(August 5, 2002)                                                                                              Hot News Main Page 

Octagon Adds Bober Associates, Inc.
Mia Hamm, Bonnie Bernstein, Layne Beachley, Kristine Lilly and Holly McPeak
Among Athletes and Broadcasters To Join Octagon

WASHINGTON D.C./NEW YORK NY (August 5, 2002) Octagon announced today that it has reached an agreement with Bober Associates, Inc., a leader in women's sports and broadcasting representation, to bring the specialty firm into Octagon.

Founded by David Bober, Bober Associates, Inc./BAI represents 25 female athletes and broadcasters including soccer stars Mia Hamm, Lorrie Fair, Heather Mitts, Cindy Parlow and Kate Sobrero; two-time Olympian and beach volleyball champion Holly McPeak; two-time softball Olympic gold medalist Michele Smith; WNBA standout and NCAA Champion Ruth Riley; and network broadcasters Bonnie Bernstein and Kay Cockerill.

"We are extremely excited about this opportunity. Octagon has proven through its global reputation and resources that it truly understands companies' objectives and how they can be achieved through sports and entertainment," said Bober. "Their expertise in the athlete representation, corporate consultancy, event management and television businesses will enable us to deliver creative marketing programs to further strengthen the position of female athletes and broadcasters, both on and off the field."

"The addition of BAI reflects our commitment to attract the industry's best people to Octagon, so that we can create, execute and deliver the strongest programs for our corporate and athlete clients," said Octagon President, Phil de Picciotto. "Dave Bober, Dan Levy and Marla Mullen are well known for their marketing creativity and highly respected for their expertise in women's sports, where Octagon already has a leading presence. We are proud and pleased that they have chosen to join us."

Bober will become Director of Women's Sports and Entertainment and will handle a variety of other special projects for Octagon.

Octagon is one of the world's leading sports and event marketing companies, with global expertise in athlete representation, event management, consultancy, property representation and sales, TV rights sales and distribution, TV production and archive, new media and licensing and merchandising. Its athlete representation division manages the careers of world-class athletes Kelly Clark, John Elway, Sergei Fedorov, Tom Glavine, Orel Hershiser, Lleyton Hewitt, Martina Hingis, Anna Kournikova, Lenny Krayzelburg, Ronnie Lott, Davis Love III, Ross Powers, David Robinson, Jackie Stiles, Michael Vick, Steve Yzerman and other stars in 30 different sports.

As part of The Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG), the world's largest advertising and marketing communications group, Octagon employs more than 1,500 people in 70 offices around the world. For further information please visit: www.octagon.com.

[Source: Drew Johnson, 703-905-4338, drew.johnson@octagon.com]