Announcing: “Blogs with Balls Charity Poker Shootout”

Top Sports Bloggers and Poker Celebrities, Including Annie Duke, to Join Up For Charity
BLOGS WITH BALLS CHARITY POKER SHOOTOUT SET FOR OCTOBER 16TH IN LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas, Nevada (September 28, 2009) – On October 16th, many of the top sports bloggers and poker players in the world will get together for the Blogs with Balls Charity Poker Shootout, held in conjunction with BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Las Vegas.

Each table in the 100-person Shootout, generously underwritten by Carbon Poker, will feature sports writers from the leading sports media companies, including ESPN, Fox Sports, Yahoo, AOL, Sports Illustrated, Gawker Media, Yardbarker, SB Nation and more. In addition, each table will feature one of the best professional poker players in the world, including Annie Duke – a WSOP bracelet winner and runner up on Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice on NBC.

The Shootout has been organized to raise money and awareness for Ante Up for Africa, a charity founded by Duke and award-winning actor Don Cheadle to aid relief efforts in Darfur through poker events. In the last three years, Ante Up for Africa has raised more than $5 million dollars to help support human rights work in Darfur.

In addition to raising money for charity, the event will have both cash and prizes for the top finishers, as well as knockout bonuses and other fun and valuable giveaways from sponsors. An announcement with additional sponsors and full list of professional players signed on to play will be forthcoming.

The event, taking place at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s new poker lounge, begins at 8pm. For more information on the Shootout, including sponsorship opportunities and media/interview requests or to get a seat in the tournament visit blogswithballs.com or email info[at]hhrmediagroup[dot]com.

About Blogs with Balls

Blogs with Balls is a series of social sports blogger and new media gatherings featuring speakers and panelists specifically focused on sports fans, writers, sites, teams, athletes and companies; and their ability to maximize new media outlets for promotion and advancement.

In addition to writers and executives from the largest online sports outlets on the web, speakers at BwB 2.0 at the BlogWorld & New Media Expo include former NBA star Jalen Rose, television, web and print personality Kevin Blackistone, representatives from ESPN and The Sports Illustrated Group, Sacramento Kings VP of Communications Mitch Germann, and many more.

For a full list of speakers, panelists and scheduled discussion topics, please visit blogswithballs.com/panels-20. For more information on BlogWorld & New Media Expo, please visit blogworldexpo.com.

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

BwB & ESPN

Big news out of Blogs with Balls land this week. The Worldwide Leader has gotten involved and provided a ball subsidy: From now through 9/28, if you visit blogswithballs.com/2/espn you can request a free discount code that brings the price of BwB 2.0 in Las Vegas down to $100.

Blogs with Balls is proud to collaborate with ESPN to offer a special discounted rate for Blogs with Balls 2.0 in Las Vegas. Simply provide your name and email address via the link below, and you will receive in the mail a discount code to receive $100 tickets to BwB at Blog World Expo.

With the ticket, in addition to the panels and speakers listed below, you will also receive an invite to a VIP after party at the ESPN Zone. Other great events will be announced soon, but don’t miss out on this limited-time ticket special.

Special Featured Speaker: Jalen Rose

PANEL 1: CONNECTING DIRECTLY

A discussion about what athletes being able to speak directly to their fanbase via blogs & Twitter means to sports media, bloggers, and fans.

• Mike Germano (President, Carrot Creative)
• Pete Vlastelica (CEO, Yardbarker.com)
• Ron Wechsler (VP Series Production and Development, ESPN)
• John Thornton (NCAA All-American, Cincinnati Bengal, Founder & Co-CEO: JockBiz.com)

Moderator: Matt Sebek (JoeSportsFan.com)

PANEL 2: THE FUTURE OF SPORTS MEDIA

A discussion between traditional journalists and bloggers about the rise in prominence of sports blogs as members of the media and how the two parties can work together to compliment one another instead of taking an adversarial tone.

• Bethlehem Shoals (FreeDarko, Bloomsbury USA, The Sporting News’ The Baseline)
• Matt Ufford (WithLeather/Kissing Suzy Kolber/Warming Glow)
• Kevin Blackistone (Around the Horn/FanHouse/Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Univ. of Maryland)
• Amy K. Nelson (ESPN.com)

Moderator: Dan Shanoff (DanShanoff.com)

PANEL 3: ACCESS

Certain teams and leagues have embraced bloggers and recognized their value in promoting their respective brands. Several have allotted bloggers many of the same privileges they do member of the traditional media. Many, however, are still guarded and protective of their product in this regard. We discuss the pros and cons of the various policies.

• Mitch Germann (VP Communications, Sacramento Kings)
• Patrick Wixted (New Media Strategies)
• John Karalis (RedsArmy.com)
• Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy)

Moderator: Dan Levy (OnTheDL Podcast, The Sporting Blog)

PRESENTATION 1: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: BUILDING YOUR BRAND & GROWING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

A presentation from the Sports Illustrated Group on strategies you can use to leverage your voice and your audience to reach marketers, advertisers and editors.

• Jeff Griffing, VP of Ad Sales for the Sports Illustrated Group
• Paul Fichtenbaum, Managing Editor SI.com
• Ken Fuchs, VP SI Digital

PRESENTATION/Q & A: STATE OF THE UNION

3 of the top sports bloggers on the web talk about the direction the genre has taken, the direction it’s headed, and answer questions from attendees.

• Jamie Mottram (Yahoo!/Mr. Irrelevant)
• JE Skeets (Ball Dont Lie/The Basketball Jones)
• AJ Daulerio (Deadspin)

Moderator: Spencer Hall (EDSBS, SB Nation)

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Announcing BwB 2.0 Panels & Speakers

Fresh off the success of Blogs With Balls 1.0 on June 13 in New York City, HHR Media and Modern Hombre are proud to announce BWB's role as the organizer of the sports track at this year's BlogWorld & New Media Expo, October 15-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

We have put together another all-star lineup of speakers and presenters that includes not only the top names in the sports blogosphere, but also representatives from respected outlets such as ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News, and cutting edge new media agencies.

Individuals such as television, web and print personality Kevin Blackistone, former NFL & NCAA star John Thornton, Deadspin.com editor-in-chief AJ Daulerio and Sacramento Kings VP of Communications Mitch Germann will highlight a series of discussions specific to both sports blogging and sports media in general.

You can view the full current list of panels and speakers here.

Today is also the last day for discounted tickets. Be sure to take advantage.

Like BwB 1.0, we are committed to giving attendees their money's worth, so check back for additional features that go along with the price of admission.

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.