SANFORD, Fla. -

The Sanford Auto Dealers Exchange announced this week that it has struck a deal to host this year’s World Automobile Auctioneers Championship, which for the first time ever will be broadcast live over the Internet.

Championship coverage — which is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. EST on March 30 — will be shown via live webcast on the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association’s website, as well as on www.niada.tv and www.waacnet.net. SADE is located in Sanford, Fla.

The panel of 12 judges is a collection of auto industry and auctioneering industry leaders, including:

—Charlotte Pyle, president of the National Auto Auction Association
—Christie King, president of the National Auctioneers Association
—Tom Caruso, chief executive officer and president of ADESA
—Sandy Schwartz, president of Manheim
—Tim Riley, president of Midway Auto Auction
—Neal Davis, 1996 World Champion Auto Auctioneer
—Greg Duff, national remarketing manager for Automotive Credit Corp.
—Robert Wagner, asset remarketing national manager for Hyundai Motor Finance Co.
—Scott Eyster, assistant vice president of asset remarketing for US Bank
—Brian Garner, remarketing manager for Automotive Resources International
—Jack Rennels, vice president of remarketing for Emkay Inc.
—Thomas Grady, Southeast wholesale manager for Avis Budget Group

The even gets started with an opening ceremony at 11:30 a.m. EST. The preliminary round will narrow the competition down to the top 15 auctioneer scorers, top five ring-people and top five team selling scores. These contestants will then compete in the final championship round.

Following the competition, there will be a dinner reception and awards banquet at 5 p.m. at SADE. All auctioneers and ring-people across the globe who are either sponsored or are an auto auction employee are eligible to compete.

“It is a great pleasure to see the way the best in the business come together each year in competition and fellowship to determine The World Champions,” said Col. Paul Behr, president of the World Wide College of Auctioneering.