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National Lacrosse League, TSN Set ‘NLL Game of the Week on TSN’ Schedule For 2023-24 Season

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, and TSN, Canada’s Sports Leader, announced the schedule of “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” broadcasts on TSN for the upcoming 2023-24 NLL regular season.

The lineup of 20 Game of the Week broadcasts – including at least one at each of the NLL’s five Canada-based franchises – begins with NLL Faceoff Weekend on December 1, featuring the Saskatchewan Rush at Halifax Thunderbirds (7 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. AT) followed by Panther City Lacrosse Club at Vancouver Warriors (10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT).

This season’s “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” slate also features a record four doubleheaders (Weeks 1, 14, 16, and 20), providing fans more fast-paced NLL action throughout the season.

Designated “flex” games during the last three weeks of the NLL regular season allow the League and TSN to adjust broadcast schedules to air the most compelling games during the “NLL March to May” race to the postseason.

In addition, the popular “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” broadcasts are complemented by TSN’s continued live streaming coverage of every NLL regular season and postseason game for fans across Canada on its TSN+ digital streaming service.

The “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” schedule is as follows and is available on the NLL and TSN official websites (schedule subject to change, all times ET):

  • Friday, December 1, 2023: Saskatchewan Rush @ Halifax Thunderbirds, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, December 1, 2023: Panther City Lacrosse Club @ Vancouver Warriors, 10 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 9, 2023: Philadelphia Wings @ Toronto Rock, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 16, 2023: Georgia Swarm @ Vancouver Warriors, 10 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 30, 2023: New York Riptide @ Toronto Rock, 4 p.m.
  • Friday, January 12, 2024: Toronto Rock @ Halifax Thunderbirds, 6:30 p.m.
  • Friday, January 26, 2024: Colorado Mammoth @ Vancouver Warriors, 10 p.m.
  • Saturday, February 3, 2024: Toronto Rock @ Calgary Roughnecks, 9 p.m.
  • Friday, February 9, 2024: Las Vegas Desert Dogs @ Halifax Thunderbirds, 6:30 p.m.
  • Sunday February 18, 2024: Halifax Thunderbirds @ Calgary Roughnecks, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, March 1, 2024: Georgia Swarm @ Halifax Thunderbirds, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, March 1, 2024: Buffalo Bandits @ Vancouver Warriors, 10 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 9, 2024: Colorado Mammoth @ Toronto Rock, 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 16, 2024: Toronto Rock @ Buffalo Bandits, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 16, 2024: New York Riptide @ Saskatchewan Rush, 9:30 p.m.
  • *Friday, April 5, 2024: Saskatchewan Rush @ Calgary Roughnecks, 9 p.m. OR Halifax Thunderbirds @ Vancouver Warriors, 10 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 13, 2024: Rochester Knighthawks @ Toronto Rock, 7:30 p.m.
  • *Saturday, April 13, 2024: New York Riptide @ Vancouver Warriors, 10 p.m. OR San Diego Seals @ Saskatchewan Rush, 9 p.m.
  • *Saturday, April 20, 2024: Colorado Mammoth @ Halifax Thunderbirds, 6 p.m. OR Toronto Rock @ Saskatchewan Rush, 9 p.m. OR Panther City Lacrosse Club @ Calgary Roughnecks, 9 p.m.

*denotes flex dates

**The 20th NLL Game of the Week on TSN matchup will be announced prior to the start of the season.

The 2023-24 NLL season will commence with NLL Faceoff Weekend on December 1-2. The full NLL regular season schedule is available at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/.

Kitman Labs Launches ‘The Football Intelligence Platform’ For Premier League Academies

Kitman Labs, the sports technology and analytics company setting the industry standard for how elite sports organisations use data, today announced a new partnership with the Premier League.

The partnership will provide all Premier League club academies with a centralised, fully integrated ‘Football Intelligence Platform’ designed to aggregate and mobilise player and staff data across coaching, medical, sports science, operations, player care and education.

Data for academy players will be centralised in one platform – providing participants and coaching staff with a comprehensive, unified and real-time view of players’ medical, performance, training and development profiles.

The platform gives academies data accuracy and the ability to conduct advanced analytics at a league, club, or player level. Staff will manage player pathways through performance benchmarking and personalised development plans, in addition to providing tools, reporting, insights and actionable data to achieve specific operating and performance outcomes.

The goal of the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) is to not only enhance the pipeline of homegrown talent for the professional game but also to ensure academies provide life-enriching experiences for all players, empowering them to fulfill their potential on and off the pitch. The Football Intelligence Platform will also provide clubs with the ability to track and support players’ progress in their social, educational and cognitive development and will help serve as a holistic record for each player.

The platform will be supported by dedicated staff and a player app (iOS and Android), to support the need for frequent and instant access to player data on the pitch, in the training room and on the go.

Stephen Smith, Kitman Labs Founder & CEO, said: “Data’s value can only be realised when it’s consistent, accurate, pervasive and directly aligned with the fundamental operating and performance objectives of the league or club.

“The Football Intelligence Platform has been developed to aggregate and leverage all data sources in a single platform to ultimately drive collaboration across the organisation(s), eliminate information silos and provide actionable intelligence. That intelligence will be used specifically to systemise talent development and player pathways as well as support and validate data-led decision-making related to coaching methodology, best practices and policies.”

Tony Scholes, Chief Football Officer at the Premier League, said: “The EPPP aims to create unrivalled development environments where every young person is supported to maximise their potential on and off the pitch. Innovation and insights are key elements of this work, to ensure we are informed and evidence-led in our decision making.”

“This partnership represents a significant development in how clubs and the Premier League can use data to support elite player development and personal growth across all club academies. Through this first-of-its-kind strategic partnership, we and our clubs will have access to world-leading technology and support, equipping us with the tools and knowledge to help the development of players.”

Kitman Labs has an established track record of working with top governing bodies, leagues, teams and athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer/global football, basketball, rugby, and American football. The company’s technology has been used by leagues and teams in some of the world’s most elite sports organisations and universities including the NFL, NBA, MLS, NWSL and NCAA.

This partnership with the Premier League follows other recent business strategy moves Kitman Labs has undertaken including the successful acquisition of The Sports Office (TSO) and Presagia Sports, both made in the last two years. The combined companies represent the industry’s largest network of elite and youth organisations (1000+) and created the industry’s largest dataset of talent, performance, and medical data for all stages of the athlete lifecycle.

For more information on Kitman Labs, visit www.kitmanlabs.com.

NWSL Launches Performance Medicine Solution From Kitman Labs As Advanced EMR

The National Women’s Soccer League and Kitman Labs, the sports technology and analytics company setting the industry standard for how elite sports organizations use data, today announced a new deal that, beginning in 2024, will provide all current and incoming NWSL teams with a centralized and configurable operating system designed to aggregate and mobilize all player medical data.

The Performance Medicine Solution – one of four Solutions offered as part of Kitman Labs’ iP: Intelligence Platform – will provide the technology and infrastructure to automate and power accurate, league-wide medical data collection and analysis, drive collaboration among all relevant league and team stakeholders, yield actionable intelligence to support specific performance outcomes and enable data-led decision-making and research.

The Performance Medicine Solution powered by iP: Intelligence Platform will enable the NWSL to:

  • Standardize league-wide medical documentation and data collection – eliminating data gaps, inconsistencies and inaccuracy and facilitating club-level compliance
  • Collaborate and align relevant internal stakeholders across both the Medical and Performance Teams to support evidence-based decision-making around player health, care and wellness
  • Enable practitioners to spend less time dedicated to data collection, analytics and administrative oversight and more time with athletes
  • Establish a solid and complete data set to support ongoing and future league-wide research initiatives and innovation

“In making the decision around what technology to deploy, it was critical for us that the technology not only represent the gold standard in performance intelligence but be supported by a team of practitioners born from the Sport. We get both in Kitman Labs,” said NWSL Chief Medical Officer Cindy Chang. “We’re not looking for the quick fix or a short term solution. We’re looking for a partner that understands our vision and can provide a platform that can scale and adjust as the League continues to grow and evolve. We also needed a platform that would help automate and streamline workflows, freeing up bandwidth for medical and performance staffs to do what they do best – develop and train elite athletes.”

“We have extensive experience developing and deploying league-wide technology solutions related to medical, performance and talent development data. The insights and intelligence gleaned from a platform capable of aggregating and analyzing disparate data sets across multiple organizations is invaluable,” said Stephen Smith, Founder & CEO Kitman Labs. “The NWSL will now have a fully configurable operating system that can grow with them, drive league-wide efficiencies and support data-led decision-making at every level of the organization – league, team and athlete.”

Kitman Labs has an established track record of working with top governing bodies, leagues, teams and athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer/global football, basketball, rugby, and American football. The company’s technology has been used by teams in some of the world’s most elite sports organizations and universities including the NFL, NBA, Premier League, MLS and NCAA.

This partnership with the National Women’s Soccer League follows other recent business strategy moves Kitman Labs has undertaken including the successful acquisition 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 (1000+) and created the industry’s largest dataset of talent, performance, and medical data for all stages of the athlete lifecycle.

For more information on Kitman Labs, visit www.kitmanlabs.com.

NLL Adopts Unified Standings Format and Updated Playoff Structure for the 2023-24 Season

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced several new structural formats, most prominently a single-table, “Unified Standings,” in which teams are ranked regardless of geography, debuting with the 2023-24 season.

It is the most significant and impactful change to the NLL schedule format in League history.

“The revamped standings, schedule and playoff formats provide a streamlined, easy-to-follow, and fiercely competitive method of determining our playoff teams and, ultimately, our champion,” said Brett Frood, NLL Commissioner. “This also affords us flexibility in matching up teams to sustain lasting rivalries, create new ones, and maximize fan and partner engagement across the league.”

In addition to the Unified Standings model, notable features of the transition include:

  • Scheduling will be rooted in competitive equitability and schedule parity, with each team playing every other team once, plus four additional “flex” games that preserve established rivalries and fan interest, showcase games with impactful storylines, and highlight star player matchups.
  • The schedule and standings format allows the NLL to definitively showcase its continental reach as a truly North American league; for example, teams in San Diego and Vancouver competing against Toronto and New York for regular season superiority.
  • Every single game, every weekend, will have a playoff atmosphere and implications on the path to the Championship, while guaranteeing that the best eight teams at the end of the regular season have an opportunity to win the NLL Cup.
  • Each fan base in every city will have the opportunity to see every team and player visit their home arena at least once every other year.
  • The “NLL March to May” playoff format will feature the regular season #1 seed vs. #8; #2 vs. #7; #3 vs. #6; and #4 vs. #5 in the Quarterfinals, with a “bracket” style advance through to the NLL Finals. The Quarterfinal round will be single elimination. The Semi-finals and Finals will continue to be best-of-three series.
  • NLL Faceoff Weekend is set for December 1-2, 2023. Buffalo will begin its defense of its 2022-23 NLL title on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Albany, then will raise its Championship banner at home on Dec. 16.
  • For the third consecutive year, every NLL game will be distributed on ESPN+ and TSN+. The schedule of national broadcast games on TSN and ESPN linear networks will be announced soon.

The complete 2023-24 National Lacrosse League schedule can be found here.

New NFL and NCAA Schools Join The Lineup For Second Annual Coach Knapp Stair Climb Initiative

The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund, named in honor of veteran NFL assistant coach Greg Knapp, today announced its expanded lineup of NFL and NCAA teams participating in this fall’s “Knapp Stair Climb.” Launched last fall, the initial project had seven NFL teams and close to 200 coaches, players and staff participating in various forms on game days, easily surpassing the goal of raising $100,000. In honor of Coach Knapp, NFL and NCAA coaches, players, executives and alumni will participate in raising funds and awareness for the dangers of distracted driving at each NFL or NCAA stadium prior to team warm ups.

“It’s been very special to see so many people sign up for the Stair Climb to raise awareness for the dangers of distracted driving and to honor Greg’s legacy. We are so grateful for the groundswell of support from across the NFL and at the college level,” said Charlotte Knapp, co-founder of Knapp Memorial and Greg Knapp’s widow.

The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund designated their first grant to SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), which funded TextLess Live More events in high schools across the country. TextLess Live More utilizes evidence-informed strategies to reduce technology’s prevalence in young people’s lives – especially behind the wheel, reducing distracted driving rates and deaths. This year, teams will be able to choose which middle and high schools they want these events to take place to create a local impact in their communities.

This year’s initiative will start even earlier in the season, with Head Coach Matt LaFleur leading the Green Bay Packers in taking to the steps of storied Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 24th.

In addition to the Packers, the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans, plus a growing number of NCAA colleges and universities from Division I to Division III have signed on to participate this fall. The initial NCAA list includes the football programs at Sacramento State, Stanford University, Fordham University, The University of Michigan, Caldwell University and Ripon College, with more schools joining on each week.

“Coach Knapp was a mentor and friend. I can only hope that the impact he made on me as a player, I can pay it forward to my athletes, added Bobby Fresques, Sac State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach and loyal friend. “Through his foundation, his legacy will continue to have a profound effect on Sac State Football.”

Fans, athletes, and coaches or anyone interested can also participate wherever is most convenient to them across the country, such as apartment building stairs or a high school sports stadium. Images will be shared on various social channels.

Details on how to get involved individually can be found at https://www.knappmemorial.org/stairclimb. All proceeds will benefit The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund.

Fanatics Betting and Gaming Closes First Wave of States in its Acquisition of the US Businesses of PointsBet

Fanatics Betting and Gaming, a subsidiary of Fanatics Holdings Inc., this week closed on the first eight states in its previously announced acquisition of the U.S. businesses of PointsBet USA.  The acquisition transforms Fanatics Betting and Gaming into a premier online gaming operator with proven products in sports betting and iCasino.

On June 30, 2023, PointsBet Shareholders in Australia approved a Stock and Equity Sale Agreement with Fanatics Betting and Gaming for US$225 million on a debt free basis for the sale of PointsBet’s United States sports wagering, advance deposit wagering (ADW), iCasino, Banach technology, and a license to use the company’s proprietary technology platform. 

Today, following regulatory approvals, Fanatics Betting and Gaming closed on the operating businesses of PointsBet USA in the following states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.  As each state closes and officially becomes part of Fanatics Betting and Gaming, customers in such state will see PointsBet rebranded to “PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience,” with additional state closings to continue throughout the year.  Customers in Indiana and Illinois will see PointsBet rebranded to “PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience” in the coming months, but the operating businesses of PointsBet USA in Indiana and Illinois will continue to be operated by PointsBet USA without interruption until Fanatics Betting and Games closes those states later this year.

“We are excited about what we are building at Fanatics Betting and Gaming and this acquisition accelerates our plans,” said Matt King, CEO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming. “We have a ten-year plan that focuses on the customer and not market share.  We are going to acquire customers efficiently, allowing us to return savings to customers by investing in the customer experience at Fanatics Sportsbook and PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience.” 

This strategic acquisition complements the growth and diversification that Fanatics Betting and Gaming has accomplished over the past two years. Fanatics Betting and Gaming will add PointsBet’s online casino platform, which is available in four states, to continue the development of Fanatics’ online casino offerings that is scheduled to launch later this year in the United States. In addition, Fanatics Betting and Gaming will begin integrating Banach Technology’s risk management platform and quantitative driven trading models into the Fanatics Sportsbook app that is now available for download on iOS and Android for sports fans in Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio and Tennessee.

As part of the Fanatics experience, new and current PointsBet customers will have the opportunity to become part of the Fanatics family and the global digital sports platform of legal sports betting and iGaming, team merchandise and collectibles (trading cards). In addition, PointsBet customers will experience new and engaging promotions that Fanatics is planning this football season.

PointsBet USA will continue to operate in states like Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New York and Ohio until Fanatics Betting and Gaming is able to close on select states individually.  PointsBet USA will continue to employ engineers, customer service teams, traders, marketing and compliance teams with a new influx of operating capital from Fanatics Betting and Gaming.  Johnny Aitken will continue as the CEO of PointsBet USA and customers will continue to enjoy the most markets on all four major U.S. sports including up to 1,000 markets per NBA game and the quickest, most user-friendly app on the market today.

At the start of football season, Fanatics Betting and Gaming will have a portfolio of brands live in 11 legal sports betting states and PointsBet Casino will be live in four states. 

RealResponse and U.S. Integrity Launch New Service to Safeguard Integrity of Competition

RealResponse and U.S. Integrity (USI) today launched a fully integrated service exclusively for intercollegiate athletics to help protect students-athletes, as well as colleges and universities, from increased illegal gambling-related activity.

When a sports betting issue is raised, RealResponse’s college athletics customers will now have access to USI’s investigative support through the RealResponse platform. This new service is the fastest, most secure way for the more than 100,000 student-athletes currently using the platform to anonymously report the misuse of insider information, potential game manipulation, and physical threats helping to ensure the integrity of fair competition.

Institutions benefit from expertise on how best to navigate increased sports gambling activity at a critical juncture. When a report comes in through RealResponse, campus administrators can assign USI’s collegiate response team – composed of highly trained professionals in the wager-monitoring space – to assess, verify and route the report to appropriate authorities within minutes. The details:

  • The new service is free for existing RealResponse collegiate clients and is now accessible within their respective internal portals.
  • As an additional paid service, colleges and universities can establish an institution-branded external portal to allow anyone – from parents to friends to competitors – to report gambling-related issues.
  • RealResponse and USI will support colleges and universities in educating their communities about the integration of their solutions.

“With the significant rise of easy-to-use online and mobile sports betting, the challenges to fair competition are immense and growing,” said David Chadwick, founder and CEO of RealResponse. “Gambling is a major concern on college campuses—not just for student-athletes—and the potential harm to a student’s mental health and physical well-being is great. This expanded partnership with USI delivers instant support to student-athletes through a channel they already trust with sharing their most pressing needs and concerns.”

“Nothing is more important than protecting the health and wellbeing of the student-athletes who have committed their lives to competing at the highest levels, while simultaneously pursuing a higher education,” said U.S. Integrity Co-Founder and CEO Matthew Holt. “This new solution brings the capabilities and experience of U.S. Integrity and RealResponse together, to do just that.”

In May 2023, RealResponse and U.S. Integrity launched “Athlete Alert Powered by RealResponse,” the only national tip line that allows the public to anonymously report gambling-related issues.

Fanatics Sportsbook & Columbus Blue Jackets To Open Retail Location in Columbus’ Arena District Today

Fanatics Betting and Gaming, the online and retail sports betting subsidiary of Fanatics Holdings, Inc., a global digital sports platform, will open its retail sportsbook location today in partnership with the Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus’ Arena District.

“Tomorrow will be an exciting day for Blue Jackets fans and for sports fans in Ohio as we officially open the Fanatics Sportsbook in the shadow of Nationwide Arena,” said Blue Jackets Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Cameron Scholvin, on Thursday.  “I’d like to thank RJ and Ryan for joining us today, as well as extend our gratitude to our partners at Fanatics and the many others that worked very hard to make this remarkable facility a reality.”

At a special preview event today, Ohio sports legends Ryan Shazier and RJ Umberger placed the ceremonial first bets at the brand new Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus.  Shazier, a former linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers and The Ohio State University, placed $20 @+700 on the Buckeyes to win the college football national championship.  Umberger, a former center for the Columbus Blue Jackets, also placed $20 @+475 on the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the AFC North Division. 

“It was a great day to be a Buckeye at the Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus,” said Ari Borod, Chief Business Officer, Fanatics Betting and Gaming. “Having Columbus sports legends like Ryan and RJ come out and place the first bets shows that we plan to be the premier sports viewing and betting destination in the Arena District when we open our doors to the public on Friday.  The Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus will be a great complement to our online sportsbook experience for sports fans living and visiting Ohio.”  

The Fanatics Sportsbook is the most rewarding online sportsbook in Ohio, allowing customers to earn up to 5% back in FanCash on every bet and is available for download on iOS and Android for sports fans living and visiting the state of Ohio. It makes being a fan easy with fast signup, easy betting, transparent withdrawals, an industry-leading search functionality and a curated Discover page with the sports and bets that matter most to a customer. 

The Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus is located at 401 North Front Street just outside Nationwide Arena. The main entrance is located in the alleyway immediately north of the entrances to Buca di Beppo and Starbucks. The new sportsbook was designed by architecture firm BLTa, a Perkins Eastman Studio, and built by Lehman Daman Construction Services.  It is more than 5,000 square feet and features four betting windows, 14 self-service betting kiosks from Suzohapp, one giant LED Video Wall and 20 TV monitors. The full-service restaurant operated by Delaware North, will have 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. 

Fanatics Betting and Gaming and the Columbus Blue Jackets believe that responsible gaming is a core tenet and a part of each company’s DNA.  On-site staff at the Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus have received responsible wagering training and can offer support services to customers when needed.

Kitman Labs Data Analytics: A Case For Why Each Team Can Win Women’s Title

Play continues in New Zealand and Australia this week, and Kitman Labs, the global SaaS platform providing the only single, centralized operating system for performance intelligence in the elite performance industry, has used its proprietary approach to analytics to provide insight into how each of the four remaining sides can win the championship.

Kitman Labs demonstrates a commitment to objectivity over opinion, highly valuing expertise and experience while keeping data as the guard-rails to protect bias and subjectivity creeping in. Nothing in the team evaluation provided is without foundation in data.

Utilizing the data gleaned from the matches to date and accounting for how that can influence play in past semifinals and finals level contests, Kitman Labs has developed paths for each of the four teams to claim the title.

Why Australia Will Win The World Cup: What is the biggest reason Australia are going to win the world cup? The Matildas have been preparing for this event since June 23th 2020 when they were announced as the hosts. The preparation they have put into their squad is bearing fruit in this tournament.

Australia have put their focus on developing a core group of young players over the past years, and giving them the tools to succeed in this world cup. Australia has started only 12 players during the tournament, while 5 key players have played every minute of the world cup. Despite the squad having 9 players with over 100 international caps, and having the joint highest number of caps on the field across each of their games, the age of the players on the field is second youngest of the semi-finalists. This is a cohort with the experience to succeed in a major tournament, while still having the youth required to manage so many matches in such little time.

For the full analytic breakdown visit: https://bit.ly/KitmanWWCAustralia

Why England Will Win The World Cup: England are going to win this world cup because they have the most balanced squad left in the competition. They do not need superstar players to be world champions – instead their key strength is for every player you take out of their starting team, the replacement is just as strong. None of their players are coming into the world cup undercooked, and the majority of their squad is in their peak years. Peak age players can go longer, and England have been able to save their depth for later in the tournament.

England have gotten to the Semi Finals of the world cup without playing their best football. Their game has mitigated risk – limiting opportunities for opposition sides to difficult chances and leading to the lowest goals conceded in the tournament. They have dominated possession, but looked to create high quality opportunities. Coming into the tournament ranked 4th, they have underperformed thus far against weaker opponents, but their stats make clear there an opportunity for additional risk taking when the lionesses face the toughest opponents of the tournament. Many teams have peaked too early in this world cup – Japan and the Netherlands having impressive group stages but going out in the quarter finals – and knowing what it takes to win and peaking at the right time can be precisely what is required to be champion.

For the full analytic breakdown visit: https://bit.ly/KitmanWWCEngland

Why Spain Will Win The World Cup: Why are Spain going to win the World Cup? They will win because they have the highest quality of player in the tournament, and have been able to bring the strongest squad onto the pitch in each of their games. This squad has bossed the game in each of their matches, averaging over 70% possession over the course of the competition.

Spain also have an elite set of goal scorers and assisters – more than any of the other semi-finalists. These players have created and scored goals at an elite level coming into the tournament, and have also performed during the FIFA WWC. Spain have scored the most goals and created the highest number of chances of any team remaining in the competition. With 8 goalscorers and 6 players having given assists this tournament they are most well insulated against an off-day from any individual player.

For the full analytic breakdown visit: https://bit.ly/KitmanWWCSpain

Why Sweden will win the World Cup: Two words give the biggest reason Sweden are going to win this world cup – set pieces. Sweden’s strength lies in their physicality; on average their players are taller than 75% of other players left in the tournament. This gives them an advantage over the opposition any time the ball is in the air and in any dead-ball situation, something they have used to devastating effect. Of their 11 goals, 7 have come as a result of set pieces. Four goals have been scored directly, two penalties have been won, and a further goal has come from post-set-piece chaos. Amanda Ilestedt, a centre back, is their top scorer with four as a result. Clearly, Sweden’s height is too much for their opponents to handle.

Sweden are the most experienced team left in the tournament. They have wise heads that have done it at international level before. Experience is going to be crucial at the business end of this tournament. While tiredness can sometimes be the downfall of older sides, this isn’t a concern for the Swedes. They got their business done early in the group stages and were able to rest players against Argentina. As a result, their players have played the fewest minutes in the world cup – Sweden are in a great physical condition to compete in the latter stages.

For the full analytic breakdown visit: https://bit.ly/KitmanWWCSweden

Mantle Memorabilia Heads Heritage’s Summer Platinum Auction

A game worn Mickey Mantle jersey from 1958 is currently at a record $3.9 million (including buyer’s premium) in Heritage Auctions Summer Platinum Sports Auction, with 11 days left to go (bidding through August 19th at 10pm/CT) The previous record for a Mantle gamer sold at auction is this one, with a winning bid at Heritage in Feb. 2020 for $2,190,000. This is the sixth-most valuable jersey sold at public auction ever, behind Jordan, the “Hand of God” jersey, two Babe Ruths and a Kobe Bryant jersey.Just one year after setting the record for the world’s most valuable sports collectible when it sold this Mantle card for $12.6 million, Heritage Auctions is back with another mint Mantle card to watch. The multi-million dollar card is part of Heritage’s live Summer Platinum Sports Auction, set for August 19th and 20th. The World Series, Super Bowl, and Final Four of auctions all rolled into a single summer weekend is filled with cool stuff from important sports moments in history, such as this game worn Mantle jersey, bidding at just shy of $1.5 million, this Tom Brady game worn NE Patriots throwback uniform, bidding at $250K, and this Babe Ruth baseball card, bidding at nearly half a million bucks!

A treasure trove of mementos from the estate of “Mr. Cub,” including his first contract, Hall of Fame ring, and honorable discharge from the Army, will be among the highlights of the Ernie Banks Collection in Heritage Auctions’ August 19 Summer Platinum Auction. A Mint Mickey Mantle Rookie Card, Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ Jersey and Shohei Ohtani’s MVP-Season Seven-Home Run Bat are also Among Historic Trophies Offered. Details and links are below. Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions Chris Ivy and other specialists (possibly longtime Banks friend Regina Rice) are available for interviews. Here’s a link to all of the mementos on the block. 2023 August 19 – 20 Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction #50063 (ha.com)

SlamBall Broadcast

SlamBall League: Series 6 Adds International Broadcast Distribution

SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and acrobatics, today announced its first set of International Broadcast Distribution partners for the remainder of the season, bringing the re-start of the sport to a growing global audience in the millions much faster than anticipated and outpacing the interest of virtually all growing sports in North America.

“The interest and growth of a fan base is expanding much quicker than we had ever expected in just three weeks, and is reflective of the massive social engagement we are seeing around the world,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall co-founder. “In addition, our partners with SlamBall China are seeing very rapid growth and adoption on platforms there, all of which is reflective of the action and athleticism we are seeing improve with each passing week as we head towards next week’s championship.”

SlamBall is now being distributed via ESPN in Latin America (on DTC on Star+); in the Caribbean (via ESPN & the affiliate-authenticated ESPN App), and in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands (via ESPN & the affiliate-authenticated Watch ESPN). Additionally, SlamBall China has officially launched its broadcast on Douyin, and has already seen several million views in the first few days..

SlamBall is back Thursday, Aug. 10 at 8:00 p.m. PT/11:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2 in the United States, while the SlamBall playoffs begin on Tuesday, August 15, at 8:00 p.m. ET/11:00 p.m. ET, live on ESPN2. The semifinals and championship game take place on Thursday, August 17, at 8:00 p.m. ET/11:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

View Top 10 Plays From This Past Weekend Here: https://vimeo.com/852238226/467a9699eb?share=copy

View Standings Here: https://slamballleague.com/standings/

View Stats Here: https://slamballleague.com/slamball-stats/

SlamBall is back Thursday, Aug. 10 at 8:00 p.m. PT/11:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

SlamBall’s two-year ESPN partnership 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.

CIRCA-Keenan-Love-vs Tamyrik Fields (Photo by Bryan Steffy-Getty Images for SlamBall)-2800

Circa Sports Named Founding Partner Of SlamBall League

SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and acrobatics, today announced that Circa Sports has been named a Founding Partner of SlamBall League. Play resumes this Thursday to Sunday from Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT on ESPN+.

“We have always believed that SlamBall was a tailor made property for sports gambling, and Circa Sports coming on at this early juncture further validates and expedites this critical part of our business plan,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall co-creator and CEO. “Our expansive partnership with Derek Stevens and the team will be amplified this upcoming weekend when live gambling on SlamBall will take place for the first time.”

“We are excited to be one of the founding partners of SlamBall,” Derek Stevens, CEO of Circa Resort & Casino. “We’re happy to have them included in the continuously growing sports scene in Las Vegas and we look forward to seeing their growth. We also can’t wait to put up lines for the games on Thursday and seeing the action that comes in!”

Circa Sports will provide legal gambling lines for all remaining sessions. They join Old Trapper as SlamBall’s first two Founding Partners

SlamBall’s two-year ESPN partnership 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.

National Lacrosse League Announces Key Dates for Fall 2023

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced key dates leading up to its season start in early December, including the dates for the 2023 NLL Draft and the 2023 NLL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, both of which will be held the weekend of September 15 in the Toronto metropolitan area.

“We are building off the momentum of a record-breaking season and these key dates officially point us firmly toward a transformative 2023-24 season,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “There is no better way to connect the past, present and future of our league and the sport of box lacrosse by bringing the NLL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and the NLL Draft together for an exciting weekend, kickstarting our upcoming season.”

The NLL’s key dates in the coming months include:

Sept. 15: NLL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Burlington, Ontario
Sept. 16: 2023 NLL Draft in Oakville, Ontario
Oct. 28-29: NLL Training Camps officially open
Dec. 1-2: 2023-24 NLL Faceoff Weekend

The NLL will induct 10 new members into the NLL Hall of Fame. Among the honorees are eight former players and two referees, under the Builders category:

Roy Condon, NLL Official
• 23-season career: 1989 through 2011
• Three NLL Championship Games: 1994, 1995, and 1999

Colin Doyle, Forward
• 19-year career: Ontario Raiders, San Jose Stealth, and Toronto Rock
• 6-time NLL Champion: Toronto (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2011)
• 3-time NLL Championship Game MVP: Toronto (1999, 2002, and 2005)
• 2005 NLL MVP Award
• 1998 NLL Rookie of the Year
• 4-time NLL All-League First Team and 7-time NLL Second Team honoree
• 2-time NLL scoring champion in 2005 and 2009
• Finished fourth all-time in goals (527), assists (857) and points (1,384) and tied for fifth all-time in games played (266)

Kevin Finneran, Forward
• 13-year career: Detroit Turbos, New England Blazers, Philadelphia Wings, and Toronto Rock
• 5-time NLL champion: four with Philadelphia (1994, 1995, 1998, and 2001) and one with Toronto (2003)
• NLL All-League First Team in 1998 and 2-time Second Team honoree (1994 and 1996)
• Retired as the all-time league leader with 143 games played, sixth all-time in goals (235), third all-time in assists (329), fifth all-time in points (564), and 11th in loose ball recoveries (631)
• Held the record for longest consecutive games played streak at 139 games and was the all-time leading scorer by an American prior to Casey Powell breaking his record.

Bill Fox, NLL Official
• 20-season career: 1992 through 2011
• Six Championship Games: 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2010

John Grant Jr., Forward
• 17-year career: Rochester Knighthawks and Colorado Mammoth
• NLL Champion in 2007
• 2007 NLL Championship Game MVP
• 2-time NLL MVP: 2007 and 2012
• 2000 NLL Rookie of the Year
• 6-time NLL All-League First Team and 3-time NLL Second Team honoree
• 4-time NLL Scoring Champion: 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012
• Selected first overall in the 1999 NLL Draft
• Retired in the top 10 all-time with 668 goals (second), 778 assists (sixth), and 1,446 points (second), and was 12th all-time with 1,202 loose ball recoveries
• Set the record for points in a season in 2012 at 116, which has since been surpassed and now ranks tied for fourth-highest in NLL history, and his 37 goals as a rookie are still tied for fourth best
• Averaged 8.29 points per game in 2012, an NLL record with at least four games played

Pat McCready, Forward
• 17-year career: Charlotte Cobras, Rochester Knighthawks, Buffalo Bandits, and Toronto Rock
• 3-time NLL Champion: twice with Rochester (1997 and 2012) and once with Buffalo (2008)
• 2011 NLL Defensive Player of the Year
• Retired as the third all-time in loose ball recoveries (1,593), second in penalty minutes (470), and seventh in games played (219)

Casey Powell, Forward
• 11-year career: Rochester Knighthawks, Anaheim Storm, New York Titans, Orlando Titans, Boston Blazers, and Colorado Mammoth
• 2010 NLL MVP (the only American to win this honor)
• All-time leader in points by an American in NLL history
• Selected first overall in the 1998 NLL Draft
• Retired 10th all-time with 33 playoff goals in only 13 playoff games

Regy Thorpe, Defenseman
• 15-year career: all with the Rochester Knighthawks
• 2-time NLL Champion: 1997 and 2007
• Rochester franchise leader with 193 games played, 966 loose ball recoveries, and 385 penalty minutes

Steve Toll, Defenseman
• 15-year career: Ontario Raiders, Toronto Rock, Rochester Knighthawks, San Jose Stealth, Colorado Mammoth, and Edmonton Rush
• 5-time NLL Champion: four with Toronto (1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003) and one with Rochester (2007)
• Named the first winner of the NLL Transition Player of the Year Award in 2007
• Retired in the top 10 all-time with 1,562 loose ball recoveries in the regular season and an additional 160 in the playoffs
• Played in 188 consecutive games between 2000-2011, which ranks tied for the third longest streak of all-time

Shawn Williams, Forward
• 17-year career: Ontario Raiders, Toronto Rock, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks, and Edmonton Rush
• 2-time NLL Champion: one with Toronto (1999) and one with Rochester (2007)
• NLL All-League First Team in 2004 and NLL Second Team honoree in 2007
• Retired as one of eight players to accumulate 1,100 career points
• Finished in the top 10 all-time in games played, goals, and assists

The Class of 2021 will represent the first additions to the NLL Hall of Fame since 2016, with the inaugural members having been inducted in 2006.

Additional details regarding the NLL Draft and other preseason announcements will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

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.