MTV: Music Television announced on August 19, 1997, at La Zona Rosa in Austin, that the network will present its first ever professional "Sports and Music Festival" in Austin, Texas beginning October 17.

Top international alternative sports stars, such as Arlo Eisenberg, Barrett Christy, Dave Mirra and Andy MacDonald will took part in the event. The festival will create a more relaxed atmosphere for the athletes to compete and allow them to enjoy great music along with the audience. In a professional sports first, the athletes will judge each other's efforts in each sport via electronic voting. This will ensure that creativity is rewarded. MTV built the largest single half pipe ever for the athletes to navigate. The snowboarding competition featured an 80-foot high and 250-foot long snowboard ramp that was filled with snow and served as host to the "Big Air" event.

MTV thinks that Austin provides the perfect setting for MTV's inaugural "Sport and Music Festival" because of its thriving music scene and the number of young adults who call Austin home. Located in Zilker Park, the festival layout included the main stage, competition areas, food vendors, interactive elements and a host of surprises.

MTV personalities Kennedy and Peter King hosted the three day festival, which will be aired on MTV during the weekend of November 7-9 with 10 hours of original programming with behind the scenes broadcasting.

Time Warner Cable of Austin was the local title sponsor, providing on-air promotion for the event. In Austin, MTV airs on Time Warner Cable channel 34, and, in fiber-upgraded areas, on channel 49.

The official radio station is 101X, Austin's New Rock Alternative.

Sponsors for MTV's "Sports and Music Festival" include Pepsi, 1-800-COLLECT and Nike.

Austin's Major Kirk Watson welcomed Todd Phillips, producer R. Greg Johnson and Salli Frattini, V.P/Executive in charge of production from MTV. During the press conference, the major proposed a challenge to the rest of the Austin City Council to join him on catching some righteous air on the snowboard ramp.