The 28th LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will be run on Sunday, October 9, and three broadcasts will bring it across the world. EuroSport and TV Tokyo will utilize local CBS 2 CHICAGO's live broadcast in order for the Race Day Marathon broadcast to be seen on three continents: Europe, Asia and North America.

The viewership of this year's broadcast could reach nearly 40 million households, which will be the largest viewing audience ever for a LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. This year's Marathon could potentially be the third most watched single-day sporting event in the history of Chicago sports. Only Game 6 of the 1996 Chicago Bulls Championship and Game 7 of the 2003 Chicago Cubs play-off series have reached more viewers.

"For decades, we have hosted a world-class event in Chicago that draws thousands of international participants and we are extremely pleased to extend the reach of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon to nearly 40 million households across three continents," commented LaSalle Bank's Executive Vice President and Event Chairman Mark A. Nystuen. "As part of the world-wide ABN AMRO family, we can now extend the reach of the Chicago Marathon to many of the markets in which we do business, and we can now bring this experience to participants' families and friends across these three continents."

EuroSport will air their telecast to a potential audience of 17.3 million households in 39 countries that include the U.K., France, Italy, Greece, Poland, Germany and Russia. TV Tokyo's telecast will occur during primetime (at approximately 9 p.m. in Japan) and potentially reach another 15.2 million households.

Both EuroSport and TV Tokyo will use the imagery from the official broadcast produced by CBS 2 CHICAGO and augment their telecasts with their own anchors and color commentators. CBS 2 CHICAGO is the official broadcast partner for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and their live coverage begins at 7:30 a.m. on Race Day, followed by a highlights show at 10:30 p.m.

The 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon

The 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon takes place Sunday, October 9 starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park. The Race will be broadcast live beginning at 7:30 a.m. on CBS 2 CHICAGO and ESPN 1000. Elite athletes will compete for a portion of the $650,000 prize purse, the highest in the sport. The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon draws world-class athletes and participants from all 50 states and from more than 125 countries. The Health & Fitness Expo will take place Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8, 2005 at McCormick Place. The Expo will include more than 150 exhibitors featuring the newest designs in running gear and shoes, as well as the latest developments in sports, fitness and nutrition.

For more information on The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon visit www.chicagomarathon.com or call 312-904-9800.