DERBY CITY CLASSIC SET FOR LIVE iBROADCAST

(ST. LOUIS, MO) – BILLIARD CLUB network (BCn) is gearing up for it’s first live Internet broadcast in a big way. The 2004 Derby City Classic will be available live o­nline from the Executive West Hotel, in Louisville, KY January 16-24, 2004. The live Internet broadcast "iBroadcast" will begin o­n Friday January 16th with the newly created "Ring Game" event and continue with all feature matches in the 9-day event.

The "Ring Game"  a brainchild of Greg Sullivan, president of Diamond Billiards, and pool icon Grady Mathews. Diamond is the founder, host sponsor and promoter of the event. Mathews, o­ne of pool’s historic figures who's made his indelible mark o­n the game and sport, will serve as the Ring Game official.

The Ring Game consists of 6 players, each staking $5000 in a winner take all match-up. This unique event, pits all six players playing at o­ne table against each other. The ante begins at $300 per game for the first round and grows to $4,000 per game in the six round contest. As the stakes get higher, players are knocked out leaving o­ne man with the $30,000 cash prize. The Ring Game players are Earl Strickland, Alex Pagulayan, Corey Deuel, Rodney Morris, Jimmy Wetch and Charlie Williams.

"This is great for pool," said Sullivan. "It's been a goal of ours for a long time to get more pool o­n TV more often and in the way it was meant to be seen. We'll have international distribution to a very targeted group, in addition to 13-weeks of cable broadcast later in the year through Billiard Club Network."

The Derby City Classic is a unique 9-day billiard competition that showcases three distinct games, Bank Pool, o­ne Pocket and traditional 9-Ball. Each event features over 300 competitors annually and is open to all players. The event's rare combination of low entry fees and high prize money offers the ultimate in competition for the players and spectators.

Online viewers worldwide will be treated to live matches, interviews and expert commentary all while surfing within the interactive video player that allows them to read feature articles o­n the events happenings and results.

Matches taped o­n the TV table, including the Ring Game, will be edited for cable TV broadcast later in 2004 through BCn’s broadcast partners Empire Sports Network, Sunshine Network and FOX Sports Digital Nets. BCn is negotiating with other sports network interested in carrying the weekly production Billiard Club television as part of their weekly lineup. For more detailed information about the Derby City Classic and potential sponsorship opportunities, contact BCn at 1-866-774-8770.

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