Table Tennis Titans Return to Claim Title at 10th Anniversary Butterfly Badger Open this Weekend
MILWAUKEE, WI - (September 11, 2017) – Approximately 300 athletes, including top table tennis players from around the US and Canada will compete at the 2017 Butterfly Badger Open this weekend, September 15-17, at the Milwaukee County Sports Comp lex, 600 W. Ryan Road, Franklin, WI.
A total of $16,000 in prize money is at stake, with $5,000 reserved for the Open Singles champion. Play on 29 courts begins Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday at 9:00 a.m. A competition for recreational players will be held on Saturday at 6:00pm. Walk-in entries for this event will be accepted until 5:30 pm on Saturday.
Jishan Liang (2016 Badger Open Champion), Eugene Wang (3x Badger Open champion & Olympian) and Jian Li (2017 Arnold Challenge Champion) lead the Open singles draw. Expected clashes between these 3 champions promise world class table tennis for both participants and spectators.
Other well-known competitors confirmed for the event include national cadet team member Sid Naresh and brother Nandan, collegiate table tennis powerhouse players/alumni (Yichi Zhang - Mississippi University; Alex Legaria/Santiago Sevilla – Lindenwood University), and frequent tournament competitors Bowen Chen and Rajat Hubli.
As the 2017 event marks the 10th anniversary of the Butterfly Badger Open, special recognition will be given to volunteers, competitors and staff who have been a part of the event since the beginning. Those attending in person can expect a festive atmosphere and determined set of organizers looking to grow the event for years to come.
Live streaming and results will be available on the Butterfly North America website throughout the weekend for those who cannot join in person. Tune in to follow the action at the 2017 Butterfly Badger Open!
Continual coverage of the Badger Open and stories about the athletes will be available at http://www.ButterflyOnline.com or vi,a Bowmar Sports/Butterfly N orth America’s Twitter and Facebook pages.
About VISIT Milwaukee
Celebrating 50 years in 2017, VISIT Milwaukee is the Greater Milwaukee area’s convention & visitors bureau, marketing the destination as a top choice for business, convention, and leisure travel to national and international visitors to increase the economic impact of tourism in the region. Each year, tourism supports over 50,000 full-time jobs and brings in over $5 billion to the community. VISIT Milwaukee has over 680 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services and area businesses. The City of Wauwatosa, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino and the Wisconsin Center District are strategic partners with VISIT Milwaukee, providing funding support for conventions and tourism programs. For more information call 1-800-554-1448 or visit http://www.visitmilwaukee.org