Poker, Auction Part of Bahamas Event |
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Wednesday, 10 June 2009 |
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Superstars, gambling and a sports memorabilia auction will be on the menu at a posh resort this fall.
Legendary Auctions will conduct an auction in the Bahamas this fall as part of an event pairing sports fans with 25 high profile former athletes and some of the world’s top poker players.
The Sports Legends Challenge is being described as the “ultimate sports fantasy experience”. It takes place September 14-17 at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. The resort will serve as a backdrop for the event which will organizers say will “revolutionize the interaction and relationship between sports fans and their sports heroes”. The participants will compete in a variety of casino games, including No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, Blackjack and Slots, as a well as a daily prize-money golf tournament. Cost for the all-inclusive event is $10,000 with proceeds to benefit the Butch Kerzner Summit Foundation.
Several well-known figures have committed to the event. Troy Aikman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Richard Petty, Sugar Ray Leonard, Emmitt Smith, Reggie Jackson, Joe Namath, Mike Ditka, Julius Erving, Herschel Walker, Jim Brown, Bobby Hull, Jerry West, Brooks Robinson, Gale Sayers and Kyle Petty are on the list. Among the poker pros are Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Johnny Chan and others. The Sports Legends, Poker Pros and participants will compete in a wide-range of tournaments for up to $10,000,000 in prize money. The feature event will be a winner-take-all, No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em grand finale televised nationally, Thanksgiving Day, on FOX Sports.
The Sports Legends Challenge will include the opportunity for high level sports heroes and fans to acquire sports memorabilia through an auction event organized and conducted by Legendary Auctions. “First, it allows us to participate in a substantial charitable endeavor while giving sports fans a few unforgettable days,” said Legendary Auctions’ president Doug Allen. “Plus, as a company, we will have the opportunity to promote ourselves to this highly influential, connected group of individuals. It is the ideal setting to attract new bidders and scout future consignments that will benefit both our customer base and the hobby as a whole.”
“Part of what makes the Sports Legends Challenge a once-in-a-lifetime experience is the quality group of corporate partners involved in the event,” said Sports Legends Challenge Founder and CEO, Bruce Bibbero. “To that point, we are pleased to have Legendary Auctions on board as the official auction source and look forward to the excitement their expertise and professionalism will add to the overall event.”
The Kerzner Foundation is currently developing a facility for Bahamian children called Summit Center. This facility will offer recreational activities along with an extensive range of programs, including mentoring, tutoring, and courses to broaden children's life skills. In September 2007, an eight-lane, 25-meter swimming pool opened at St. Anne?s School in Fox Hill, fully funded by BKSF as part of the legacy of Butch Kerzner, who died in 2006. Michael Jordan recently made a $50,000 donation to the Foundation.
I'm thrilled to be involved in a great event like the Sports Legends Challenge," said Ditka, the former NFL coach turned commentator and charity event organizer. "It's going to be a special couple of days, seeing old friends like
Jerry West who I guarded in college at Pitt. Couple that with competing against fans and peers while being coached by the top Poker Pros in the world will be a first for me."
According to Bibbero, the Atlantis event is just the beginning. The plan is to hold similar events internationally and give fans around the world the chance to interact with athletes in ways they never imagined possible. The next event will be held in London in 2010. |
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