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SPORTIME Randall’s Island Announces Indoor Pickleball Expansion

SPORTIME Randall’s Island, New York City’s premiere tennis facility, to add 12 indoor pickleball courts this fall. Court-time rentals, instructional clinics, social and competitive open play sessions, events and more will all be on the menu for the hundreds of thousands of City residents who have become part of the pickleball craze!

SPORTIME Randall’s Island is in the final stages of a facility expansion, which includes the addition of 10 new tennis courts, making the 30-court facility one of the largest in the world. In an effort to respond to the unprecedented growth of pickleball, and to welcome NYC pickleball players, SPORTIME will retrofit five of its bubbled, hard-surface, tennis courts, so that those courts can also provide 12 hybrid pickleball courts, which will be available for pickleball players to enjoy seven days a week.

“Pickleball is a natural expansion of our racket sports business in NYC and at our clubs across New York State, and we are thrilled to be bringing the first large-scale, indoor, pickleball facility to NYC,” explains SPORTIME CEO & President, Claude Okin. “Our goal is to welcome thousands of NYC’s most committed picklers during the indoor season, so that they can keep playing all year and experience the best-in-class facilities, programs and amenities that SPORTIME has to offer!” Added Okin, “With the unveiling of our $45 million expansion project at Randall’s Island this fall, and the addition of pickleball, SPORTIME hopes to be the go-to destination for racket sports players of all ages and abilities to learn and enjoy our lifetime sports.”

Pickleball players of all levels will have the opportunity to improve their games, to join social and competitive, level-based group play, to rent courts seasonally or by the hour, and to enjoy a host of special events and tournaments throughout the year. SPORTIME tennis and pickleball members enjoy great benefits, including 7-day advanced court-time reservations, member pricing on lessons and events and access to SPORTIME Pickleball programming.

Joining the SPORTIME Randall’s Island leadership team is Pickleball Director Lisa Scotti. A New York native, Lisa has excelled at a variety of sports, including pickleball, paddleball, tennis, softball and paddle tennis. Lisa is a member of the Paddleball Hall of Fame, but, a few years ago she shifted her focus to playing and teaching pickleball exclusively, and she has achieved great success in prestigious tournaments across the Tri-State area and nationwide. As a Professional Pickleball Registry certified pickleball coach, Lisa enjoys introducing newcomers to the game and helping players of all ages and levels improve and compete. Lisa is a devoted ambassador for the sport, and Sportime is excited to have her at the helm of pickleball at its flagship facility in NYC!

SPORTIME Randall’s Island is located at 1 Randall’s Island, NY. For more information, visit www.SportimeNY.com/Manhattan or to communicate with a member of our Pickleball team, email [email protected].

John Schriffen, Jon Dorenbos and Stormy Buonantony to Call Second Weekend of SlamBall on ESPN

SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and acrobatics, today announced that John Schriffen, Jon Dorenbos and Stormy Buonantony will call the Second Weekend of SlamBall League: Series 6 this Thursday to Sunday on ESPN2 and ESPN +. The games will be aired live from Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas beginning Thursday at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT on ESPN2.

“One of our goals is to pair John Schriffen, who has already emerged as the voice of SlamBall on play-by-play, with a fun and engaged list of personalities throughout the season, and we welcome Jon Dorenbos and Stormy Buonantony to the mix,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall creator and CEO. “Nate Robinson and LaMonica Garrett were outstanding in week one, and we are looking forward to adding Jon and Stormy to our broadcasting team in Week Two.”

Schriffen joined ESPN in August 2020 to call the platform’s coverage of the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization). He is now heard as a play-by-play voice across ESPN’s coverage of XFL, college football, basketball, softball and baseball, NBA G-league and Summer League and MLB. Schriffen also hosts ESPN’s presentation of the NBA Draft Combine. Prior to ESPN, Schriffen was an announcer at NFL Network and CBS Sports.

Dorenbos is making his SlamBall debut after a dual career as a two-time NFL All-Pro long snapper (which included 11 years as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles) and an accomplished magician. He is a frequent performer in Las Vegas, and was a finalist for America’s Got Talent in 2019.

Buonantony is a sideline reporter for ESPN college football and XFL, just concluding her third season across ESPN platforms. She is also a studio host for VSIN, The Sports Betting Network in Las Vegas, Nev. Stormy spent two years as the rink-side reporter and host for the Vegas Golden Knights on AT&T SportsNet. Her career has included stints as the in-stadium reporter for the Carolina Panthers for two seasons, the Mountain West’s reporter and host for three years on the conference-owned digital network, and as a sideline reporter for Campus Insiders.

SlamBall’s two-year ESPN partnership will combine to air more than 30 hours of live SlamBall programming across five weekends, culminating August 15-17 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game.

Fanatics Betting and Gaming Partners with the Columbus Blue Jackets for Retail Sportsbook Location

Fanatics Betting and Gaming, the online and retail sports betting company within global digital sports platform, Fanatics Inc., today announced upcoming plans to open a retail sportsbook location in partnership with the Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus’ Arena District.

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are constantly seeking new and exciting ways to engage with our fans,” said Blue Jackets Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Cameron Scholvin.  “We believe this collaboration with Fanatics Betting and Gaming on a world-class sportsbook location just outside the doors of Nationwide Arena in the heart of the Arena District does just that.”

The Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus will be located at 401 North Front Street adjacent to Nationwide Arena. The main entrance is located in the alleyway immediately north of the entrances to Buca di Beppo and Starbucks.  It is scheduled to open its doors at the end of August.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Blue Jackets to bring a world-class retail experience to the arena district in downtown Columbus,” said Ari Borod, Chief Business Officer, Fanatics Betting and Gaming. “The Jackets are one of the youngest teams in the league, and we are excited to leverage our partnership to grow with them and complement our online sports betting experience that is currently being beta-tested in Ohio.”

The newly designed sportsbook is more than 5,000 square feet and features four betting windows, 14 self-service betting kiosks, one giant LED Video Wall, 20 TV monitors and a full-service restaurant with food options that every sports fan will enjoy.  The Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus will offer viewing experiences and legal betting markets for all major sports including professional and college football, basketball, hockey, baseball, alongside tennis, soccer, golf, MMA and boxing. The development and trading of sports betting markets will be done in-house at Fanatics Betting and Gaming and supported by a number of world-class trading suppliers.

The Fanatics Sportsbook continues its online beta testing with Fanatics customers in Ohio. The Fanatics Sportsbook app is available for download on iOS and Android, but a code is needed to access the sportsbook and is otherwise currently only available to Fanatics customers at this time. 

Kitman Labs, Iowa State Partner on Combined Medical Data and Performance Analytics Platform

Kitman Labs, the global enterprise SaaS platform providing the only single, centralized operating system for performance intelligence in Sports, today announced that Iowa State University will be deploying Kitman Labs’ iP: Intelligence Platform across all men’s and women’s varsity sports. They become the third current Big 12 Conference school to partner with Kitman labs, joining Baylor University and Texas Tech University.

Iowa State University will use the platform to centralize and combine student-athlete medical and performance data, providing appropriate Departmental Staff with a secure, comprehensive and real-time view of all athletes from a physical and mental health and wellness perspective. The platform will also enable collaboration between staff in the design and execution of individual rehab and training programs to unlock student-athlete progress and performance.

Beyond compliance, the Performance Medicine solution being deployed at Iowa State will help inform decision-making around medical assessments, diagnosis, treatment and return to play strategies. Iowa State University joins approximately 80 other NCAA universities who are currently using the technology from Kitman Labs.

“Like many other NCAA universities – Iowa State understands the urgency and critical nature of monitoring the physical and mental well being of its student-athletes and to ensure it’s utilizing every tool and resource necessary to support the holistic development of those students during their college tenure, while also developing them for life after school – either inside or outside of Sport,” said Kitman Labs Founder & CEO, Stephen Smith.

“At Iowa State, we realize that ultimate success includes the ability to communicate and share relevant information across all departments that impact student-athlete health, performance, and well-being as well as incorporating the various aspects of sports science which can allow for more informed decision making,” said Mark Coberley, Iowa State’s Associate Athletics Director for Sports Medicine.

“We performed a lengthy analysis of our options to incorporate a system that allows us to meet this vision,” he added. “We needed an all-encompassing system that was sensitive to our particular needs, desired outcomes and nuances across departments. We believe Kitman Labs was the leader in this area and will provide solutions for our vision. We are extremely pleased to partner with them.”

Kitman Labs has an established track record of working with top teams and athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer, basketball, rugby, and American football. The company’s technology is being used by some of the world’s most elite collegiate sports organizations, such as Michigan State University, Clemson University, University of Colorado among many others.

This expansion into NCAA institutions follows other recent business strategy moves Kitman Labs has undertaken. That includes the successful close of a $52M Series C funding round led by Guggenheim Investments, a global asset investment and advisory firm with more than $259 billion in assets under management and two strategic acquisitions of The Sports Office and Presagia Sports, both made in the last two years. The combined companies represent the industry’s largest network of elite and youth organizations (700+) and created the industry’s largest dataset of talent, performance, and medical data for all stages of the athlete lifecycle.

National Lacrosse League Announces Four Strategic New Hires

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced an expansion of its front office staff with the addition of four industry veterans to newly created full time positions.

Jenni Brozena joins as Director of Business Development, Ed Derse as Senior Vice President, Technology and Broadcast Operations, Scott Turken as Director and Executive Producer, Digital Content, and Scott Zolotorow, as Coordinating Producer, Broadcast Production.

“We welcome Jenni, Ed, Scott Turken, and Scott Zolotorow to the our dynamic front office, whose additions are a reflection of the growth of the NLL business, broadcast, and content divisions under Kurt Hunzeker and Joel Feld, respectively,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “Having just completed a season of record attendance and engagement in all areas of media, we are now poised to take another large step forward in the business of lacrosse, and we couldn’t have four better professionals to help us get there.”

Jenni Brozena joins the NLL from Sportradar where she served as the Director of Business Development spanning the North American continent and throughout Latin America. Brozena has also advised and mentored startup tech companies, helping lead them to capital investment wins and eventual exit sales to large, multi-national tech giants. The Pennsylvania native has a bachelor’s degree from West Chester University (PA) and a master’s from California University (PA).

Ed Derse is the new Senior Vice President, Technology and Broadcast Operations, and will lead efforts to discover and implement new technology platforms that evolve NLL’s product offerings while continuing to manage all broadcast technical operations. Derse has more than 30 years of experience in technology, broadcast production, and operations. He has served as Senior Vice President, Digital Media, and Strategic Partnerships at Universal Sports Network, and Managing Director of the Rugby Channel. For the past seven years, Derse has run his own consulting business and served the NLL as a consultant to the broadcast operations area since November 2020.

Scott Turken takes over as Director and Executive Producer, Digital Content, tasked with setting the strategic direction of the NLL’s digital content offerings, and leading a team of content creators and publishers who are responsible for producing all digital assets on the league’s social channels and NLL.com. Turken, a multiple National Sports Emmy Award winner, has spent more than 25 years in sports media, including 22 years at ESPN. Since the 2019-20 season, Turken has served the league directing and managing the game night highlights team as a consultant.

Scott Zolotorow is now the Coordinating Producer, Broadcast Production, charged with managing all facets of the NLL’s live game productions in partnership with the league media rights partners, ESPN and TSN. Zolotorow is an accomplished live sports producer, previously covering lacrosse, football, and basketball games for ESPN, CBS Sports Network, and the Big Ten Network. For the past two seasons, Zolotorow has served the league in a part time role.

About the National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (Fort Worth, TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Schriffen, Robinson, Garrett, Jackson to Call Opening Weekend of SlamBall This Weekend on ESPN

SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and acrobatics, today announced that John Schriffen, Nate Robinson, LaMonica Garrett and Sean “Inches” Jackson will call the Opening Weekend of SlamBall League: Series 6 this Friday to Sunday on ESPN and ESPN +. The inaugural weekend’s game will be aired live from Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas beginning Friday at 7:00 p.m. EDT/4:00 p.m. PDT on ESPN.

“The combination of these four accomplished professionals really will set the stage for the reintroduction of SlamBall to the world,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall creator and CEO. “John is clearly on the rise as a play-by-play voice, while Nate, LaMonica and Inches are personalities who can talk strategy and storytelling about what many of the millions of fans tuning in may be seeing live for the first time. We couldn’t be more pleased with this mix to get us going.”

Schriffen joined ESPN in August 2020 to call the platform’s coverage of the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization). He is now heard as a play-by-play voice across ESPN’s coverage of XFL, college football, basketball, softball and baseball, NBA G-league and Summer League and MLB. Schriffen also hosts ESPN’s presentation of the NBA Draft Combine. Prior to ESPN, Schriffen was an announcer at NFL Network and CBS Sports. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Schriffen was a pitcher on the school’s baseball team his freshman year before serving as the voice of the Big Green athletics, calling baseball, basketball and hockey games on the school’s radio network.

Robinson, perhaps the prototype for today’s SlamBall athlete, was a standout football and basketball player at the University of Washington, before embarking on a long NBA career (while also getting a tryout for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks). The 21st pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the 5-foot-9-inch point guard played for the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans. He is also the NBA’s first three-time slam dunk champion.

Garrett utilized his experience as one of SlamBall’s greatest athletes to transition seamlessly into a storied acting career. The San Francisco native, who is named after former Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica, played linebacker at Central State University in Ohio before moving to Los Angeles to begin an acting career while starring in the first seasons of SlamBall. He became the league’s leading scorer and one of four players announced for the All-SlamBall Team, and then landed a role in a SlamBall-themed episode on the hit show One Tree Hill. That experience was the catalyst for an acting career that has seen him featured on shows such as Sons of Anarchy, Designated Survivor, and most recently the hit series 1883. All the while, he has maintained his strong ties to SlamBall leadership and will make his sports broadcasting debut this weekend.

From his pivotal role in the initial SlamBall seasons to his continued excellence as an elite dunker, Jackson has seamlessly transitioned into a flourishing acting career, appearing in a wide variety of basketball-featured promotions and commercials.

SlamBall’s two-year ESPN partnership begins on Opening Night, as SlamBall relaunches live from Las Vegas on July 21 from 7-9 p.m. EDT. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to air more than 40 hours of live SlamBall programming across five weekends, culminating August 15-17 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game.

SlamBall Signs Comprehensive Partnership with U.S. Integrity

Today U.S. Integrity (“USI”) announced a comprehensive partnership with SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and trampoline, as they aim to protect the integrity of its sport and future events. The 2023 SlamBall League: Series 6, will begin July 21 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas and runs for seven weeks, live on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+.

U.S. Integrity will provide integrity monitoring services via its proprietary dashboard to SlamBall that will encompass data intelligence and fraud prevention. U.S. Integrity conducts analyses across dozens of data sets to proactively identify irregular contest-level & wagering patterns.

“We fully endorse this partnership as the growth of SlamBall and its appeal to fans will reach new heights heading into the 2023 season. The expectation is as our sport evolves, so will sports betting markets. The timing is right to put the correct process in place with a major focus being integrity protection and fraud prevention.” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall co-creator and CEO.

“U.S. Integrity is proud to partner with SlamBall as wagering interest on their events continues to grow across the regulated sports wagering market,” says Matthew Holt, U.S. Integrity’s CEO & co-founder. He continued, “U.S. Integrity’s mission is to provide conflict-free, best in class insights & compliance solutions to our clients. We’re thrilled to collaborate with the outstanding team at SlamBall. There’s a commitment to integrity from all our partners, and this partnership with SlamBall validates that standard.”

SlamBall Establishes Athlete Health and Safety Protocols for 2023 SlamBall League: Series Six

SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and trampolines, today announced its health and safety protocol program for its athletes for the coming 2023 SlamBall League: Series Six, which will begin July 21 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. The protocols are designed to make sure all athletes are receiving the best proactive health and wellness care and prevention without sacrificing any of their elite skills.

“We are a legitimate sport first and foremost, and the health and safety of our exemplary athletes is priority one,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall co-founder. “Having been in and around SlamBall since its inception, our leadership team knows the risks and the challenges these athletes are dealing with every minute they are on the court.e are proud to have been able to address the concerns and challenges of such a high flying, action packed sport by making sure we have the right protocols and best practices in place. This makes sure that our sport is beyond reproach for anyone participating or watching as we head toward the launch on July 21.”

-All players protective equipment include: Elbow pads, knee pads, padded combat shirt, ankleroll guards/ankle braces, and custom padded and fitted head gear.
-In the event of a blow to the head SlamBall’s on-site certified athletic training team will put players through an extensive concussion evaluation protocol, and without exception players must be medically cleared before returning to play or practice.
-Players must undergo daily health and safety screenings with trained medical personnel. Injury status is updated daily and shared with coaches and executives.
-Timeouts for any injury during play will be at the discretion of the medical staff once the officials have stopped play. Players can return only when cleared by the SlamBall medical team.
-In addition to the seven-man roster, there are four players on a taxi squad who are available to any team needing to add a player due to injury. A coach may also elect to keep a player from the taxi squad in this situation and assign a different player to IR as he rehabs and returns to health. The safety of active players remains the priority, with the rosters adjusting for athletes that are cleared and able to play.
-No athletes will be able to participate in practice or games unless cleared by the medical team.
-Updates on injuries will be provided during the regular season basis as needed and as approved by medical personnel and in accordance with HIPAA rules.

SlamBall recently announced an exclusive, two-year national broadcast partnership with ESPN for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The partnership begins on Opening Night, as SlamBall relaunches live from Las Vegas on July 21 from 7-9 p.m. EDT. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to air more than 30 hours of live SlamBall programming across five weekends, culminating August 17-19 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game.

Old Trapper Named Founding Partner of SlamBall League: Series 6

Old Trapper announced that they are the Founding Partner and Official Beef Jerky of SlamBall League: Series 6. Throughout the 2023 season, Old Trapper product, messaging, and signage will be incorporated on broadcast, digital, and social media platforms of SlamBall on ESPN.

The partnership begins on Opening Night, as SlamBall relaunches live from Las Vegas on July 21 from 7-9 p.m. EDT. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to air more than 30 hours of live SlamBall programming across five weekends, culminating August 17-19 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game. All games will be played at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

As Founding Partner of SlamBall League: Series 6, Old Trapper will be highlighted as the Official Beef Jerky in broadcast deliverables. This includes TV visible signs during the 96 games at Cox Pavilion and 62 hours on the ESPN ecosystem. Old Trapper will also be featured on the starting lineups of each game. Old Trapper signage will appear on five minutes of LED rotations per game and on four 30-second spots per broadcast. Old Trapper will have product placement on the SlamBall broadcast desk and in post-game player interviews. For digital and social integrations, Old Trapper’s logo will be permanently integrated into SlamBallLeague.com. The company will also serve as the Presenting Sponsor of Dunk of the Summer, which will be featured on Instagram and voted on by fans.

“We are very excited to announce the start of our partnership with SlamBall,” said Robert Leary, Chief Marketing Officer of Old Trapper. “As Founding Partner and Official Beef Jerky of the 2023 season, we look forward to fueling the fire of champions with bold flavors and protein-packed goodness. Just as SlamBall combines high-flying athleticism with raw power, Old Trapper Beef Jerky complements the grit and determination of these athletes, delivering hearty sustenance to fuel their relentless pursuit of greatness.”

Strat-O-Matic Celebrates All-Star Game, Collectible Set with ’33 vs. ’83 Challenge Game

When the baseball All-Stars hit the field in Seattle tomorrow night, they will have a lot to live up to in order to match two anniversary midsummer classic lineups. The 90-year anniversary of the first-ever game in 1933 and the 50th of the 1983 contest, both held in venerable Comiskey Park in Chicago, is upon us, with first-rate Hall of Famers like Babe Ruth and Rickey Henderson and fan favorites like Pepper Martin and Fred Lynn among the popular stars dominating the team rosters.

Baseball fans love comparing great teams and players across eras, and one of the most fun aspects of Strat-O-Matic, the market leader in sports simulations, is its ability to put those squads together and see how they might fare.

Fans will soon be able to relive those games or create teams and leagues of their own as the Strat-O-Matic Collectibles Series: Strat-O-Matic All-Stars goes on sale today at www.strat-o-matic.com. To celebrate, Strat combined the A.L. and N.L. squads from both classics, and played a single contest, one of many ways fans will be able to utilize the set, which features every player on the All-Star rosters from 1933 and 1983, all produced in super-advanced format for the first time for those specific years.

“Who Would Win” is the popular question: and in this simulation, it was the ‘83’s, whose seven pitchers scattered eight hits in shutting out Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Co., 4-0. Philadelphia’s Mike Schmidt, a first-level Hall member, has the game’s only home run as part of a two-for-two day, making a winner of Cincinnati’s Mario Soto, who tossed the first two frames. Lefty Gomez took the loss, unable to replicate his victory in the actual ‘33 game.

Robin Yount, Andre Dawson and Steve Sax also drove in runs for the ‘83 stars, while Al Simmons had two hits for ‘33, whose defense turned three double plays but whose offense went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position

Linescore:

1983 All Stars………… 0 3 0  0 1 0  0 0 0  –  4  8  0

1933 All Stars………… 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  –  0  8  0

2b- M.Schmidt, J.Wilson; 3b- S.Sax; HR- M.Schmidt

WP: M.Soto; LP: L.Gomez

Tickets Now On Sale For SlamBall League: Series 6, July 21 – August 14 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas

SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and trampolines, today announced that tickets are now on sale for its 2023 SlamBall League Series 6, which includes 30 sessions over four consecutive weekends beginning on Friday, July 21 (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, ESPN)). Tickets are now available at https://www.unlvtickets.com/eventInfo/spe/840/slamball/ with all games held at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. Information on playoff tickets will be announced at a later date.

Tickets are priced at $30 for daily general admission, $50 for reserved and $125 for a limited number of VIP tickets, including post-game, on-court experiences with players and coaches.

Each competition day will feature two sessions of three games per session, with four teams battling in each session and all eight teams competing each night. The winners of the first two games of each session will then meet in the Main Event to determine the winner of the session.

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of Wednesday’s news that ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to televise more than 60 hours of regular season action and all playoff games as well as the finalas part of an exclusive, two-year national broadcast partnership for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

“Las Vegas has emerged as a sports mecca, and we take great pride in being a distinctive addition to the city’s thriving sports scene,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall creator and co-founder. “SlamBall is a sport that truly comes alive when experienced in person. There is simply nothing else comparable. The games are a thrilling display of non-stop, high-speed action from end to end, showcasing the extraordinary athleticism of our players. Being just a few feet away allows you to fully appreciate their remarkable skills. And we designed the schedule to make sure SlamBall fans can witness every team and player every night.”

Opening night will feature a battle between legacy teams MOB, led by Gage Smith (Elizabeth, CO) against the Rumble and its top star Bakari Copeland (Decatur, GA) and legendary Coach Ken Carter. Other games on Opening Night include the Slashers with captain Tony Crosby II (Inglewood, CA.) vs. Lava with Bryce Moragne (Tampa, FL) and Nathaniel Harris (Hammond,IN); Wrath with Christian Gray (Riverside, CA) vs. Gryphons and Justin Holmes (Roseville, CA); and Ozone with Bryan Bell-Anderson (Sarasota, FL) vs. Buzzsaw and Michael Kolawole (Rowlett, TX).

In the ensuing weeks, matchups will be announced several days prior to each week’s sessions, which following opening weekend will be held each Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through August 13. Each regular season competition date will feature two sessions, with all eight squads taking the court each night.

The full schedule, subject to change, with session start times and TV coverage is as follows:

Regular Season (two sessions per date, all times PT):

  • Fri, July 21, 4 p.m., ESPN
  • Fri, July 21, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, July 22, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, July 22, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, July 23, 2:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, July 23, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Thu, July 27, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Thu, July 27, 8 p.m., ESPN
  • Fri, July 28, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Fri, July 28, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, July 29, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, July 29, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, July 30, 2:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, July 30, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Thu, August 3, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Thu, August 3, 8 p.m., ESPN2
  • Fri, August 4, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Fri, August 4, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, August 5, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, August 5, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, August 6, 2:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, August 6, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Thu, August 10, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Thu, August 10, 10 a.m., ESPN2
  • Fri, August 11, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Fri, August 11, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, August 12, 5 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sat, August 12, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, August 13, 2:30 p.m., ESPN+
  • Sun, August 13, 5 p.m., ESPN+

Playoffs

  • Tue, August 15, SlamBall Playoffs, TBD, ESPN+
  • Thu, August 17, SlamBall Championship Game, 8 p.m., ESPN2

For more information about SlamBall visit http://www.slamballleague.com.

ESPN Unveils Exclusive SlamBall Summer Broadcast Schedule of More Than 60 Hours of Action

ESPN today announced the broadcast schedule for the 2023 season of SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and trampolines. SlamBall launches into action on Opening Night, Friday, July 21, at 7 p.m. ET exclusively on ESPN. The Opening Night telecast will include three games, beginning with Rumble vs. Mob and continuing with Slashers vs. Lava, and concluding with a showdown between the winners of each match.

ESPN+ will air the entire season of games beyond those on ESPN and ESPN2. The season culminates with the SlamBall Championship Game on Thursday, August 17, at 11 p.m. on ESPN2.

All games will be played at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, with ticket sales beginning on Thursday, July 6. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.slamballleague.com.

2023 SlamBall Television Schedule*:
Date, Time (ET), Platform
Fri, July 21, 7 p.m., ESPN
Fri, July 21, 9:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, July 22, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, July 22, 10:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, July 23, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, July 23, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Thu, July 27, 8:30 p.m., ESPN+
Thu, July 27, 11 p.m., ESPN
Fri, July 28, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Fri, July 28, 10:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, July 29, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, July 29, 10:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, July 30, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, July 30, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Thu, August 3, 8:30 p.m., ESPN+
Thu, August 3, 11 p.m., ESPN2
Fri, August 4, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Fri, August 4, 10:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, August 5, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, August 5, 10:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, August 6, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, August 6, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Thu, August 10, 8:30 p.m., ESPN+
Thu, August 10, 1 p.m., ESPN2
Fri, August 11, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Fri, August 11, 10:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, August 12, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Sat, August 12, 10:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, August 13, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sun, August 13, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Tue, August 15, SlamBall Playoffs, TBD, ESPN+
Thu, August 17, SlamBall Championship Game, 11 p.m., ESPN2

*schedule subject to change

For more information about SlamBall exclusively on ESPN, please visit ESPN Press Room.

image: Ralph Bellamy blocked by Dionte Byrd (credit: SlamBall)

Showtime Sports Announces Bonded By Ball: Inside The Obl, A Documentary Series Chronicling OBL

SHOWTIME Basketball announces BONDED BY BALL: INSIDE THE OBL, a four-part documentary series chronicling the inaugural season of the Ones Basketball League (OBL). All four episodes of the series premiere consecutively on SHOWTIME EXTREME starting at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Friday, July 28, and all episodes will be available on demand and on streaming for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers on the day of premiere.

Founded in 2022 by seven-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady and award-winning sports business executive and entrepreneur Jeffrey Pollack, OBL is an elite one-on-one competition series designed to discover and spotlight the best one-on-one players around the world and celebrate the competitive spirit of basketball.

“BONDED BY BALL takes you on a journey with incredible athletes you haven’t met before and also gives some insight into my life story,” McGrady said. “When I look at these players, I know how it feels to be overlooked and undervalued. When an opportunity is given, what are you going to do with it? These guys are out to prove something, and we are proud to bring their stories to a larger audience for the first time.”

“Tracy and the OBL fit the ethos of SHOWTIME Basketball, and BONDED BY BALL is a reflection of the type of boundary-pushing and innovative content we strive to create,” said Brian Dailey, SVP, Sports Programming & Content at SHOWTIME. “If you look at our roster, it’s full of Hall of Famers and champions who are open to sharing their experiences, just as Tracy has with this league and through this series.”

The documentary series is an intimate look at the league’s three-month tour across the U.S. during its 2022 season, highlighting competitions in Houston, Brooklyn, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The series, guided by McGrady, reveals the compelling and often heartbreaking stories of the star players. By uncovering each athlete’s unique personality, determination, style and circumstances, the series is an in-depth exposé on the collective joy and disappointment that comes with both basketball and life.

“One-on-one is the essence of basketball and Tracy’s vision for the game opens up a new world of storytelling,” said Pollack. “We are creating a unique stage for amazing athletes who deserve a chance to shine in the spotlight and our ultimate ambition is global. Fans can be with us at the start, enjoy a behind-the-scenes look and get closer to Tracy thanks to SHOWTIME.”

In each of the cities on the tour, 32 players compete for a chance to win $10,000. The winner in each city takes home the cash prize, and the top three players from each city earn a spot in the OBL Finals in Las Vegas and the opportunity to compete for the grand prize of $250,000.

The featured competitors include:

  • George Beamon, Roslyn, N.Y./Manhattan College (Los Angeles Winner)
    31, co-captain and two-time First Team All-MAAC at Manhattan College. He averaged 18.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in 2013-14 after a season-ending injury the previous year. Won OBL Los Angeles Regional to claim the $10,000 prize and qualify for OBL Finals.
  • Isaiah Brown, Queens, N.Y./SUNY Potsdam (New York Winner)
    25, nicknamed “Leaky Roof,” played at SUNY Potsdam. The sharpshooting lefty averaged 24.2 points per game in 2019-20 at Potsdam after transferring from Missouri State-West Plains. Won OBL New York Regional to claim the $10,000 prize and qualify for OBL Finals.
  • John Jordan, Houston/TAMU-Corpus Christi (Houston Winner)
    29, arrived from Romania just in time to compete in the OBL. He’s one of the most decorated players in Texas A&M-Corpus Christi history, totaling more than 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in his TAMU-CC Athletics Hall of Fame career. He played overseas and in the G-League, where he won the dunk contest in 2017. Won the OBL Houston Regional to claim the $10,000 prize and qualify for OBL Finals.
  • Matt Kiatipis, Newmarket, Ontario/Simon Fraser University (Houston Runner-Up)
    21, played a year for Simon Fraser University in his native Canada. He then turned his focus to other basketball pursuits, including a strong social media presence, park takeovers and dunk videos. The youngest OBL Finals qualifier, “M.K.” took second in the Houston Regional.
  • Kevin Kuteyi, Lanham, Md./Gannon University and Chowan University (DMV Winner)
    29, had one of the more vocal rooting sections at The St. James. In two collegiate seasons, one at Gannon University and one at Chowan University, he averaged 12 points per game and shot 40% from deep. “Uncle Skoob” came into the OBL DMV Regional as the No. 8 seed and had to win a play-in to get into the quarterfinals. Won the OBL DMV Regional to claim the $10,000 prize and qualify for OBL Finals.

“When you see that pain I’m putting in, it’s because I missed out on an opportunity,” OBL finalist George Beamon expresses in BONDED BY BALL: INSIDE THE OBL. “I want to get that breakout that I should’ve got. That ain’t stopping me. It’s motivating me.”

Beamon is not alone. The OBL is designed to create opportunities for gifted athletes who can earn a chance to shine on a national stage. McGrady’s devotion to nurturing and motivating the hundreds of players in the OBL comes from a shared place of perseverance and dedication.

BONDED BY BALL: INSIDE THE OBL is co-directed by Eric W. Newman and Rashad Floyd, and executive produced by Stephen Espinoza, Dailey, Newman, McGrady, Pollack and Elissa Grabow. Newman also directed and produced SHOWTIME documentaries KEVIN GARNETT: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE and BE NOW: INSIDE THE 2022 IVERSON CLASSIC, and the show ALL THE SMOKE WITH MATT BARNES AND STEPHEN JACKSON.

This documentary series adds to the award-winning rolodex of documentaries and docuseries from SHOWTIME Basketball, including GOLIATH, STAND, Kevin Durant’s NYC POINT GODS, LeBron James’ SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE, KOBE BRYANT’S MUSE, QUIET STORM: THE RON ARTEST STORY, PASSION PLAY: RUSSELL WESTBROOK and KEVIN GARNETT: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. SHOWTIME Basketball is also comprised of shows including ALL THE SMOKE WITH MATT BARNES & STEPHEN JACKSON, KG CERTIFIED WITH KEVIN GARNETT, TICKET & THE TRUTH, WHAT’S BURNIN’ hosted by Rachel Nichols, HEADLINERS WITH RACHEL NICHOLS and THE ARIEL HELWANI BASKETBALL SHOW.

Is 2023 Oakland Or Kansas City The Worst Team Ever? Strat-O-Matic Simulates Series

With the 2023 Oakland Athletics adding the ignominy of having a perfect game thrown at them last night by New York’s Domingo Germán to pile on a 21-61 record that threatens to be the lowest win total in the expansion era, and Kansas City just a few ticks better at 22-58, Strat-O-Matic got to wondering: are one of these teams the worst in history? Worse than the famed 40-120 Mets in 1962 and 43-119 Tigers in 2003, recognized by many as the most miserable in that span?

The baseball wizards at Strat-O-Matic simulated a seven-game series between those Tigers and Mets, with the loser taking on the A’s-Royals loser. And… drumroll, please… Oakland adds “Worst Team Ever” to its litany of shame this week and this year.

In the “semifinal” sets, the 1962 Mets were swept by the 2003 Tigers in four straight and this year’s A’s lost in five to the Royals to “advance” to the “finals.” Oakland then won the first two against the Mets, 10-6 and 2-1, but amazingly dropped the next three before winning game six to set up a “loser take all” game seven. There, Oakland fell in embarrassing fashion, 13-0, managing just four hits against Al Jackson, a 20-game loser in the actual inaugural Mets season.

To conduct the simulation, this year’s teams were constructed using rosters from the current “Strat-O-Matic Baseball Daily 2023,” which recalculates player cards each day throughout the current season, while the Detroit and New York squads are part of the standard Strat-O-Matic historical baseball seasons, which date back to 1871.

“Fans are always asking about the greatest teams ever, so we thought it would be fun to pit two of the worst ever against two truly bad teams in this year’s Oakland and Kansas City,” said Adam Richman, CEO, Strat-O-Matic Media. “Most think of the ‘62 Mets and ‘03 Tigers as the worst teams, and this simulation shows that they may have company with these two clubs.”

Kitman Labs Announces Transcontinental Deal with Chicago Fire and FC Lugano

Kitman Labs, the global SaaS platform providing the only single, centralized operating system for performance intelligence in the elite performance industry, announced a recent deal with the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer (MLS) and FC Lugano of the Swiss Super League – both owned by Joe Mansueto. The deal will give both clubs access to Kitman Labs’ state-of-the-art Intelligence Platform including access to the Performance Medicine, Performance Optimization and Coaching & Development Solutions. The advanced operating system has now been deployed at the two clubs – and their Academies – with the full suite of resources now in play.

“While the number of individual clubs adopting our Intelligence Platform across both Europe and North America continues to scale, we anticipate that additional deals like this one – encompassing multiple clubs with joint ownership, straddling Leagues and addressing clubs with distinct training methods and styles of play – will become more frequent as we work with shared ownership groups,” said Stephen Smith, CEO and Founder of Kitman Labs. “There is nothing ‘cookie cutter’ when it comes to the bespoke needs, health and performance of a given club, but we think the economies of scale achieved and efficiencies realized by adopting the configurable platform by multiple clubs within a single organization will be a key multiplier for relationships like this for decades to come.”

Each club will work with a version of the system that has been configured for their specific needs. In addition, all club-related data will remain confidential – and only accessible to – that respective club. The collaboration between the Fire and Lugano performance staffs will provide shared learnings in real time as the clubs progress throughout their respective seasons. The partnership is designed to provide both clubs with deeper, strategic insight into all areas of on-pitch performance, ranging from developmental club best practices to helping gamify trade and transfer scenarios, making sure that injury prevention and maximal performance scenarios are created effectively and easily for all athletes, while giving performance leaders the ability to maximize every area of performance.

“In data-driven recruitment, matching the physical and medical profile of a player with the club and the league’s tactical and technical demands is paramount,” said Chicago Fire FC Director of Performance Nacho Torreño. ‘Through our relationship with Kitman Labs, we are working to develop the software that will allow us to track both the Chicago Fire’s and FC Lugano’s physical and medical metrics in one place and through one methodology. We are excited about the work being done that will give us an excellent understanding of how players from one environment will translate to the other. Additionally, this tool will also allow us to monitor players within our Academy, from the early stages through the professional ranks, to further enhance their development.”

“Kitman Labs is a value-add in the daily work of the technical staff of our first team and academy,” said FC Lugano Chief Sports Officer Carlos Da Silva. “It provides crucial support to those responsible for athletic preparation in terms of quality and intensity of training.”

Kitman Labs has an established track record of working with top teams and athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer, basketball, rugby, and American football. The company’s technology is being used by some of the world’s most elite sports organizations, such as MLS Next, Columbus Crew, and Bayer Leverkusen.

This new business launch follows other recent business strategy moves Kitman Labs have undertaken. That includes the successful close of a $52M Series C funding round led by Guggenheim Investments, a global asset investment and advisory firm with more than $259 billion in assets under management and two strategic acquisitions of The Sports Office and Presagia Sports. The combined companies represent the industry’s largest network of elite and youth organizations (700+) and created the industry’s largest dataset of talent, performance, and medical data for all stages of the athlete lifecycle.

Ones Basketball League and Dunk Media Partner to Bring 1-on-1 Basketball Content to Young Fans

The Ones Basketball League (OBL), founded by Basketball Hall of Famer and entrepreneur Tracy McGrady, today announced a content and distribution partnership with Dunk Media LLC, a leading digital property, founded by creative entrepreneur Eliot Robinson, with a fanbase of more than 13 million basketball enthusiasts across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat.

Starting in July 2023, Dunk will produce and distribute existing and new content highlighting the OBL and its successful proof-of-concept season that took place in the summer of 2022. Dunk will also work with McGrady to create new content focused on celebrating the one-on-one game, which McGrady calls “the essence of basketball.” In total, OBL-related content on Dunk is expected to drive over 50 million video views in the second half of 2023.

Tracy McGrady, Founder of OBL, said, “OBL celebrates the best one-on-one players in the world and highlights the essence of our great global game. This new partnership with Dunk will put a spotlight on the best moments from our pilot season and the incredible skill and talent of our elite players.”

Jeffrey Pollack, Co-Founder of OBL, said “Our proof-of-concept season was a smash hit with both players and fans, and Dunk will help re-energize and expand the OBL community as we put the pieces in place for a re-launch in 2024.”

Dunk Media CEO Josh Gotthelf said “The one-on-one game, and OBL’s unique format, are a perfect fit for the way today’s young audience consumes basketball content. We’re looking forward to telling the OBL’s many stories and creating new emotional connections to our community.”

Dunk will produce and distribute a wide range of engaging basketball content, including highlights, behind-the-scenes footage, player interviews, and insightful analysis that will provide an unprecedented glimpse into the world of OBL.

Strat-O-Matic Celebrates 1933, 1983 All-Star Games With Unique Limited Edition Collectible Card Set

Ninety years ago, baseball debuted its All-Star Game, a novelty that quickly became an annual tradition. Babe Ruth, naturally, launched the classic’s first home run in that inaugural contest, and it was 50 years later that California’s Fred Lynn hit the game’s first grand slam. Those two memorable shots, in games replete with dozens of Hall of Famers and other favorites, have made the 1933 and 1983 games among the most memorable in history, and beginning on July 10, Strat-O-Matic fans can relive and replay them like never before with the issue of the second entry in the Strat-O-Matic Collectibles Series: Strat-O-Matic All-Stars.

This special edition card set will feature the baseball All-Star teams from the 1933 and 1983 seasons on vivid, colorful cards with all-red (for the American League) or all-blue (for the National League) backgrounds and white text on both the basic and advanced sides of the cards. The numbered sets will be offered in a unique shrink-wrapped box that will also include charts detailing the starting lineups, rosters, and a box score for each game.

All 96 player cards from these two games will be released in Super Advanced format: a first for the majority of 1983 players (the season having been previously released with advanced-only features) while the 1933 season has never been released in card form by Strat-O-Matic.

“We expect demand for Strat-O-Matic All-Stars to be at least as strong as our Strat-O-Matic Black set, which sold out in less than two days,” said Adam Richman, CEO, Strat-O-Matic, Media. “Only 600 of these All-Star sets will be offered, never to be printed in this format again, so we advise fans to reserve theirs as soon as they go on sale at noon on July 10, just in time for the All-Star Game.”

The 1933 game, and this card set, featured Hall of Famers including Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Carl Hubbell, Pie Traynor, Frankie Frisch, and more. The 1983 classic included an incredible 18 Cooperstown inductees. Both contests were played at the revered Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Kitman Labs Announces Deal with New Zealand Football Club, the Wellington Phoenix

Kitman Labs, the global enterprise SaaS platform providing the only single, centralized operating system for performance intelligence in the elite performance industry, today announced a new deal with New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix Football Club – the only New Zealand-based club in the Australian League. The club will be utilizing several Solutions in the Intelligence Platform, including: Performance Medicine, Performance Optimization and Talent Development. The Platform combines medical, performance and talent development data into a single, interactive system that yields actionable intelligence to support specific operating and performance outcomes.

The Intelligence Platform is being deployed across the Men’s and Women’s Teams as well as the Academy. The platform will serve as the singular operating system for the Organization – eliminating data and information silos, enabling cross-Departmental communication and providing a comprehensive, real time view of every player in the organization.

By deploying the Intelligence Platform across the Academy and First Teams, Performance and Coaching staff will be able to effectively systemize their talent pipeline, enabling the early identification and progression of talent across the entire organization while creating key performance benchmarks and markers to inform their overall talent development strategy.

“The Intelligence Platform has been designed to unify data, people and processes to support informed decision-making, streamline operations and ultimately, yield the action plan necessary to achieve critical performance outcomes,” said Stephen Smith, CEO and Founder of Kitman Labs. “By deploying the platform across every aspect of the club, The Phoenix will have access to a complete, 360 view of each athlete and each team, eliminating data gaps and providing the intelligence necessary to develop and execute their performance strategy across every department.”

“Football clubs are no different than any other complex organization faced with significant amounts of incoming data and information,” said Shaun Gill, Director of Football, Wellington Phoenix FC. “Traditionally that information gets stuck or siloed within specific departments or project teams with limited transparency or context. By adopting the Intelligence Platform across every aspect of the Wellington Phoenix Organization – from our academy to first teams, men’s and women’s – all relevant, pertinent data will not only be centralized, but integrated. Kitman Labs will give us a comprehensive, real-time view of every player at all levels across the club and will provide the analytics necessary to support informed, strategic decision-making – whether that’s related to our development and recruitment objectives or athlete performance and health.”

Kitman Labs has an established track record of working with top teams and athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer, basketball, rugby, and American football. The company’s technology has been used by some of the world’s most elite sports organizations, including Bayer Leverkusen, Malmö FF, Columbus Crew and MLS Next.

This launch follows other recent business strategy moves Kitman Labs have undertaken. That includes the successful close of a $52M Series C funding round led by Guggenheim Investments, a global asset investment and advisory firm with more than $259 billion in assets under management and two strategic acquisitions of The Sports Office and Presagia Sports, both made in the last two years. The combined companies represent the industry’s largest network of elite and youth organizations (700+) and created the industry’s largest dataset of talent, performance, and medical data for all stages of the athlete lifecycle.