Author Archives: Jerry Milani

About Jerry Milani

Jerry Milani is a freelance writer and public relations executive living in Bloomfield, N.J. He has worked in P.R. for more than 30 years in college and conference sports media relations, two agencies and for the International Fight League, a team-based mixed martial arts league, and variouis sports and entertainment properties. Milani is a proud graduate of Fordham University and when not attending a Yankees or Rams game can be reached at Jerry (at) JerryMilani (dot) com.

Entain Marks National Awareness Month with New Initiatives to Promote Safer Betting and Gaming

Entain, the leading global sports betting and gaming entertainment operator, has today unveiled a number of initiatives in support of Problem Gambling Awareness Month, taking place across the US throughout March.

The initiatives build on Entain’s commitment to provide the world’s safest and most trusted betting and gaming experience for its customers around the globe. Via its not-for-profit, Entain Foundation, the Group has heavily invested in the research, education and treatment of problematic behaviours as well as in educating and promoting the integrity of sport.

The initiatives announced by Entain today include:

o       Together with BetMGM, the joint venture it operates with MGM Resorts, Entain is promoting the Eighth Annual Gambling Disorder Screening Day led by Harvard Medical School faculty at the Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance. The event provides resources including an online screening toolkit to enable individuals to identify if they may be exhibiting behaviours associated with increased risk of harm. BetMGM will promote the screening day to its customers in the U.S., while Entain will promote to its UK customers through the Ladbrokes and Coral brands.

o       Platinum membership of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling.  Entain is pleased to join the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling as a supporting Platinum organizational member. Incorporated in September 1984, the non-profit Council serves as an advocate, information resource, and a provider of programs and services to meet the needs of individuals and families who are affected by problem gambling in Nevada.

o       Support for a nationwide survey in the U.S. with partners NAADGS,  EPIC Risk Management and Kindbridge to establish the extent of existing provision and support for individuals who do identify as suffering from gambling-related disorders in the U.S.

“It is our ambition, with our partners and support from BetMGM, to provide the most comprehensive portfolio of responsible gambling initiatives, partnerships and services in the gaming entertainment sector in the United States,” said Martin Lycka, Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs & Responsible Gambling.  “We are proud of our commitment and will continue our leadership in serving this vital area.”

The screening day event is one of several initiatives on responsible gambling that Entain is pursuing with Harvard Medical School faculty at the Division on Addiction, with whom it has a five-year research program underway into drivers of addiction. The program is wide-ranging, across all areas of sports betting and gaming including around recommendations for markers of activity that can be used to help protect those at risk. Entain is pioneering a technology-led, proactive approach to help protect those at risk.

The announcement by Entain follows the recent extension of its responsibility and player protection initiatives to support related sectors, including video gaming and esports earlier this year. It has partnered with NAADGS, Kindbridge, and EPIC Risk Management to deliver these projects.

Entain is also working with organizations to feed into the next iteration of the APGSA (Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators) survey. Last conducted in 2016, the survey is the most frequently cited study in legislative debates across the U.S. in relation to responsible betting and gaming.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta To Host Triller Fight Club’s April 17 Card, Jake Paul vs Ben Askren

Triller Fight Club today announced that Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, will be the home for TFC’s inaugural event of 2021, the April 17 boxing Pay-Per-View card headlined by Jake Paul and Ben Askren. This will be the first-ever fighting event at one of the most dynamic venues in the world, which was the home of Super Bowl LIII.

iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the event. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite and telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV, AT&T TV, Dish, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, and Sasktel (Canada). FITE, the premier PPV digital platform will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.

The suggested PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada). Fans outside North America can check the FITE link for international pricing.

The four-hour show, which will kick off at 8pm ET with the live PPV main card starting at 9pm ET, will also feature an exciting undercard of fights that will be announced shortly. Triller Fight Club is a partnership between Triller and Snoop Dogg and is spearheaded by Ryan Kavanaugh. 

“Our vision of big fights, big entertainment and world class events can only fit into a world class venue, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium fits that vision,” said Kavanaugh. “April 17th will have an element of surprise and action for everyone, from music fans to the casual and diehard fight fan. The way we will present the night in this state-of-the-art venue will continue to redefine consumer engagement for a global consumer, with world class partners like iNDemand and FITE joining us not just for this event, but for the others we will have in 2021 and beyond.”

“Mercedes-Benz Stadium will continue to be the place where sports and entertainment’s biggest events are held, and we welcome Triller Fight Club for this special event,” said Tim Zulawski, Chief Revenue Officer for AMB Sports and Entertainment. “We look forward to showcasing our stadium to the global audience that Ryan and his team are building, and are proud to be a part of this historic night of boxing and entertainment.”

Mercedes-Benz Stadium serves as the home stadium of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United of Major League Soccer (MLS). One of the most acclaimed venues in the world, the Stadium has hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018, MLS All-Star Game and some of the biggest music and entertainment events in addition to its NFL and MLS tenants. There will be no public sale of tickets for the event. A very limited number of fans and guests will be selected to join in the live event, with details to be announced in the coming weeks, and everything will be subject to stringent local, state and federal protocols due to COVID 19.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Triller again after the incredible success of our Tyson vs. Jones Jr. PPV event last November—it was one of the best-selling PPV events of all time,” said Mark Boccardi, iNDemand’s SVP, Programming & Marketing. “2021 is going to be a great year for the Pay-Per-View event category, and we know that Jake Paul and Ben Askren will put on an exciting main event on April 17th.”

“Triller Fight Club has already reinvented the fight sport presentation genre, and we are excited to be a part of bringing this event to a global audience,” said Michael Weber, COO of FITE. “Triller and FITE are the perfect pair to deliver a flawless, no-filler fan experience worthy of this moment.”

The April 17th card will be Triller Fight Club’s first in a series of 2021 special events, following the debut record setting Tyson vs. Jones Jr. PPV fight in 2020, which shattered all digital fight PPV records and became the eighth most successful fight PPV in history. This event will feature Jake Paul taking on former Bellator and ONE Championship champion Ben Askren in the headline matchup of the night. Paul, whose boxing debut against former professional athlete Nate Robinson set all kinds of records for fan engagement, will face Askren, who transitions to boxing after an MMA record of nineteen wins and two losses, six knockouts and six submissions. Askren made his professional MMA debut in 2009 against Josh Flowers where he won by TKO in the first round. As a former Bellator Champion, ONE Championship Champion, PAN American Champion in freestyle wrestling, two-time NCAA wrestling champion for Missouri and two-time winner of The Dan Hodge Trophy, Askren joins Triller’s Fight Club with a significant amount of experience in the ring.

In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller’s first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.

Entain Launches Global Initiatives to Support Women In Tech

Entain, the leading global sports betting and gaming entertainment operator, marks International Women’s Day today with a series of international initiatives to support girls and young women interested in building careers in technology as an opportunity to help continue the revolution in the way we socialise, work and play.

Girls Who Code, an international non-profit organisation working to close the gender gap in technology, is to receive US$250K from the Entain Foundation, its not-for-profit affiliate, to support its global programmes to bring young women into the technology industry, most notably in the UK, US, Canada and India. Entain is proud to be one of Girls Who Codes’ most significant global partners.

The Entain Foundation is also providing Aus. $50K funding to the Tech Girls Movement Foundation in Australia, which challenges gender perceptions that limit girls’ participation in STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) through community and industry collaborations, providing mentorship by women who already have successful technology careers to young women looking for guidance on career choices.

The new initiatives follow recent senior female appointments to the leadership team at Entain, including that of new chief executive Jette Nygaard-Andersen and two new non-executive board directors, Stella David and Vicky Jarman, taking female representation of Entain’s Board to 40%. Almost half of Entain’s workforce is female, including over 30% in technology roles. 

Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO, Entain, comments:
“I’m proud to be leading a global technology company which is making real strides in promoting women’s careers, not just in the West, but also developing markets like India where creating opportunities for young women is especially important.

“One of the biggest impediments to career choices around the world continues to be cultural, based on preconceived notions of what society and young women themselves believe they can do. That is why we are focusing on initiatives to support their education and build stronger pathways into technology-related careers.”

Speaking about the partnership, Dr. Tarika Barrett, incoming CEO of Girls Who Code, said:

“Passionate, ambitious and diverse young women are the key to transforming the world and the technical workforce. This International Women’s Day, we’re excited to partner with the Entain Foundation to support young women around the world on their journey into the technical workforce. Our work together will help spur the creation of a fairer and more equitable workforce, helping more women of all backgrounds rise to the top and achieve their goals of working in tech.”

This funding will help Girls Who Code continue to expand its global pipeline of programmes to spark girls’ interest in technology.  This pipeline includes free coding clubs, at home modules, virtual mentoring, panels and workshops as well as career fairs and other. Through these programmes, Girls Who Code has reached more than 300,000 young women globally and has more than 80,000 college-aged alumni, who are majoring in Computer Science and related fields at 15 times the US average.

Speaking about the contribution, Founder & CEO of Tech Girls Movement, Dr Jenine Beekhuyzen OAM said:

“We strongly believe that the challenges of the future are best addressed through youth-focused initiatives. The profile, affiliations and notable gains of Techgirls thus far have created a momentum that places us in the best position for continued achievement of these crucial objectives. Our flagship programme, the Techgirls competition, is held annually and invites teams of schoolgirls to solve real-world problems through technology, linking them to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“The financial contribution from Entain Foundation will directly impact our ability to reach girls interested in technology across Australia, particularly in regional and remote areas.” 

The news coincided with a panel event held for global employees of Entain to mark International Women’s Day, following this year’s theme of ‘Choose to Challenge’, celebrating the achievements of women and challenging gender bias and inequality. Entain CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen opened the event and led a panel also including Simon O’Halloran, Chief People Officer, and Sophie Hawley, Entain’s Inclusion Manager.

cover image credit: christina @ wocintechchat.com

Boyd Gaming, Fanduel Group Announce Plans To Launch Stardust Online Casino In N.J., Pa.

Boyd Gaming Corporation and FanDuel Group today announced plans to launch Stardust-branded online casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, marking the iconic gaming brand’s return to real-money gaming.

FanDuel and Boyd Gaming anticipate launching the Stardust casinos in April, pending final regulatory approval from each state. FanDuel plans to rebrand its existing Betfair Casino in New Jersey under Boyd Gaming’s Stardust brand, while launching a Stardust online casino in Pennsylvania.  A single Stardust Casino app will be available for iOS and Android in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

Keith Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming, said: “For nearly 50 years, the Stardust was one of the most famous casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.  And while the resort has been gone for more than a decade, the Stardust brand is still as well-known and popular as ever.  We are excited to work with our partners at FanDuel to launch our first real-money online casinos and are confident this legendary brand will give us a significant advantage in connecting with players looking for a distinctive online gaming experience.”

The Stardust Casino will be built on FanDuel’s proprietary front-end, apps and player account management system.  Both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey online casinos will be linked to Boyd Gaming’s B Connected player loyalty program, allowing players to earn B Connected points and tier credits for their play on Stardust Casino.

The new Stardust Casino experience (www.stardustcasino.com)will include a number of key features, including:

  • A robust offering of players’ favorite casino games, including slots, blackjack, roulette, video poker and baccarat, as well as live dealer games.
  • The ability to securely and quickly cash out winnings, with the same level of customer support, convenience, safety and security that customers have come to expect from FanDuel.
  • Numerous account protections will be available to players, reflecting Boyd Gaming’s and FanDuel’s strong shared commitment to responsible gaming.

“The new Stardust Casino will retain all of the great games that customers love on Betfair Casino, while incorporating a new stylish look that captures the glitz, glamour and nostalgia of old Las Vegas,” said Amy Howe, President of FanDuel Group.  “Stardust Casino allows us to take a market leading product to the next level, creating a unified platform across New Jersey and Pennsylvania and integrating Boyd Gaming’s B Connected player loyalty program to provide even more value to our customers.”  

Stardust Casino will be available for download on iOS and Android or via web at www.stardustcasino.com pending regulatory approval.  New Jersey and Pennsylvania players will be able to sign up for a new account or login using either their existing Betfair Casino credentials in New Jersey or their FanDuel fantasy/sportsbook credentials in both states.

In addition to Stardust Casino, the FanDuel Sportsbook & Casino app is currently available to customers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. 

While players must be in New Jersey or Pennsylvania to access the real-money Stardust Casino, customers across the country can access Boyd’s Stardust Social Casino.  Stardust Social Casino is free-to-play and available for download on the Apple app store or the Google Play store.

FanDuel Group Appoints Amy Howe to Newly Created Role of President

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in the United States, announced the appointment of Amy Howe to the newly created role of President with responsibility for leading the company’s core commercial functions across its Sportsbook, Casino, Racing and Daily Fantasy units. Howe joins FanDuel Group from Live Nation Entertainment where she most recently served as Global Chief Operating Officer of Ticketmaster. Howe will join FanDuel’s executive leadership team and report directly to Chief Executive Officer Matt King.

“I am delighted to welcome a leader of Amy’s extraordinary caliber to our executive team,” said FanDuel CEO Matt King. “She has a proven track record of building highly successful digital and retail businesses and I’m excited to have her leading our commercial functions during a period of enormous growth for the company.”

Howe joins FanDuel after an illustrious career with Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster where she held several positions of increasing authority culminating in her most recent role as Global Chief Operating Officer for Ticketmaster, the largest division of Live Nation Entertainment. As COO of Ticketmaster, Howe led the digital transformation and modernization of the company’s ticketing platform and business model, doubling its growth in gross ticketing value and growing the mobile app install base by 400%. During her tenure at Ticketmaster, Howe also appeared and testified before the United States Congress Subcommittee for Energy and Commerce. Prior to Live Nation Entertainment, Howe was a Partner at McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles where she advised many Fortune 500 clients in the Media & Entertainment, Retail, and Consumer Goods sectors across a wide range of issues, including growth strategy, restructuring/turnaround, organizational transformation, and commercial and operational excellence.

“I am honored to be joining FanDuel at such an important moment in its history,” said Howe. “As the sports gaming industry continues to grow at a breakneck pace, I am excited to help fortify our leadership position and build new competitive advantages that will deliver sustained financial performance.”

Howe earned her Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and her Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing & Management from Cornell University.

NBC Sports Boston, Strat-O-Matic Team Up For ‘What-If Wednesdays’ Simulated Content

Greater Boston has been the home of championships in each of the major sports in recent years, and nowhere are the fans of their local teams more fervent. Whether it’s the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics or Bruins, “what if” scenarios—like, imagining if Tom Brady had remained as New England’s quarterback in 2020—have long been the subject of sports debates.

NBC Sports Boston, through a partnership with Strat-O-Matic, the market leader in sports simulation, will try to answer some of those questions by recreating and simulating great moments, games and seasons with a twist, during its “What If Wednesdays” program. The program will air every Wednesday as part of the NBC Sports Boston’s primetime lineup, Early Edition and Boston Sports Tonight. The content will also be available on www.NBCSportsBoston.com and on social platforms @NBCSBoston.

Today, audiences can watch a scenario in which Brady remained as quarterback as the 2020 Patriots played out their schedule. Was the record better? Did they make the playoffs with the all-time great at the helm at age 43? Using data and research provided by Strat-O-Matic, NBC Sports Boston will create content that answers interesting “What If” questions like this one on the past, present and future in Boston sports.

“The possibilities are endless with what we can simulate working with NBC Sports Boston,” said Adam Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “The city’s rich tradition of sports and lively banter discussing their favorite teams and the wide breadth of coverage on the network makes it an ideal partnership.”

“We’re pleased to work with Strat-O-Matic to simulate many of the questions that local sports fans have had about our sports leagues and key players,” said Kevin Miller, VP of Content Creation and Strategy, NBC Sports Boston. “We are excited for our audiences to check out our new content where we’ll discuss how different results, trades and game results could’ve changed sports history as we know it.”

While MLB paused at the beginning of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Strat-O-Matic simulated the season as it would have been played, with results published daily by dozens of media outlets. Strat-O-Matic also posted results of the shortened 60-game schedule and playoff seasons.

WAVE.TV Partners With FanDuel

WAVE.tv has recently announced a sports betting partnership with FanDuel Group. This partnership includes the creation of in-depth sports betting content, WAVE.tv launching a betting-focused media brand, as well as marketing and content integrations between the companies. The partnership officially kicked off in conjunction with Super Bowl LV.

Through the deal, WAVE.tv will create engaging sports betting content across major social platforms, leveraging an audience acquisition strategy inclusive of branded content, personality-driven segments, and much more. The partnership formally launched in conjunction with Super Bowl LV.

“FanDuel is absurdly fan-focused at its core, and with the reemergence of live sports in 2021, we have an opportunity to grow our business like never before,” said Adam Kaplan, General Manager and Vice President, Sports Content at FanDuel. “WAVE.tv has unprecedented reach and engagement across fandoms. For a company like FanDuel, that has something for everyone across its offerings, there couldn’t be a better fit.” 

“FanDuel is a perfect partner for WAVE.tv because so many of our fans are avid sports bettors and have come to admire FanDuel as a leader in the space with a willingness to innovate ahead of trends in digital media consumption,” said Faraz Fatemi, Head of Corporate Development at WAVE.tv. “With state legalization ramping up, the 2021 sports season just getting underway, and audience betting interest at an all-time high, the timing couldn’t be better to get started.” 

With nearly 75 million followers and a global reach of over 400 million sports fans monthly across a portfolio of 24 media brands, WAVE.tv will drive mass engagement and user acquisition for FanDuel’s business via this partnership.

WAVE.tv has leveraged relationships with over 110 sports leagues and rights holders around the world to cover both traditional and non-traditional sports including basketball, soccer, football, baseball, combat, extreme sports, amateur athletics, fitness/weightlifting, and eSports.

In July, WAVE.tv announced its Series A funding round, a $32M investment to, among other efforts, expand its roster of media brands onto new platforms and launch new media brands in categories of fandom. WAVE.tv expects to go out to market for Series B fundraise this spring.

Entain Pioneers Preventative Approach To Player Protection

Entain, the leading global sports betting and gaming entertainment operator, has completed the initial stage of its pioneering preventative approach to customer protection, known as ARC (Advanced Protection and Care). As a first outcome the company has significantly extended behavioral indicators used to identify players potentially at risk and is now developing models using more than three times the previous number.

Entain believes ARC will provide unprecedented safeguards for customers of its online sports betting and gaming brands by minimising problems before they arise. This promises to revolutionise conventional thinking around responsible gaming and usher in a new era of more personalised and proactive, technology-driven player protection, widely applicable across many forms of online sports betting and gaming entertainment.

“ARC is fundamental to our future strategy for sustainability and growth,” said Jette Nygaard-Andersen, Chief Executive of Entain. “We are putting customers first, both by prioritizing their safety through our use of technology to limit individual exposure to risk, whilst also enhancing their experience across all our brands.  We will do this not only in our traditional markets of sports betting and gaming, but also as we grow into new areas, like videogaming and esports as a global entertainment company.” 

Since 2018 Entain has monitored customers using markers of protection based on things such as frequency of play, changes in spend patterns and length of time of online play. The new markers being trialed include additional checks on, for example, fluctuations in stake levels, erratic play during a single session and signs that a player might be chasing losses. These were identified as potential danger signs by world-leading academics and gambling support groups taking part in scientific workshops held by Entain earlier this year.

Data scientists at the company are now building models to test the extended range of new behavioral indicators in real situations, seeking to identify customers who, according to the research, may show signs of potential problems as well as people exhibiting intermittent signs of being at potential risk. Eventually, Entain hopes to offer every customer both a personalised playing experience and protection tailored to their individual risk profile.

“We’re using our technology, leveraging our data and behavioral science, to deliver a fundamental shift in customer care,” said Peter Marcus, Entain Group Operations Director, who is overseeing the development of ARC. “The real innovation is to apply hyper-personalisation, to customer protection – using insight into the individual behaviors of customers to manage their exposure to risk in real time.”

Data from the new models is to be assessed prior to further development of ARC in the coming months. Entain will also seek further input from Harvard Medical School Faculty, Division on Addiction collaborating with Entain on a multi-year research project, Dr Michael Auer, from the scientific management of the Gambling Research Centre at the University of Hohenheim in Germany and Dr Mark Griffiths, a Distinguished Professor of Behavioral Addiction and Psychology, who participated in the workshops and contributed expertise to feed into the design of the new system. 

Entain will launch ARC first in the UK in the summer, offering real time online player protection for customers across all its brands and products, and plans to roll it out internationally from later in the year.

NLL Approves Sale of New England Black Wolves to Prestigious Investor Group with Deep Lacrosse Backgrounds

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced the sale of the New England Black Wolves to a group headed by Oliver Marti. Oliver Marti is a former standout Division 1 men’s lacrosse All-American, Canadian field lacrosse national player, and NLL standout before focusing on a career as a hedge fund manager and developing the box lacrosse game at the youth level. Capital Region NLL is an all-star group with an incredible passion for the game of lacrosse, many having played at the highest level and continue to be actively involved at the youth through professional levels as well. The group includes Brett Jefferson, major investor in and a board member of the Premier Lacrosse League, and member of the Board of Directors of the Tewaaraton Foundation, Sol Kumin, co-owner of Triple Crown Winner Justify and last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Authentic who serves as Chairman of the US Lacrosse Foundation Board, along with Russ Sheppard on which the true lacrosse movie, The Grizzlies, was based.

Albany NLL will benefit from the tenure, experience, and success of Mike French, Brad Brewster, and Ted Goldthorpe all members of the Philadelphia Wings LP which won six Championships and have been instrumental members of the Board of Governors and numerous NLL committees. Mike French is a former NLL standout and Hall of Fame member who is also a member of the Canadian and U.S. Lacrosse Halls of Fame.

The new owners will relocate the franchise immediately to the fast-growing lacrosse and economic hotbed of Albany, New York, where the team will play in the downtown, recently renovated Times Union Center. It marks the return of box lacrosse to the Capital Region for the first time since 2002.

“This is a bittersweet day for the league and our sport,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “We want to first thank our colleagues at Mohegan Sun for all the positive work they have done building the franchise in New England. We are also very excited to welcome to the league an amazing ownership group with significant success and experience in both the financial investment industry and lacrosse led by Oliver Marti.”

“This transaction is also particularly special in that it not only brings back our league to a growing and engaged market, but also long-time NLL investor and Hall of Fame player Mike French and his group will continue to build the great team that, last season was one of the best and making a run for the NLL Championship,” Sakiewicz continued. “The fact is the demand for our teams in our current successful business model outweighs the availability of franchises, and this is an example of a savvy group seizing an opportunity to get into the NLL in a market that is now properly mature to be successful both on and off the floor.”

“While we are saddened for the fans at Mohegan Sun, we want to remind them Albany is only about a two-hour drive and the NLL will always support them and that area to provide access and grow the game,” he added, “We are very excited about what the future holds for our new team in Albany.”

“My partners and I couldn’t be more excited to join the National Lacrosse League (NLL). Our group, which is comprised of lacrosse enthusiasts, professionals, and influential people in the industry, are determined to help grow the sport of lacrosse,” said Oliver Marti, the head of the Albany NLL ownership group. “The NLL is blossoming, and we want to be a part of its growth, while also being instrumental in the direction the sport of lacrosse is heading. 

“We would like to recognize and thank the fans of the Black Wolves and the staff of MG&E for their support and efforts over the last few years,” Marti added.  “As we enter the Albany market, we are ecstatic about the opportunities that will further fuel our mission to grow the sport.  The Capital Region has a growing youth lacrosse platform and obvious success in the collegiate ranks.  Along with this, playing out of a top-notch venue like the Times Union Center and entrenching ourselves in the local community, we are poised for long term success.” 

“We are proud to have worked side-by-side with the Black Wolves players, coaches and staff,” said Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment CEO Mario Kontomerkos. “Their performance on the field has translated into positive growth in ticket sales and brand awareness across New England, but it is their leadership and commitment as ambassadors in our community that will be missed most. This sale allows Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment to focus and strengthen its position as a global brand in gaming and entertainment.”

“On behalf of ASM Global, which manages the Times Union Center and our entire staff, we are extremely honored to have a National Lacrosse League team play at the Times Union Center starting in the fall of 2021. The Capital Region is a hot bed for lacrosse in high schools, colleges and youth programs; the popularity of the sport is at an all-time high. Our management team at the TU Center will provide assistance in every way possible to help make the team a big success,” added Bob Belber, Regional General Manager, ASM Global.

The team will be known for the short term as Albany NLL and is undertaking a naming and branding contest to involve fans from across the Capital Region. The team’s name will be revealed in April 2021. The franchise will make its in-market debut when the 2021-22 season begins in the fall of 2021.

Albany NLL will be deeply involved in the League’s expanded plan to continue to embrace and empower the Indigenous community, which is so tightly tied to the Capital Region. The area was recently cited by The New York Times as one of the most progressive and fast-growing areas for young families in the country, as well as home to a network of Universities, two demographics which fit well with the NLL fan base. The move to Albany is also expected to help keep some of the fan-related ties that have been built at Mohegan Sun, given the relative proximity to the two locales.

The Black Wolves franchise is one of the most storied in lacrosse history, which includes 28 years and six championships in Philadelphia when the team was known as the Wings. On July 11, 2014 the Wings announced they would be relocating to Uncasville, Conn., where they played as the Black Wolves at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Black Wolves were 8-3 and in first place when the 2019-20 season was cut short due to COVID-19 last March. In their six seasons at Mohegan Sun, the Black Wolves made the playoffs each of the last four completed seasons. The 6 titles during their long stay in Philadelphia is tied for the most in league history with the Toronto Rock.

For more information about Albany NLL, name the team contest, tickets, sponsorship opportunities and all team information, visit AlbanyNLL.com.

For the most up to date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.

For more information on the sale of the Albany NLL franchise, visit NLL.com.

Veteran PGA TOUR Pro Kirk Triplett Forms Partnership With Dedication To Community

Dedication To Community (D2C), a national non-profit that educates and empowers communities on diversity, belonging, and equity, today announced a partnership with PGA Tour veteran golfer Kirk Triplett for the 2021 season. Triplett will carry D2C’s logo on his golf bag and will participate in awareness and education programs throughout the year. It is D2C’s first formal partnership in golf.   

“We welcome Kirk to our growing D2C family,” said M. Quentin Williams, Dedication To Community founder and CEO. “His visibility on the PGA TOUR, his passion on the topic of education and awareness tied to diversity and his compelling backstory will be essential in helping grow our mission of education, equity and beautiful listening by all.”

“I am tremendously excited to be working with Q. Williams and the team at D2C on this topic.” said Triplett. “I look forward to participating in more training and improving my understanding of all aspects of how law enforcement and communities interact. I intend to use my platform as a professional golfer to lead others in the golf world into this discussion, many of whom might not otherwise understand its importance. I want to promote and participate in the mission of change that D2C is bringing to communities across the country.”

Kirk and his wife Cathi had twin boys, Conor and Sam, in 1996 and then adopted their daughter Alexis (now 20) and son Kobe (now 18). Alexis’ birth parents are Latino; Kobe’s birth mother is Japanese, and his birth father is African American. As the parents of a racially diverse family, the Tripletts understand that social justice issues, especially the intersection of law enforcement and the communities they serve, affect all of us, not just those in the news. The publicity around the incidents in 2020 caused Kirk and Cathi to realize that an opportunity to educate and potentially unite people of diverse backgrounds was upon them. They realized that the discussions they were having at their own dinner table needed to be had by their peers in the golf community as well.

To facilitate these discussions Triplett placed a Black Lives Matter sticker on his PING golf bag at the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship in August. It generated a great deal of media interest. One of his quotes, “I actually googled, ‘what can a white guy do?’ caught the interest of a Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Football Hall of Fame member, and D2C board member, Donnie Shell. Shell reached out with an answer…join the player platform at D2C…and a conversation started between the Tripletts and D2C. The Tripletts eventually participated in a relationship training session and from there this partnership was born.

Kirk earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Nevada Reno in 1985 and then turned professional. He joined the PGA Tour in 1990 and the PGA Tour Champions in 2012. He was a member of the Presidents Cup team in 2000 and is one of a small group of players that have won titles on all three sanctioned tours (Korn Ferry, PGA Tour, and PGA Tour Champions). The Tripletts have been residents of Arizona for more than 25 years. For more details please visit kirktriplett.com.

To date, D2C has worked with law enforcement agencies in several states across the U.S., including Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, the Carolinas, and at the FBI National Academy in Virginia, where Williams has been an instructor. In September, D2C expanded its reach to involve professional, collegiate, and K-12 athletes, adding former NFL executive Lamonte Winston (former Director of Player Engagement and Development, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Donnie Shell (Pittsburgh Steelers). Williams also announced in September a historic partnership with the Miami HEAT and the City of Miami Police Department and additional partnerships tied to athletes and teams are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. 

Snoop Dogg, Futura, Ron English Among Artists In ‘Project70’ Series Throughout 2021, Launching Today

On the heels of its overwhelmingly successful Project 2020, Topps today unveiled the first cards in Project70, a new series which celebrates the 70th anniversary of the first Topps baseball set in a comprehensive program featuring 51 premier artists and designers from around the world each creating 20 cards of their own player and card year design choice. The set commemorates both the initial year of 1951 and the 70 years that it has produced baseball cards, with three new issues daily, each available for 70 hours. Similar to its Topps NOW and Project 2020 products, Topps will print only the number of each card ordered in that time frame.

The set features premium, thick trading cards encased in a protective plastic case, as well as several premium offerings. Each day’s new pieces are available at http://www.topps.com/project70.

The creators selected to participate comprise a diverse group that includes the likes of rap musician Snoop Dogg, graffiti artist Futura, pop artist Ron English, jeweler Ben Baller, painter Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins, comic and album artist Alex Pardee, sneaker artist The Shoe Surgeon, designer Sophia Chang and many more. Nineteen of the 20 artists from Project 2020, including Baller, Chang, Gregory Siff, Fucci, Mister Cartoon and others return for Project70.

In contrast to Project 2020, in which artists were assigned specific player cards to interpret, Project70 allows each creator to choose any player and card design from the last seven decades.

“Project70 is one of our most ambitious sets ever, celebrating 70 years of Topps baseball cards in a contemporary way,” said Jeff Heckman, Global Director of Ecommerce. “Giving these creators the freedom to select the players and designs they want to interpret as they see fit means we will have very different cards from these uniquely and diversely talented individuals.

“We can’t wait to see what their fertile minds will produce, and we know that collectors and baseball fans share that anticipation,” Heckman added.

In addition to the base units, Topps is randomly inserting a limited number of rainbow foil parallel cards, numbered to 70, plus a foil numbered 1/1 Gold Frame for each card, into print runs. Collectors who purchase all 20 cards from an artist will also receive a gold-stamped bonus print featuring all 20 Project70 cards from that artist.

The artists contributing to Project70 include:

Action Bronson, musician, New York
Alex Pardee, comics/apparel, Los Angeles
*Andrew Thiele, art/design, New York
*Ben Baller, jeweler, Los Angeles
*Blake Jamieson, pop art/portraits, New York
Blue the Great, painting, Los Angeles
Bobby Hundreds, illustrator/writer/photographer, Los Angeles
Brittney Palmer, model/artist, Los Angeles
CES, graffiti, Bronx, New York
Chinatown Market, streetwear, Los Angeles
Chuck Styles, fine art, Philadelphia
Claw Money, public art, New York
Distortedd, illustrations, Philadelphia
DJ Skee, artist/TV host, Los Angeles
*Don C, streetwear, Chicago
*Efdot, murals, New York
*Ermsy, cartoons, UK and Paris
*Fucci, pop painting, Montreal and Toronto
FUTURA, graffiti, New York
Greg “Craola” Simkins, surrealism, Los Angeles
*Gregory Siff, painting, Brooklyn and Los Angeles
Infinite Archives, contemporary art, fashion
*Jacob Rochester, pop art, Los Angeles
Jeff Staple, graphic and fashion designer, New York
*JK5, tattoo, Brooklyn
Jonas Never, murals, Los Angeles
*Joshua Vides, stencils, Los Angeles
*Keith Shore, creative design, Philadelphia
*King Saladeen, murals, Philadelphia
Lauren Taylor, mixed media, Vancouver
Matt McCormick, multimedia, Los Angeles
*Matt Taylor, poster design, U.K.
Mikael B, graffiti, impressions, Copenhagen
Mimsbandz, wristband art, Los Angeles
*Mister Cartoon, tattoos, Los Angeles
Morning Breath, graphics, apparel, San Francisco, New York
*Naturel, murals, Washington D.C.
New York Nico, filmmaker, New York
*Oldmanalan, streetwear, Sacramento
POSE, pop artist, Chicago
Quiccs, toy design, Manila
Risk, sculpture, graffiti, Los Angeles
Ron English, pop art, filmmaker, Jersey City, N.J.
Sean Wotherspoon, streetwear, Richmond, Va.
The Shoe Surgeon, streetwear, Los Angeles
Snoop Dogg, rap musician, Los Angeles
SoleFly, streetwear, Miami
*Sophia Chang, design, New York
Toy Tokyo, pop art/toys, New York
*Tyson Beck, logo art, Adelaide, Australia
UNDEFEATED

La Vida Baseball Launches “The Year of 21” Multi-Platform Experience Dedicated To Roberto Clemente

La Vida Baseball, the leading multi-language Latino baseball lifestyle media company, today announced the launch of “The Year of 21,” a multi-platform content initiative created to inform, engage and educate fans worldwide about the life, the impact and the legacy of Roberto Clemente.

In collaboration with a range of media platforms, content creators and unique voices, “The Year of 21” will elevate the living legacy of Clemente’s humanitarian worldview, cultural impact and athletic brilliance through an unprecedented year-spanning reflection of history, current-day vitality and impact well into the future. The season-long celebration launches in April.

“For baseball fans, Roberto Clemente and his number ‘21’ are truly iconic, and the spirit of his legacy is more relevant than ever right now,” La Vida Baseball Managing Director Jesse Menendez said. “2021 is the right moment to elevate and celebrate everything Clemente stands for. Using the entire “The Year of 21” to elevate his legacy is something La Vida Baseball, its platforms, its partners and its community are built to execute better than anyone.”

“On behalf of the Clemente family, we’re excited to be partnered with La Vida Baseball for ‘The Year of 21,’ Roberto Clemente, Jr. said. “We’ve had a great relationship with La Vida Baseball since they launched years ago and they are the right partner to continue our father’s legacy and build upon the growing positive movement of what the number 21 signifies through stories that involve fans, celebrities and generations around the world.”

La Vida Baseball has been acquiring exclusive content assets, securing commitments – headlined by full support of the Clemente Family – and conducting more than 100 in-depth interviews with current and former MLB players, fellow Hall of Famers, star-struck celebrity fans, Clemente family members and others to power the project.

“The Year of 21” programming lineup will include a signature documentary series, a lineup of incredible short-form films, all-star roundtables, a Mi Clemente video series, a dynamic podcast series, energizing live events, memorable regional tie-ins, limited-edition merchandise collaborations and exclusive collectibles, with even more programming elements to be released at key moments during The Year of 21. Additional media, content and sponsorship partners will be announced in the coming weeks.

The La Vida Baseball network was launched in 2017 by TeamWorks Media, the award-winning content studio, and has since become the hub of coverage and community of the Latino influence within baseball, its lifestyle, its players and its fans. La Vida Baseball has created more than a dozen content franchises featuring more than 200 current and former MLB players, baseball media and celebrity super-fans, including “Being Guillen,” featuring the family of longtime MLB star player and manager Ozzie Guillen; “Polvoro, Voz y Diamante,” a rollicking weekly Spanish-language show; the “La Vida Baseball Live” studio show; and wildly popular Instagram Stories and viral moments curated by on-air talent Jennifer Mercedes and Julie Alexandria, widely shared by MLB players and fans.

”In this time of such upheaval and social consciousness both in and out of the athletic world, there may be no more important figure to honor and recognize than Roberto Clemente, and we are excited to be able to work with the Clemente family and a growing list of partners to bring his entire story, as well as those of who he has impacted, and continues to impact to life,” TeamWorks Media CEO Jay Sharman said. “In all our work, we have seen the reverence and respect athletes from all walks of life, and especially Latino athletes, have for Roberto, and we feel that ‘The Year of 21’ will expand the celebration and appreciation of Roberto Clemente to an even wider, cross-generation audience.”

Clemente, the Hall of Fame outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and one of the most inspiring athletes in modern history. Clemente’s charity work in Latin American and Caribbean countries during the off-seasons, especially his work in his native Puerto Rico with young people, was what he may be best remembered for. On December 31, 1972, he lost his life in a plane crash at the age of 38 while attempting to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The following season, the Pirates retired his uniform number 21, and MLB renamed its annual Commissioner’s Award in his honor; now known as the Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.” His impact went well beyond his 3,000 hits and a myriad of other marks in and around baseball and the city of Pittsburgh. His trailblazing work for causes and in uniting peoples of different backgrounds across the Americas is even bigger, than his athletic impact.

Rotoworld Relaunches As NBC Sports Edge

Rotoworld, the industry leader in fantasy sports information, has relaunched as NBC Sports EDGE with a new look and feel across its digital catalog and fantasy sports magazines.

Formerly Rotoworld.com, the new NBCSportsEDGE.com includes the up-to-date, around-the-clock news, injury reports, fantasy advice, and exclusive analysis that Rotoworld users are accustomed to. All Rotoworld magazines and draft guides will now carry the NBC Sports EDGE name as well.

Rotoworld shows and social media handles have also rebranded under NBC Sports EDGE. NBC Sports EDGE podcasts include fantasy football’s “A Good Football Show,” fantasy baseball’s “Circling the Bases,” and fantasy basketball’s “Roundball Stew.”

The NBC Sports EDGE Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide Magazine is available for purchase now, and the digital version goes on-sale tomorrow, Feb. 12, ahead of the 2021 MLB season. New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole serves as this year’s cover athlete. Click here for more details.

In 2020, Rotoworld, one of the internet’s highest-trafficked fantasy sports information sites, was nominated for seven Fantasy Sports Writers Associations awards, including two wins:

  • Player Notes Writer of the Year: Patrick Daugherty, 2020 winner
  • Best Football Podcast: Rotoworld Football Podcast (FSWA 2019 winner)
  • Best Long-Form Video: Rotoworld NFL Mock Draft Show
  • Bets Fantasy Podcast All/Multi-Sport: Rotoworld Fantasy Basketball Podcast
  • College Sports Writer of the Year: Eric Fronton, 2020 winner
  • Best Football Publication: Rotoworld Football Draft Guide Magazine (FSWA 2019 winner
  • Best Baseball Publication: Rotoworld Baseball Draft Guide Magazine

NBC Sports EDGE+ premium products include four available subscription tiers with an array of Draft, Season-long Fantasy, DFS, and Betting-focused tools. The plans, which are available for purchase now, include:

  • EDGE+ ROTO – Including draft and full-season tools, EDGE+ ROTO is available now annually for $3.99/month and features player profiles, rankings and projections, positional tiers, Start/Sit tool, custom scoring, and more.
  • EDGE+ PRO – Featuring all aspects of EDGE+ ROTO plus daily fantasy tools, the plan is available now annually for $7.99/month. Additional features include DFS optimizer, the all-new League Sync tool, customizable projections, and more.
  • EDGE+ MAX –EDGE+ MAX is available annually for $11.99/month and includes all aspects of EDGE+ PRO as well as the sports betting tools found in EDGE+ In addition to draft, season-long, and daily fantasy resources for football, baseball, basketball, and hockey, EDGE+ MAX includes betting tools for those four sports, plus college football and college basketball.
  • EDGE+ BET – With access to all the tools that help you sharpen your betting skills, EDGE+ BET includes the all-new EDGE Finder, top trends, and more. Betting tools include access to football, baseball, basketball, hockey, college football, and college basketball.

All plans include annual and monthly billing options. In addition to the subscription tiers, cheat sheets for all sports will continue to be free for all users with a Rotoworld account. For more information, go to NBCSportsEdge.com.

Entain extends responsible gaming partnerships Into video-gaming and esports

Entain, the global sports betting and gaming entertainment provider, today announces that in line with its commitment to raise both the quality of entertainment and protections to customers worldwide it has extended its initiatives in responsible gambling to new areas including video-gaming and esports.

The new partners include the Counter-Strike Professional Players Association, Kindbridge, Rise Above the Disorder, and an expanded partnership with EPIC Risk Management. These four organizations will provide mental health support services and education for players potentially at risk and will work internationally with Entain and the Entain Foundation, the company’s non-profit charity dedicated to promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity, and corporate compliance.

Each organization seeks to bridge the gap between demand and availability of affordable professional, individual therapy and care. The Entain partners include:

  • Counter-Strike Professional Players Association – The CSPPA is the worldwide association for professional players of the largely popular Counter-Strike videogame, which regularly features in esports events.
  • EPIC Risk Management – An international consultancy specializing in prevention of gambling-related harm, EPIC already works with Entain both internationally and the U.S. and will now be extending its activity further, also to address videogaming and esports.
  • Rise Above the Disorder – A non-profit universal mental health care system, RAD covers the cost of mental health care for tens of thousands of people around the world. Once a video game group selling in-game items to crowd fund therapy, RAD is now celebrated by the United Nations for having helped over 36,000 people receive free support.
  • Kindbridge – The world’s first teletherapy company focused specifically on the successful treatment of gamblers and gamers struggling with their mental health, Kindbridge is a U.S.-based mental health services organization that provides access to online professional mental health counselors and specialized support services.

Entain’s strategy for sustainability and growth underscores its commitment to delivering the highest possible levels of player safety and protection across all its markets. As part of its safer gambling strategy, the Entain Foundation supports customer protection through a mix of education and support projects, as well as research and data analysis, using Entain technology to pioneer new and higher standards of online player protection.

Martin Lycka, Entain Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling and Trustee of the Entain Foundation US, explains, “We are committed to supporting initiatives that encourage responsible gambling and gaming in every way we can. The vast majority of people enjoy playing for fun have no problems whatsoever, and we want to leverage our capabilities to offer them additional experiences whilst keeping all our customers safe. These new partnerships are initial steps in this and other new directions as we both expand our offer to customers and the protections we put in place to protect the very small number who may be at risk.”  

Today’s announcement supports Entain’s planned expansion into video-gaming and esports alongside furthering its commitment to responsible gaming. Entain recently unveiled its Advanced Responsibility and Care (ARC) initiative, pioneering use of data science, behavioral analysis, and technology to develop protective and preventative measures that work in real time.  

Late last year Entain appointed Dr. Mark Griffiths as Distinguished Professor of Behavioral Addiction and Psychology, a title he also holds at Nottingham Trent University. Professor Griffiths is advising Entain on triggers for problems with online play and addiction, which is supporting the ongoing development of ARC. Professor Griffiths was previously involved in work with the World Health Organization around online addictions, resulting in the first official recognition of gaming disorder as a psychological problem among video-gamers.

American 7s Football League Enlists SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory

Entering its 7th hard-hitting season, The American 7s Football League (A7FL®), pioneering no-helmets, no-pads, full contact tackle football, continues to make significant strides on the national stage with the announcement of its appointment of sports industry experts SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory to explore new opportunities for the league’s media rights.

“The A7FL has built a huge grassroots following of football fans across the country,” remarked A7FL Co-Founder and CEO Sener Korkusuz, “As the league expands in 2021 to Florida and Southern California, we want to build on the cutting edge distribution partnerships we have to showcase our unique brand of football and our star athletes to an even wider audience.” Last season, the A7FL was available on Facebook Watch, Twitch, Eleven Sports (satellite and cable) and via WAVE.tv with widely distributed video clips from ESPN’s SportsCenter, Barstool Sports and many other outlets.

“As the major sports leagues look to reach Millennial and Gen-Z fans, the A7FL has consistently captured 18 to 34 year-olds as its core audience.”, said SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory President Dan Bravato, “We think there is a great deal of potential for this property and are excited to be working with them on distribution.”

The two organizations will work together to search for media distribution partners across the global sports landscape. SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory will see their media division lead the project. The team will bring their network and extensive experience to the A7FL in shaping their media strategy and lead conversations in the marketplace.

The league’s signature 7-on-7 format features players competing without helmets and pads, maintaining the exciting and hard-hitting elements of American football while demonstrating amazing athleticism. “It’s the way many of us learned to play in our backyards,” says David Isaacs, UFC® Co-Founder and A7FL Advisory Board Chair David Isaacs. “Removing the equipment actually makes the game safer but also takes the action to another level with great games and tremendous highlights from players looking to get their shot.”

The upcoming 2021 season will feature 2020 Champion the Patterson U looking to defend its title against a recently expanded league, with 4 divisions and a total of 32 teams across 4 states (California, Florida, Maryland, and New Jersey). Play starts on April 11, 2021, with the regular season and playoffs culminating in the National Championship slated for Sunday July 18.

Entain Partners with UNLV on Women’s Innovation Igniter Program

Unsplash/Marcus Spiske

Entain plc (“Entain”:ENT.L) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) today announced a new, groundbreaking partnership to launch the Women’s Innovation Igniter. The first-of-its-kind academic, technology, innovation and mentoring program is designed to provide UNLV undergraduate and graduate women with a pathway toward successful careers in the sports betting, gaming, and technology industries. 

Entain is the global sports betting and gaming entertainment operator which jointly owns, with MGM Resorts International, BetMGM in the United States.  Entain leads the betting and gaming industry through its industry leading proprietary technology that also provides the engine for the roll-out of BetMGM.

Through the Women’s Innovation Igniter initiative, Entain and UNLV will recruit, mentor, support and introduce talented women to the industry and design more inclusive working environments in historically male-dominated fields. 

The program will be housed at the Harry Reid Research and Technology Park, a unique innovation building featuring a state-of-the-art laboratory with an esports arena, virtual reality studio and more.  The curriculum will include practical, hands-on experiences, internships, and mentoring from top executives in the industry, as well as providing the support and resources needed to bring innovations and designs to life.

In partnership with Entain and UNLV, The Women’s Innovation Igniter project will be led by Jan Jones Blackhurst, Chief Executive in Residence, International Gaming Institute and Robert Rippee, Ph.D., Executive Director, Innovation Hub. The program is set to launch in August 2021 with about 20 women in the initial class.

“Entain is the ideal partner to help us bring this groundbreaking program to life,” said Jan Jones Blackhurst. “As a leader in online sports betting and gaming, Entain will help us showcase the myriad of opportunities available in these professional fields, further develop our curriculum, and help women see career pathways in a technology led industry where they are not always well-represented.”

Last month, Entain named Jette Nygaard-Andersen its CEO, marking her out as one of the highest profile female executives in the sports betting industry. Teaming up with UNLV on The Women’s Innovation Igniter gives Entain the opportunity to continue to set precedents in the sports betting, gaming, and technology industries, and help ensure commercial success with talented women in key roles.

“We are honored to be a part of such an inspiring and pioneering program with UNLV,” said Jette Nygaard-Andersen. “Women can face many obstacles in getting traction in careers that are often or traditionally male dominated.  This program will encourage women to aspire for careers they previously may not have considered, and it provides the hands-on experience they need to make the sports betting, gaming, and technology industries more inclusive.”

Entain intends to open an office at The Harry Reid Research and Technology Park with employees that will include engineers as well as software and gaming developers.  Entain will seek opportunities to mentor, as well as create internships and jobs for some of these young women following the program, not just at Entain, but also with other leading companies throughout the industry.

UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park was unveiled in 2020 and provides students the resources and skills needed to accelerate the introduction of new concepts into the gaming and hospitality market, and spur creativity and entrepreneurship overall.

MSG Networks to Unveil Free-to-Play Gaming App for Sports Fans

MSG Networks Inc. (NYSE: MSGN) today announced that it will launch a new, free-to-play app – MSG Networks Pick ‘Em – developed in partnership with Boom Sports, a leader in online sports-gaming technology.  The new prediction gaming app, expected to be available on iOS and Android starting in March, will offer sports fans the chance to win cash prizes during Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, and Sabres games.

“MSG Networks is thrilled to partner with Boom Sports on our new free-to-play app.  We’ve been offering trivia and pick’em games on our MSG GO streaming app since 2018 and have seen firsthand how interactive games can help increase viewer engagement – including how long and how often they tune in,” said Peter Tulloch, Senior Vice President, Digital Products and Distribution, MSG Networks. “MSG Networks Pick ‘Em will further deepen our connection with viewers, providing sports fans with a fun and, potentially, rewarding way to enjoy MSG Networks’ live coverage of their favorite sports teams, while providing MSG Networks with new revenue opportunities.”

“We are excited to be working with MSG Networks to create an app that will enrich the viewing experience, and also offer unique value in the form of user insights and a strategic digital asset,” said Greg Viverito, VP of Partnerships, Boom Sports. “We’re also a New York City-based company so we embraced the opportunity to create a product that adds to the fun of being a fan of New York sports teams.”

MSG Networks’ Pick ‘Em games will have a series of predictive questions rewarding fans with cash prizes for every basketball game, and for hockey games, the jackpot will be progressive.

MSG Networks Pick ‘Em is the latest example of MSG Networks’ commitment to innovation and creating engaging content for its viewers. MSG Networks is the first regional sports network (RSN) to announce a standalone app for free-to-play pick ‘em-style contests.  In 2018, MSG Networks was the first RSN to integrate live stats and interactive games on its MSG GO streaming app, which encourages fans to play along with the actual game broadcast for a chance to win prizes.

The free-to-play app is expected to build off of engagement with the gaming fan that MSG Networks has cultivated over the past few seasons, starting with a daily-fantasy focused simulcast in 2018 and evolving to sports-betting focused programming blocks, short-form content acting as previews for the game, and the aforementioned fan contests on MSG GO.

MSG Networks’ exclusive coverage of the NBA’s New York Knicks, and the NHL’s New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres can be seen on MSG, MSG+ and on the MSG GO streaming app for phones, tablets and computers.  Official rules, scoring, prize and other information for MSG Networks Pick ‘Em will be available when the app launches.  

National Lacrosse League Will Focus On Next Season

NLL

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced that plans for an abbreviated season this spring have been cancelled due to uncertainties arising from the ongoing Pandemic. The league, with the full support of the NLL Board of Governors, will now move to start a traditional season in the fall of this year.

“We have gone through many scenarios, including playing a bubble season in Canada in April, but the logistical challenges, including the recently announced tighter travel and quarantine restrictions across the Canadian border have required us to pivot. We have decided to focus on playing a full season in our markets, starting in the fall of this year,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “While many of the factors we can control were moving along well, those outside of our control, especially pertaining to obtaining government approval as far in advance as we would have needed, are no longer feasible. All the efforts and innovations we were planning will now go towards a full season starting this fall and into next year. We thank our players, teams and Board of Governors, whose thoughts in this process were invaluable, and we now set our sights on getting lined up for a full NLL season starting in the fall. We also thank our fans for sticking with us – we will be back, and it will be even more exciting than ever before.”

“We appreciate the League’s extensive efforts to provide us the opportunity to play an abbreviated 2021 season in a safe and controlled environment throughout the changing landscape during this Pandemic.  While we are disappointed that it will not be possible to play this spring, we are even more excited and passionate about having a full 2021-22 season and are eager to get back on the floor this fall,” said Zach Currier, PLPA President.

While the exact start date of a full season will be announced at a later date, which will include the debut of Panther City Lacrosse Club in Fort Worth, the NLL is planning to start in the fall playing a complete season into the spring of 2022. Additionally, exciting franchise announcements are coming very soon, as well as other initiatives that were being planned for the shortened 2021 season.

Details will be coming as they are finalized. For additional information, please visit @NLL YouTube to watch an interview with Commissioner Sakiewicz.

For the most up to date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.

Strat-O-Matic Expands Partnership With Negro League Baseball Museum

As Black History Month begins, Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the leader in sports simulation games now celebrating its Diamond Anniversary, is proud to announce the renewal and expansion of its partnership with the Negro League Baseball Museum (NLBM) and President Bob Kendrick. Strat-O-Matic continues to augment its selection of popular Negro League baseball roster sets, with 10% of all sales donated to the Kansas City, Mo., based museum.

Strat-O-Matic has the most robust and highly researched Negro League simulation products, now boasting more than 25 individual seasons rosters dating back to 1908, plus Stars and legendary Diamond Gems rosters. Three new rosters, 1918, 1928 and 1943, will be released on February 19 along with the rest of SOM’s current baseball card and digital sets.

“In our 60th Anniversary year, we couldn’t be more excited about extending our partnership with the Negro League Baseball Museum and we’re especially grateful to Bob Kendrick for his support and friendship,” said Adam Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “We look forward to celebrating the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues throughout 2021,”

“Strat-O-Matic has been a great partner in helping further the Museum’s mission of preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America,” said Kendrick. “Members and fans often talk about what it would be like to see these players in action, and Strat-O-Matic continues to be a great way to realistically relive their performances.”

Strat-O-Matic released its first comprehensive Negro League products in 2001 with more than 100 players in the Negro League Stars set.

NBRPA, Swoopes And Flexion Therapeutics Announce Partnership To Raise Awareness Of Zilretta

Unsplash/Marcus Spiske

The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) and Flexion Therapeutics Inc. today announced a new partnership to raise awareness of osteoarthritis-related knee pain and present ZILRETTA (triamcinolone acetonide extended-release injectable suspension) as an effective treatment option. The educational program tipped off with a virtual event featuring Sheryl Swoopes, basketball Hall of Famer and ZILRETTA patient, discussing how osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee has impacted her life and how ZILRETTA has helped with pain management. Swoopes is the first athlete from the WNBA to participate in the awareness program. The partnership with Swoopes complements Flexion’s relationship with ZILRETTA Athlete Ambassadors, NFL Hall of Famer Rod Woodson and 1980 USA hockey team captain and gold medal winner Mike Eruzione.

“We are excited to partner with the NBRPA to raise awareness of knee OA and ZILRETTA, and we are truly honored to be working with Sheryl, a world-class athlete who continues to exemplify greatness well after the height of her career,” said Michael Clayman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Flexion. “As one of the most exceptional women athletes of all time, a hall of famer, and three-time Olympic gold medalist, Sheryl knows about pushing the limits physically, and we are very pleased that she has finally found the much-needed relief from her OA knee pain with ZILRETTA.”

Swoopes, the first player to be signed in the WNBA, is a three-time WNBA MVP and was named one of the league’s Top 15 Players of All Time at the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game. She won three Olympic gold medals and is one of 10 women’s basketball players to have won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship and a WNBA title. She was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and is an active leader in the NBRPA.

“The best partnerships are all about authenticity, and we found out through a survey of our membership that knee pain ranked among retired players’ top ailments following their careers,” said Scott Rochelle, NBRPA’s Executive Director. “There is no better, more engaged advocate for those suffering OA knee pain and no stronger advocate to speak to the benefits of ZILRETTA than Sheryl. We look forward to growing this relationship in the coming months to be one of our most inclusive and informative to date.”

Swoopes added, “I fully understand the way OA knee pain can impact your life in every aspect, not just physically but mentally. To be able to tell my story and share the results of what can be done with treatment with my colleagues, friends, former players and family is very important. This partnership will not only help many of the athletes who have played in the NBA and WNBA, but it will serve to raise awareness for thousands who may be suffering in silence.”

Swoopes was treated by Rabah Qadir, M.D., a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at the Woodlands Sports Medicine Center and Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at Memorial Hermann Woodlands Medical Center in the Houston area. Dr. Qadir said, “While Sheryl has enjoyed the career of an elite athlete, unfortunately, her experience with OA knee pain is far from unique. Knee injuries, especially cartilage and meniscus injuries, are common for basketball players and can lead to OA over time. After evaluating Sheryl and understanding her desire to stay active with a non-surgical treatment plan, ZILRETTA was an obvious choice to offer Sheryl the extended pain relief she needed.”

More information on how to find a treating physician can be found at https://www.getthez.com or by calling 888-600-GETZ (4389).

The NBRPA represents over 1,000 former NBA and WNBA players, making it the largest agency of its kind in basketball. This has allowed for direct access to players for opportunities to educate other members and their treating physicians.