ATLANTA, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sports Legends Challenge presented by AbsolutePoker.net is the ultimate sports fantasy experience. For the first time in history, sports fans from around the world will compete with and against 25 of the greatest Sports Legends of our time, including Troy Aikman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Richard Petty, Sugar Ray Leonard, and many more. The event will also feature 25 of the world's top Poker Pros, including Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Chris Moneymaker, 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 the Sports Legends All-Star Poker Challenge which will pair the Sports Legends, Poker Pros and top-finishing competitors in a winner-take-all, No Limit Texas Hold 'Em grand finale televised nationally, Thanksgiving Day, on Fox Sports.

Mike Ditka commented, "I'm thrilled to be involved in a great event like the Sports Legends Challenge. 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."

On September 14-17, 2009, the inaugural Sports Legends Challenge, benefitting the Butch Kerzner Summit Foundation, will take place at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas. The resort will serve as a backdrop for this world-class sports and gaming event.

Bruce Bibbero, Founder and CEO of the Sports Legends Challenge commented, "We believe that this distinct combination of New York Yankees Fantasy Baseball Camp meets the World Series of Poker will provide an experience to be talked about forever." Bibbero continued, "The event at Atlantis is just the beginning. It is our plan to hold events internationally and give fans around the world the opportunity to interact with their Sports Legends in ways they never imagined possible. These events will feature Legends from Soccer, Cricket, Auto Racing, Rugby and more, with the first event to be held in London in 2010."

The sports icons participating in the Sports Legends Challenge include: Troy Aikman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Richard Petty, Sugar Ray Leonard, Emmitt Smith, Reggie Jackson, Joe Namath, Mike Ditka, Julius Erving, Fuzzy Zoeller, Herschel Walker, Laffit Pincay, Jim Brown, Bobby Hull, Jerry West, Brooks Robinson, Gale Sayers, Kyle Petty, Michael Strahan, and additional Legends to be named.

About Sports Legends Challenge

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 $10,000,000 in prize money and televised nationally on Fox Sports. The inaugural North American event will take place at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas from September 14-17, 2009, with the premiere International event set to take place in London in 2010. For a complete list of participating Legends or for more information, please visit www.SportsLegendsChallenge.com

SOURCE Sports Legends Challenge