While it’s a bit of stretch to put ‘badass’ and ‘ping pong’ in the same sentence, The Hardbat Classic has all the hallmarks of a world-class sports franchise. Vegas. Beer. Fanatical players. Pro apparel. In June, we wrote a preview about the biggest ever table tennis tournament, sponsored by Bud Light and K-Swiss, but we didn’t know the depths of the fanaticism, nor that there would be a bevvy of characters that might go on to become ’stars’.

This Sunday, Sept 27th ESPN will air the Classic which featured a cash prize of $100K and 500 players over two days at the Venetian Hotel in Vegas. It’s not clear where all these ping-pongers came from, nor whether there are some ringers thrown into the mix, but the trailer does seem to create some real interest in the range of personal stories behind the quest for top slot. It’s not clear what this airing will pre-empt, but the outfits (check the kicks!), the courts all look pro enough to incite a renewed interest in table tennis. Maybe someday the US will have a team that outdoes the Chinese…

Sunday Sept 27 at 5PM on ESPN