Systemax Chosen by FanPC to Manufacture Desktops Licensed by the National Football League; A Windows XP-Ready PC for Die Hard Football Fans

Business Wire, Sept 7, 2001

Business/Technology & Entertainment Editors

PORT WASHINGTON, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 7, 2001

Systemax (NYSE:SYX), a leading manufacturer and distributor of PCs and related computer products, announced today that it has been chosen as the exclusive manufacturer of desktops for FanPC, Inc., a company licensed by the National Football League to sell computers emblazoned with various team logos and loaded with customized promotional software.

FanPC's first line of PCs is targeted at fans of the Cleveland Browns. The PCs are customized with the Browns' colors and logo, and come with a matching mouse pad, coasters and memorabilia pack. The PCs also are loaded with a special browser that launches the user into a 3-D virtual rendering of Cleveland Browns Stadium.

"The PC price war is causing consumers to view home computers as a commodity based on price much the same as they view credit cards as a commodity based on interest rates," said Richard Leeds, Systemax's chairman and CEO. "Accordingly, we expect there will be an affinity marketing trend in the PC industry much the same as the one enjoyed by the credit card industry. Given that loyalty to sports teams is second only to that of religious affiliations, we view our partnership with FanPC as a creative way to increase our market share."

"Systemax is ideally suited to manufacture our specialty line of computers," said Rob Howe, FanPC's chairman and CEO and a former senior executive at Dell Computer and CompUSA. "We chose Systemax because its manufacturing is second-to-none in quality and reliability. It is the only company in the built-to-order custom manufacturing sector that has the flexibility, expertise and systems to implement our highly specialized process requirements."

The Cleveland Browns PCs, which will be officially unveiled at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday, October 9, are Windows XP-ready, which means they meet the minimum hardware requirements to upgrade to the operating software when it becomes available on October 25th.

Additional information on the PCs, including a photo, is available at www.sportsfanpc.com and at the team's website (www.clevelandbrowns.com/news_room/news/arts/502.0.html). Consumers interested in purchasing the PC should contact SportsFanPC at 1-866-FANPC4U (1-866-326-7248).

FanPC, Inc., based in DeSoto, Texas, markets customized personal computers and accessories under exclusive licensing agreements to sports fan constituencies. FanPC, Inc. leverages the loyalty of fans to major professional sports leagues and colleges, as well as the loyalty of fans to other sports organizations such as auto racing and outdoor sports to sell customized personal computers, accessories and services. FanPC, Inc. utilizes the existing marketing infrastructure of fan-based organizations to tap and extend the brand loyalty of the organizations' fans.

Systemax (www.systemax.com) has developed an integrated system of branded e-commerce web sites, direct mail catalogs, and relationship marketing to sell private label and name-brand PC hardware, related computer products, and industrial products, to businesses in North America and Europe. Systemax is a Fortune 1000 and Inter@active Internet 500 company.

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