July 27, 2009 (PAP PR Wire) — For the first time ever, sports fans have a chance to go beyond a typical athlete meet and greet or autograph session to actually play with and against 25 of the world’s greatest sports superstars. The Sports Legends Challenge is the sports fan’s ultimate fantasy featuring four days of casino gaming and golf cash prize tournaments with some of the biggest names in sports, including: Troy Aikman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Richard Petty, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Joe Namath, Reggie Jackson and many others. To up the ante, the event will also feature 25 of the world’s top Poker Pros such as Jamie Gold, Annie Duke, Johnny Chan and Mike Sexton, who will play with and coach event participants.
The Sports Legends Challenge announced today that it has secured mixed martial arts super stars Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture; skateboard icon Tony Hawk; and hockey legend Mark Messier to round out the list of 25 athletes who will participate.
The event is confirmed for Sept. 14 – 17, 2009 at the luxurious Atlantis Paradise Island resort and casino in the Bahamas. The Sports Legends, Poker Pros and participants will compete in a variety of events including No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, blackjack, slots and golf tournaments to vie for up to $10 million in prize money.
“The Sports Legends Challenge is one of the most elite and exclusive sporting events in the world,” said Bruce Bibbero, founder and chief executive officer, Sports Legends Challenge. “There has never been an event where a select group of sports fans can cross the line from spectator to competitor in a multi-day gaming and golf experience with 25 of the biggest names in U.S. sports history. It’s simply unprecedented.”
Event participants will compete individually and with a team in a variety of events including No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, blackjack, slots and golf tournaments during the four-day event. The week culminates with the Sports Legends All-Star Poker Challenge, matching up the Sports Legends, Poker Pros and top-finishing competitors in a winner-take-all, No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em grand finale. This event will pair the top 25 finishing poker players with a Sports Legend in two-player teams, along with a Poker Pro as their coach, for a cash prize. The Sports Legends All-Star Poker Challenge will be televised nationally by FOX Sports Network on Nov. 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day.
“With the addition of Liddell, Couture, Hawk and Messier, we will enhance the experience for participants and entice a whole new audience of sports fans to be part of this event,” Bibbero said. “We’ve had an unbelievable response to this first-ever event. The support from the sports, poker and fan communities reinforces our vision to turn the Sports Legends Challenge into a series of worldwide events.”
The Sports Legends Challenge also announced today that PokerNews, the world’s leading Poker Web site, has been named as the title sponsor for the organization’s ultimate sports fantasy and gaming event now known as the PokerNews Sports Legends Challenge presented by AbsolutePoker.net. PokerNews will provide unique coverage and content of this event to millions of readers across the international poker community.
Additionally, the World Series of Poker Academy will hold a special three-day academy program as part of the Sports Legends Challenge headlined by all 25 of the Poker Pros in attendance. The Poker Pros will provide strategy, tips and offer instruction to the event participants. In addition to the casino gaming, the Sports Legends Challenge also features a series of golf tournaments at the world-renowned Ocean Club Golf Course.
The sports icons participating in the event include:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Julius Erving (Dr. J)
- Bobby Hull
- Troy Aikman
- Mike Ditka
- Ozzie Smith
- Richard Petty
- Mark Messier
- Laffit Pincay
- Sugar Ray Leonard
- Fuzzy Zoeller
- Brooks Robinson
- Emmitt Smith
- Jerry West
- Gale Sayers
- Reggie Jackson
- Herschel Walker
- Kyle Petty
- Chuck Liddell
- Jim Brown
- Michael Strahan
- Tony Hawk
- Randy Couture
- Rocco Mediate
- Joe Namath
Sports fans interested in participating should visit www.sportslegendschallenge.com or call 404-869-5000 for information on how to register. Prices start at only $3,799 per person based on double occupancy. “For most sports fans, the opportunity to meet just one of these athletes is something they would remember
and talk about the rest of their lives,” Bibbero said. “We are creating an opportunity for participants to not only meet all of these athletes, but spend significant time with them playing poker, golf and hanging out for four fantastic days. There are a variety of packages available at a great value for an event of this caliber.”
The Poker Pros participating in the event include:
- Annie Duke
- Men “The Master” Nguyen
- Marsha Waggoner
- Johnny Chan
- Mark Seif
- Kathy Liebert
- Mike Sexton
- Cyndy Violette
- Chip Jett
- T.J. Cloutier
- Robert Williamson, III
- David Singer
- Jamie Gold
- Gavin Smith
- Marco Traniello
- Layne Flack
- Barbara Enright
- Karina Jett
- “Cowboy” Kenna James
- Antonio Esfandiari
- Amir Vahedi
- Robert Daily
Corporate partners for the Sports Legends Challenge include PokerNews, AbsolutePoker.net, Rovia, WorldVentures, Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas, FOX Sports Radio, NTN Buzztime, Inc., VegasInsider, World Championship of Fantasy Football, The World Poker Store, Legendary Auctions, Golf Now powered by The Golf Channel, JetBlue, World Series of Poker Academy, Magellan Jet, Alchemy3, Bluff Media, World Poker Association, Playboy Golf, and Imperial Jets.
The Sports Legends Challenge is the only event of its kind that gives sports fans a chance to cross the line from spectator to competitor with the greatest Sports Legends of our time for up to $10 million in prize money, and the event is televised nationally on Fox Sports Network. The inaugural North American event will take place at Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas from Sept. 14-17, 2009, with the premiere international event set to take place in London in 2010. For more information, please visit www.sportslegendschallenge.com.
PokerNews
PokerNews is the premier portal for all news, live reporting and information relating to Poker on the World Wide Web. Picked by Forbes as one of the “Best of Web” sites for Poker information, PokerNews has sites in 27 different languages and boasts involvement from many of the top players in the world. PokerNews has been the main source for live updates of poker tournaments around the globe with the goal of promoting poker as a sport to be enjoyed by all. If you need information on poker, PokerNews.com is the place to go.
AbsolutePoker.net
AbsolutePoker.net is part of the CEREUS poker network and is dedicated to providing players from around the world with a free online poker game experience that is second to none. Players worldwide can access AbsolutePoker.net online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and experience the best free multi-player game online poker has to offer. AbsolutePoker.net is committed to remaining the most trusted and best online poker experience, created by poker players for poker players.
Rovia
Rovia, LLC is a 25-year-old travel company with offices in South Carolina an
d executive offices in Plano, Texas. Rovia was formed by acquiring two of the most well respected travel companies with combined 50+ years experience in the travel industry. Powering some of the world’s largest online retailers’ travel fulfillment, Rovia introduced to the market place an opportunity and concept that combines the positives of traditional travel agencies services, online booking technology and host agency opportunity. Rovia is the Official Travel Partner of the Sports Legends Challenge.
WorldVentures
WorldVentures is the exclusive marketer of DreamTrips and Luxury DreamTrips packages for Sports Legends Challenge with travel fulfilled by Rovia.
Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas
Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas is a unique destination featuring the world’s largest open-air marine habitat, home to over 50,000 sea animals living in 14 exhibit lagoons. Explore Aquaventure, an innovative waterscape of thrilling slides and river rides, discover secrets of the lost civilization in The Dig, and interact with gentle Atlantic bottlenose dolphins at Dolphin Cay. Enjoy 20 swimming areas, renowned beaches and golf course, Mandara Spa, the Caribbean’s largest casino, duty-free shopping, Aura nightclub, and a wide range of dining options, including the gourmet cuisines of Bobby Flay and Nobu. Atlantis also offers a multitude of unique accommodations, including the iconic Royal Towers, the stylish Cove Atlantis, the contemporary Reef Atlantis, or the comfortable Coral Towers. Now is the time to discover the wonder of Atlantis!
FOX Sports Radio
The FOX Sports Radio Network, based in Sherman Oaks, Calif., is a division of Premiere Radio Networks in partnership with FOX Sports. All entities have combined their considerable resources to develop a turnkey personality driven and caller intensive programming opportunity for radio stations nationwide. With studios also in New York, Washington D.C., Miami, Tampa, Phoenix, Seattle, and San Antonio, the FOX Sports Radio Network can be heard on more than 300 stations, as well as FOXSports.com on MSN and XM Channel 142.
NTN Buzztime, Inc.
NTN Buzztime, Inc., a leader in interactive entertainment for 25 years, is based in Carlsbad, Calif. Buzztime is distributed in-home and out-of-home across broadband platforms including online, cable TV, satellite TV and in approximately 3,746 restaurants, sports bars and pubs throughout North America. Buzztime entertainment is also available on electronic games and in books. For more information, please visit http://www.buzztime.com. Buzztime is a proud member of the OVAB, Out-of-home Video Advertising Bureau, and a registered trademark of Buzztime Entertainment, Inc. and Playmaker is a registered trademark of NTN Buzztime, Inc.
VegasInsider
VegasInsider.com is widely known as the “The Global Leader in Sports Gaming Information." The online company provides a world of gaming analysis, archived statistics, up-to-the-second odds, unique content, plus the best collection of handicapping talent. VegasInsider.com is your direct connection to the most comprehensive collection of sports gaming resources available. We take great pride in what we do and we’re proud that others notice.
World Championship of Fantasy Football
The World Championship of Fantasy Football is the world’s most competitive high stakes fantasy contest. We have up to 1,200 teams competing for over $2 million in total cash awards, including the $300,000 Main Event championship. Unlike most games, we take the show on the road to Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlantic City and Orlando for a draft experience unlike any other. Established in 2002, the WCOFF is the original High Stakes Fantasy Football competition. Visit www.wcoff.com to learn more.
The World Poker Store inc.
The World Poker Store inc. is committed to the international expansion of poker as entertainment and presenting the thrill and excitement of professionally run Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments without the risk of gambling. WPS event divisions, The Bar Poker League and World Poker Entertainment host Free Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments live in Bars, Restaurants, Nightclubs, Hotels and Casinos in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and China. As an international poker entertainment company, The World Poker Store links all of its players through a poker community website that allows Bar Poker League members from all over the world to compete via a standardized league point system that rewards players with invites to prestigious World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour and European Poker Tour events As an official Marketing Partner of the Poker News Sports Legends Challenge and through world-wide industry contacts The World Poker Store has taken a leadership role in the development of land based casino, online gaming and corporate sponsorships internationally. Most notably brokering the Title sponsorship for Poker News and the Travel sponsorship for Rovia and World Ventures.
Legendary Auctions
Legendary Auctions, headquartered in Lansing, IL, is a premier auction house that specializes in bringing the finest Sports and Americana memorabilia to the collecting public. During the past decade, the company’s principals have managed the sale of over $300 million in historical collectibles and overseen the auction of newsworthy items such as the most expensive baseball card sold publicly, the “Bartman” baseball, Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak bat, Mickey Mantle’s 1961 61 home run season jersey, and the bus on which Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat. Legendary Auctions conducts several sales annually in a combination of phone/internet and live auction events.
For more information, contact:
Dave Payne
MS&L Worldwide
404-870-6853 (office), 404-906-8054 (mobile)
[email protected]