the games and to start preparing for competition, users can visit www.gaiaonline.com/olympics.

About Gaia Online

Founded in 2003, Gaia Online is the leading teen hangout on the web. More than five million visitors come to Gaia every month to make friends, play games, watch movies in Gaia Cinemas, Gaia's virtual theaters, and participate in the world's most active online community. Gaia provides a fun, social environment that inspires individuality and creativity. With everything from art contests to discussion forums on poetry, politics, celebrities and more, to fully customizable profiles, digital characters and cars, Gaia is a place where teens can create their own space and express their individual style. For more information, visit www.gaiaonline.com.