The "Leader" Is Going Back To Its Roots, Will Air Table Tennis Tounament

Tuesday, April 28, 2009


ESPN in the 80s was a haven for off the wall Sports. There was strongman events, timber sports, heck I even remember archery on the network. Well come this June, ESPN will be airing two hours of the Hardbat Classic, a table tennis touney, from Vegas. Via Variety....

ESPN is set to televise two hours of the Hardbat Classic, a three-day table-tennis tournament being held at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas on June 26-28. Telecast will be delayed and shown in September.

Tourney is being pitched as not only sporting competition in which amateurs and pros will vie for $100,000 first-place prize, but a lifestyle event with branding viability.

"We saw a unique opportunity to create an unparalleled live sports and entertainment event that would inspire everyday players to rise from underground table tennis pros to mainstream sports stars as they compete while millions of fans watch," said David Ellender, CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises, one of the backers of the event.
Now that's what I'm talking about. Let's take a break from showing the Yankees and Red Sox every single night and get some old fashioned ping pong action! I think I'm going to apply for credentials right now.

ESPN to air table-tennis tournament (Variety)

Posted by Awful Announcing at 4:53 PM

1 Comments:

While we're at it, let's get poker off the air too. Could somebody explain why they still show it in primetime?

walnuts said...
Apr 29, 2009, 12:43:00 PM  

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