Los Angeles, CA. (Oct. 24, 2005): The International Pool Tour (IPT) has announced a major prime-time broadcast deal with the national Fox Sports Network (FSN). The "IPT World 8-Ball Championship", the historic match between pool legends Mike "The Mouth" Sigel and LoreeJon Jones, will air nationwide on FSN at 10:30pm local on Thursday November 17th. The event will be showcased on a special one-hour edition of FSN's popular "Best Damn Sports Show Period," making it the first pool event in recent history to be accorded major prime-time status.
FSN, part of the vast Fox Sports tv family, reaches more than 81 million homes nationwide. It is the only cable network in the country that supplies national, regional and local sports programming. FSN serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 Major League Baseball, National Hockey League and National Basketball Association teams based in the United States.
The International Pool Tour, in announcing its unprecedented prime-time deal with FSN, now is poised to launch 8-ball as a major sport in this country.
"We look forward to this event attracting more than just billiards fans," said George Greenberg, Executive Vice-President of Programming and Production, FSN. "FSN is happy to help the IPT turn this championship into a world-class event."
The International Pool Tour's dramatic World 8-Ball Championship, held at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, featured the biggest prize money in the history of pool. The dramatic 8-ball match between Hall of Famers Sigel and Jones was billed as a Battle of the Sexes as well as a showdown between two living pool legends. The event was attended by an SRO crowd, in addition to the biggest celebrity turn-out in pool history.
The International Pool Tour's premiere event will air on a special edition of "Best Damn Sports Show Period", hosted by Chris Rose and co-starring John Salley, Rob Dibble and Rodney Peete. Since its debut in 2001, the popular show has welcomed many of the biggest names in sports, including A-listers like Barry Bonds, Shaquille O'Neal and Mike Tyson.
Mike Sigel and Loree Jon Jones will also make scheduled appearances on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" in days leading up to the Nov. 17th broadcast date.
"November 17th is the beginning of a new golden age for pool on television," said International Pool Tour founder Kevin Trudeau. "In fact, this is the beginning of pool as a prime-time major-league sport all over the world."
In addition to its national 10:30pm airing on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" on November 17th, the "IPT World 8-Ball Championship" will also air on the same date on a number of FSN's regional sports channels at 9pm and 11:30 pm.
For more details and airtimes, please log onto: www.internationalpooltour.com
