Monthly Archives: June 2022

Disc Golf Pro Tour Heads To The Metaverse With The KingDome

The Disc Golf Pro Tour today announced a new partnership with The KingDome, a groundbreaking digital arena, that will bring the tour’s last round of the LWS Open at Idlewild on July 10th to the Metaverse.

“Two of our core values are continual improvement and collaboration,” said Jeff Spring, DGPT CEO and Tour Director. “These values are essential to the growth of our media program which has expanded dramatically since the founding of the Tour in 2016. We’re thrilled to be teaming up with The KingDome to provide another access point for fans and newcomers alike to enjoy our events and experience the sport.” 

The partnership will also include future product development including customized spaces, digital wearables, and more. Tickets are now available for purchase here. 

A portion of all ticketing proceeds will be donated to Universal Play Disc Golf (Uplay), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2017 by disc golf professional and gifted teacher Zoe AnDyke, whose mission it is to promote health, well-being, and enhance communities through the provision of educational disc golf programs.

“A major early focus of ours was to align with innovative and compelling leagues and brands,” said KingDome CEO Alex Fleshner. “The Disc Golf Pro Tour fits perfectly in that mold and we couldn’t be more excited to have a partner that is looking to redefine the next generation of live entertainment with us.”

The KingDome is a groundbreaking digital arena in the Metaverse that will redefine in-home live sports and entertainment content. Supported by a highly engaged, tech-forward community of NFT holders, KingDome is bringing the in-stadium experience to the digital world. With stadium instances on Metaverse platforms Decentraland and Stageverse, The KingDome features a live social viewing experience, merchandise shop and sportsbook, and is developing a year-round content calendar of programming with customized experiences, partnerships, and perks associated with each event.

RealResponse Enters Professional Baseball With Major League Baseball Agreement

RealResponse, (@RealResponseHQ), the award-winning safe and secure feedback, monitoring, and anonymous reporting platform for athletic teams and organizations, today announced its expansion into professional baseball, as Major League Baseball has begun to implement the RealResponse Anonymous Texting system for reports of player, staff, or employee misconduct.

RealResponse will provide an additional platform to help MLB track and proactively respond to misconduct issues, including the use of PED’s, sports betting, domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and other potential violations of baseball’s conduct rules and policies for players, staff, and employees.

“With Major League Baseball’s implementation of our services, they expand the ability for individuals to report misconduct issues in medium that they may feel more comfortable in, while remaining safe and anonymous,” said David Chadwick, CEO and Founder of RealResponse. “It will really help augment the great work MLB has already been doing in this space and, most importantly, it can help not only identify but potentially prevent potential issues before they arise. We look forward to learning and assisting in any way we can to help MLB.”

MLB’s Department of Investigations will leverage RealResponse’s Anonymous Texting platform to receive and respond to messages with the Anonymous Texter, which will enable the individual to remain anonymous as long as they would like while they can continue to provide information and assist with investigations.

“The addition of RealResponse to our existing reporting channels will provide another option to encourage the reporting of misconduct, by ensuring that people have a variety of pathways to make a report, so they can use the method that they are most comfortable with,” said Moira Weinberg, MLB’s Senior Vice President, Investigations & Deputy General Counsel. “The platform is another safe and confidential option for people to speak up and helps us continue to take a proactive approach addressing potential misconduct issues.”

cover image: credit Pixabay

Celebrity Competitors Jay Cutler, Brett Young, Jeff Mauro, Jarrett Payton, Zach Miller and Deepti Vempati Try Their Hands At Cornhole

The American Cornhole League (ACL) is excited to announce that former NFL star Quaterback Jay Cutler, country music superstar Brett Young, Food Network Star & Sandwich King Jeff Mauro, former NFL Running Back and current media personality Jarrett Payton, former NFL Tight End and budding country artist Zach Miller and TV personality Deepti Vempati will be competing alongside ACL pro partners in the final SuperHole III prelim hosted in Chicago for a chance to contend in the SuperHole III Championship in August. The final prelim is being hosted at the 2022 ACL Final Chase from July 1st-4th at the Wintrust Sports Complex (5499 W. 65th St., Bedford Park, IL 60638), the last of four National tournaments of the year for ACL Pro Players with over $70,000 in prizes on the line. The Superhole III prelim finals will be airing live on ESPN2 on Friday, July 1st at 10:00pm EDT, with the teams, pro singles, and pro doubles airing on ESPN2 throughout the weekend.

The team pairings are as follows:

  • Jay Cutler – ACL Pro Jay Rubin (currently tied for 27th in points on the season)
  • Brett Young – ACL Pro Cheyenne Renner (currently tied for 27th in points on the season)
  • Zach Miller – ACL Pro Steven Bernacet (currently 32nd in points on the season)
  • Jeff Mauro – ACL Pro Eddie Grinderslev (currently tied for 23rd in points on the season)
  • Deepti Vempati – ACL Pro Kyle Malone (currently tied for 15th in points on the season)
  • Jarrett Payton – ACL Pro Dave Sutton (currently tied for 89th in points on the season)

What started out as an annual ACL Pro/Celebrity event played the Friday before the Big Game – the two previous SuperHole events have featured well known football stars Doug Flutie, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Rashad Jennings, Mac Jones and Devonta Smith – has evolved into a multi-event cornhole “SuperHole” series consisting of 6 different prelims throughout the year. The series will culminate with the SuperHole III Championship that will be hosted alongside the ACL World Championships this August from the ACL Headquarters in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

The first prelim was held in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay on February 11th, with former NFL Running Back Terry Kirby beating out poker icon Phil Hellmuth, CBS’ S.W.A.T. star David Lim, and Pawn Stars’ favorite Austin “Chumlee” Russell for a chance to compete in the championship. The second was hosted in Atlantic City at the Showboat, where Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino took down former NFL receiver and winner of season 16 of ABC’s “The Bachelorette” Dale Moss, star NFL lineman Dion Dawkins, and fitness influencer Callie Bundy. The third was held in Salt Lake City, where actor and fitness influencer Joseph Baena bested former NFL star turned actor Vernon Davis, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Lisa Barlow, and NFL linebacker Kyle Van Noy. The fourth was hosted in CBS’ S.W.A.T. star Shamar Moore’s literal backyard, nicknamed “Airmail City” which he has transformed into a cornhole oasis, where Moore took down UFC legend Chuck Lidell, TV host Michelle Phelps, and NFL pro Greg Gaines to secure his spot in the finals.

The 6 prelims that the ACL is hosting will determine the finalists for the championship, which will feature a total of 8 celebrity / ACL pro doubles teams. The celebrities will also be able to donate a share of $100,000 to their charity of choice based on where they finish at the championship. At last year’s SuperHole II Doug Flutie, alongside his ACL Pro partner Matt Guy, took home the title and is invited to return to compete as the defending champion at the SuperHole III Championship. In addition, ESPN’s Marty Smith and ACL Pro Ryan Smith will receive invitations as defending celebrity team champions at last year’s ACL World Championships.

The American Cornhole League is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with broadcast deals with ESPN and CBS / CBS Sports, as well as a television deal with NBC Sports through USA Cornhole. The league has over 150,000 players worldwide and counting. The ACL’s strong sponsor support includes Johnsonville along with Bush’s, Bacardi Spiced, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Discount Tire and AllCornhole.com, amongst others.

“I’m looking forward to seeing who is able to secure the final spot in the Superhole III Championship – we’ve had some great competition so far,” said Stacey Moore, Founder of American Cornhole League. “It’s going to be a tough field come August!”

First Winner-Take-All $250,000 OBL Finals Headed to The Dollar Loan Center in Las Vegas July 15-16

Ones Basketball League (OBL) — the first-ever elite competition that celebrates the most skilled one-on-one players on the planet and created by Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady — today announced that The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada, will host the first-ever OBL Finals on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16.

A limited number of tickets will be made available to the public for the event at https://bit.ly/OBL-LV. Friday’s event will start at 3 p.m. PDT, with the Championship Finals starting on Saturday at 8 p.m.

“Our proof-of-concept season for the OBL has played out better than we had planned, and The Dollar Loan Center is the perfect stage for us to crown our king,” said McGrady. “OBL talent is top notch, the competition is intense, and the atmosphere for our first-ever finals will be second to none with $250,000 cash on the OBL throne waiting for the winner.”
“Dreams are coming true inside the OBL and Tracy’s vision for change has been spot on,” said Jeffrey Pollack, OBL strategic advisor. “Over the last eight weeks we’ve started to demonstrate that our game has soul, our competition matters, and our events are electric. The gifted and gutsy athletes of the OBL deserve a world-class stage for our championship and that’s what we will create at The Dollar Loan Center.“

“There are few basketball legends and entrepreneurs more astute than Tracy McGrady, and we are proud to welcome his team to our new state-of-the-art arena in Henderson for the OBL’s inaugural championship,” said Kerry Bubolz, CEO of the Foley Entertainment Group, which operates The Dollar Loan Center. “In a city all about action, this promises to be the summer’s most intense event.”

The 22 qualifiers for the OBL Finals are coming to Las Vegas from Regional Championships in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, the DMV, and Los Angeles. The field was culled from over 200 entrants, including many of the best one-on-one athletes in the world with decades of professional and elite college experience. The winner of each OBL Regional took home a $10,000 cash prize, joining the second and third place finishers plus four “wild cards” with invitations to the OBL Finals. In addition to the $250,000 cash prize, the winner in the head-to-head single elimination OBL Finals will be crowned “Ruler of the Court.”

The qualifiers are: Grant Anderson, Chicago (Chicago 3rd); George Beamon, Roslyn, N.Y. (Los Angeles 1st); Isaiah Brown, Queens, N.Y. (New York 1st); Yoshi Craig, Chicago (Chicago 2nd); Darien Davis, Coram, N.Y. (New York 3rd); Randy Gill, Los Angeles and Laurel, Md. (Los Angeles 3rd); Marcus Hall, Denver and Houston (Los Angeles 2nd); Antonio Hester, Miami (Atlanta 2nd); Terry Hosley, Baltimore (DMV, wild card); John Jordan, Houston (Houston 1st); Matt Kiatipis, Newmarket, Ontario (Houston 2nd); Kevin Kuteyi, Lanham, Md. (DMV 1st); Eugene Lawrence, Brooklyn, N.Y. (New York, wild card); Zach Radz, Troy, N.Y. (New York 2nd); Glen Rice Jr., Marietta, Ga. (Atlanta 1st); Ridge Shipley, Carrolton, Texas (Houston, wild card); Mario Smith, Kalamazoo, Mich. (Chicago 1st); Chris Staples, Saginaw, Mich (L.A., wild card); Myron Taylor, Killeen, Texas (Houston, 3rd); Tiras Wade, Tampa (Atlanta 3rd); Andrew Washington, Washington, D.C. (DMV 2nd); and Donte Wright, Jackson, S.C. (DMV 3rd).

OBL media partners include SHOWTIME Sports, SLAM Media, Playmaker, and Heart and Hustle Productions.

Follow Ones Basketball League at https://www.oblhoops.com/.

cover image: Overall OBL No. 1 Seed Isaiah Brown (#11) and NYC #2 qualifier Zach Radz

Topps, Shaq Collaborate On New Art Card Set

Call him Diesel, call him Superman, call him Dr. Shaq – but with these Topps x Shaquille O’Neal artist cards – you can call him yours! These beautiful art trading cards are a must-have for anyone who collects Shaq – created specifically by artists Chuck Styles and Naturel for this special collaboration!

In addition to the standard cards, there are artist proofs and on-card autographs of each of the six designs.

They are available through Friday, June 24, at 1 p.m. ET, after which time no more will be printed. Fans can review and purchase at https://www.topps.com/cards-collectibles/online-brands/collaborations/topps-x-shaq.html.

New Zealand’s Tucker Brothers Collide In Major League Rugby Final In New Jersey Saturday

The season-long quest for the Major League Rugby (MLR) shield culminates this weekend, as Rugby New York battles the Seattle Seawolves in the Championship Final. The winner will be decided Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

New Zealand-born Brothers Brad Tucker, who plays for Seattle, and William Tucker of Rugby New York, will collide for family bragging rights, along with the championship.

Three locals will showcase their talents for Rugby NY: Connor Buckley hails from Rockaway Beach (Queens), John Powers is a product of  Rockaway Park; and Nick Civetta from Scarsdale, NY in Westchester.

Brad Tucker

Dallen Stanford and Mike Petri will serve as commentators for the nationally-televised match on FOX at 12pm EST.

The Seawolves defeated the Houston Sabercats last Saturday to secure the Western Conference, after strong offensive showings from both sides. Meanwhile, Rugby New York upset the New England Free Jacks on Sunday in a tight match to claim the competitive Eastern Conference.

“As Major League Rugby wraps up an action-packed fifth season, we are excited to see Rugby NY and the Seattle Seawolves battle it out this weekend at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey,” said MLR Commissioner George Killebrew.

“It’s been a tough road for these players to get here. They’ve taken – and handed out – some punishment over the course of 16 games in the 18-week season. Each player on these teams proved they deserved to be here, and it will be an absolute honor to watch these elite athletes do what they love on Saturday.”

Tickets for the MLR Championship are to the public on MLR’s official website and Ticketmaster, and the S. Marcus Callowa Communit Impact Award recipient will be recognized at halftime.

Ones Basketball League Crowns L.A. Regional Champion at Pauley Pavilion, Awards $10,000 First Prize

Pauley Pavilion on the campus of UCLA is home to more than a few basketball champions. Add one more to the historic venue’s title total as the Ones Basketball League (OBL) — the first-ever elite competition that celebrates the most skilled one-on-one players on the planet and created by Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady — crowned its sixth and final 2022 Regional Champion in front of enthusiastic crowds on Saturday and Sunday.

A total of 32 national-level basketball players squared off in spirited action, and it was George Beamon (Roslyn, N.Y.), Marcus Hall (Denver) and Randy Gill (Los Angeles) who took the top three places in a weekend filled with close contests. The trio now qualify along with the other OBL Regional winners for the first-ever OBL Finals in Las Vegas next month.

Beamon came into the day as the No. 8 seed, needing to win four games including the 8 vs. 9 play-in to win the title and the $10,000 first prize that accompanied the championship. After edging Austin Armstead (Los Angeles) in the play-in and then dispatching No. 1 seed Jalil Abdul-Bassit (Las Vegas) and fifth-seeded Chris “Everybody Hates Chris” Staples (Woodland Hills, Calif.), the Manhattan College product won the championship by taking out the sixth-seeded Hall, 10-4, burying a two-pointer to secure the win in which his five straight points after trailing 1-0 put the New Yorker ahead to stay.

“I’m just blessed with the opportunity, and so humbled to be able to showcase my talent,” said Beamon, who came in from New York to compete in the OBL Los Angeles Regional when scheduling conflicts kept from participating in the New York Regional held in Brooklyn last month. “Cali love always and shout out to my family back home in New York who always has my back.”

Hall, a University of Colorado graduate who now splits his time between homes in his native Houston and Denver, seeded sixth entering Sunday’s play, advanced to the OBL Finals with wins over No. 3 Julius Bilbrew (Inglewood, Calif.) and a thrilling 9-7 win over Gill in the semifinals.

In the third place game for the final Las Vegas spot, 44-year-old Randy “White Chocolate” Gill, originally a Laurel, Md., native who played his collegiate ball near home at Bowie State, outlasted Staples, 9-6. Gill, who won MTV’s “Who’s Got Game” reality competition in 2003, showed superior jump shooting skill and guile in advancing to Las Vegas.

“Pauley Pavilion is a storied and classic basketball venue and we are excited and honored to have showcased our amazing OBL players in such a historic location,” said McGrady. “The competition rose to championship level with incredible games all weekend.”

The Los Angeles Regional follows successful events in Houston (April 30-May 1), Atlanta (May 7-8), Chicago (May 21-22), New York (May 28-29) and the DMV (June 4-5). Now that first-ever OBL Regional competition is complete, OBL will soon announce the field for next month’s two-day OBL Finals in Las Vegas (dates and venue TBA). The winner of each of the six Regionals earned a $10,000 cash prize along with an invitation to the Finals, which will also include four “Commissioner’s Choice” wild cards for a 22-player field competing for a chance to win a $250,000 grand prize and be crowned “Ruler of the Court.”

OBL media partners include SHOWTIME Sports, SLAM Media, Playmaker, and Heart and Hustle Productions. Follow Ones Basketball League at https://www.oblhoops.com/ and on Twitter and Instagram.

Colorado Mammoth Edges Buffalo Bandits, 10-8, To Win NLL Cup

Zed Williams scored four goals, Chris Wardle added five assists and Dillon Ward recorded 55 saves in net as the visiting Colorado Mammoth took the decisive Game 3 of the National Lacrosse League Finals, 10-8, to claim the NLL Cup in front of a sellout crowd of 19,070 at KeyBank Arena and nationwide television audiences in the U.S and Canada on ESPNU, ESPN+ and TSN on Saturday night. For his efforts, Ward was named NLL Finals MVP.

With the triumph, Colorado claims its third NLL title, winning the series, two games to one; the franchise also won NLL championships in 1987 (when located in Baltimore) and 2006.

Colorado took the lead for good in the second quarter, erasing a 3-2 deficit with five goals in the period by five different scorers (Brett McIntyre, Sam Firth, Dylan Kinnear, Tyson Gibson and Anthony Joaquin) for a 7-5 halftime advantage. After Buffalo tied the game on a power play tally by Chris Cloutier for the only marker of the third period and a goal by Connor Fields in the first 30 seconds of the fourth, consecutive goals by Williams and Wardle re-established the two-goal lead for Colorado. Williams tossed in an empty-netter with 26 seconds left before Kyle Buchanan’s blast with seven ticks remaining provided the final margin.

Buffalo, the overall No. 1 seed at 14-4 during the regular season, got three goals from Buchanan and three assists from Josh Byrne. Matt Vinc made 29 saves in defeat.

With the announced sellout crowd, the overall attendance for the Finals totals a cumulative record of 42,246. The three game Finals average of 14,475 is second only to 16,393 for the 2019 Finals between Calgary and Buffalo, and surpasses the average 14,052 from the two game Finals in 2016 between Saskatchewan and Buffalo.

Colorado, which finished 10-8 in the regular season, qualified for the NLL Playoffs as the No. 3 West seed. They proceeded to win at No. 2 West Calgary in the first round, upended the top West seed San Diego, 2-1 in the best-of-three West Conference Finals, then after dropping the first game of the NLL Finals won the last two to take the crown.

The decisive third game marked the third time since 2014 that the NLL Finals have gone the distance, and the first time that two U.S. based clubs met in the Finals since 2013 (Rochester d. Washington, 11-10 in a single-game Finals).

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

Technology Dominates at the Barclays Center

by Noah Zaret, special to The Daily Payoff

On June 14, I had the opportunity to attend the SportiConference Converge, organized by Sportico at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Having been to the Barclays Center a handful of times for sporting events as well as concerts, I was excited to see the venue in a different light.

Throughout the day, there were many discussions led by industry professionals who have experiences in a variety of areas in the sports business industry. Topics included: “Future Fans: Enhancing the Engagement of new audiences”, “What’s Possible?: The intersection of Technology & Fan Engagement”, “State of the Industry: Marketing & Advertising amongst Giants and Economic Uncertainty”, “Risk and Rewards: A behind the scenes look at the acceleration of Sports Betting”, “Web 2.0 vs Web 3.0: The Future Sports Platforms”, “Generating Higher Fan Engagement”, and “How Brooklyn Built the Metaverse”. All of these discussions had their own twist to them. I sincerely believe that I left the conference with a greater knowledge base and understanding of the current issues affecting the sports industry than I had prior to attending.

There were many takeaways and information that I learned from attending the conference. One of the main topics was enhancing the engagement of new and future audiences in sport. TikTok has become more than just a platform for lip sync and dancing, as it is now being used to advance the fan experience in sports and highlights. In the minds of content creators, one has to put themselves in the seat of the users and ask themselves what does the user want to see? Publishers are now partnering with content creators to plan, create and deliver the best content possible. Due to the fact that TikTok contains an untapped audience, the ability to take risks and experiment with content is prevalent amongst content creators. This was extremely beneficial during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Archive content was very popular during the pandemic without live sports and has carried over post pandemic. For example, say it is an athlete’s birthday, content creators will work with publishers to post his/her career highlights and/or famous clips. TikTok will continue to provide content in a variety of ways that will enhance the engagement of current and future audiences.

The impact that technology has on fan engagement has increased significantly as of late. The New York Liberty was the first WNBA team to release their own NFT. Not only does this educate fans about digital assets, but it also has the opportunity to draw in more fans, especially women. Just like TikTok is enhancing the mobile experience, Seatgeek is a company that is using technology to enhance the fan experience for those attending live events. Paula Segal, head of consumer product for SeatGeek, mentioned that Covid accelerated the switch to digital tickets and that tickets are now more than just a barcode. They can be used for mobile food ordering, buying merchandise and persuading fans to bet on the sport event itself. These examples are part of a movement to use technology to enhance the in-game experience instead of focusing solely on technology being used outside the arena or stadium.

The growing acceleration of sports betting and the marketing and advertising amongst the giants in the industry was another topic that caught my attention. Sports betting companies are using other forms of media such as TV and radio to market and promote their product beyond basic advertising. Content creation such as gambling shows are done to help promote gambling companies and their respective sports books. CBS and ESPN are examples of sports channels that are broadcasting betting shows, an interactive approach to the promotion of sports betting. Sportsbooks are trying to differentiate themselves from competitors in the industry and gain competitive advantage by gaining loyal customers and keeping them engaged on their platform. Sports betters typically tend to choose their preferred sportsbook depending upon ease of use. Customers have the ability to switch sportsbooks at any time, so if they do not like one they can easily switch to another. In order for gambling companies to limit this from happening, they are attempting to innovate their sportsbooks to make them stand out and appear different to the average user. I believe that this is just the beginning for the sports betting industry, as there are endless opportunities for success in the future.

Lastly, the future of sport platforms and generating higher fan engagement was a popular topic of discussion. I learned that not only can fan engagement exist in the real world, but in a virtual environment as well. As said by Scott Lawin, CEO of Candy Digital, “sports is the gateway drug into NFT’s & Crypto”. As more teams and leagues are getting involved with digital assets, casual fans can begin to get an understanding of how they work. As there are more fans that are educated on this matter, the engagement will continue to improve over time. Lawin also mentioned that in three to five years, he expects purchasing consumer products, sporting event tickets and concert tickets will require an NFT attached to it. As this is my first “real world” exposure to NFT’s and Crypto, I am seeing how the emergence of NFT’s are at the center of the future of promotion. I plan on further educating myself on NFT’s, Crypto, Blockchain and the Metaverse, as I know they are and will continue to be pivotal components in the sports industry.

Overall, the SportiConference Converge was a great opportunity as I became more educated on the relevant topics in the industry today. I was also able to meet and converse with a variety of interesting and experienced professionals. Sportico should be commended for organizing such a successful event.

Vanderbilt’s Sports & Society Initiative, Digital Sports Media Property First and Pen Announce Content Partnership

To address the need for new voices and perspectives in sports coverage, digital sports media company First and Pen and Vanderbilt’s Sports & Society Initiative announced a new content partnership that focuses on sports stories told by voices of color from the college academic community.

“I launched First and Pen to inform, inspire and connect through voices of color in sports, so I’m extremely happy and excited to partner with Vanderbilt’s Sports & Society Initiative to amplify these voices,” said First and Pen CEO & Founder, Yussuf Khan. “Sports have always been a reflection of society, so it’s important that those that are often overlooked or dismissed have a home to inform, inspire and connect through the passion, lessons, histories and stories sports creates.”

Due to the synergy of the mission and goals of the two organizations, the partnership materialized easily and quickly.

“We are proud to support this effort to elevate voices of color and to further support the idea that sports is a vital area of scholarship,” said Andrew Maraniss, special projects coordinator at Vanderbilt Athletics and manager of the Sports & Society Initiative. “The world of sports provides a fascinating lens to view the most pressing matters in our society.”

The two parties will explore the intersections of race, gender, history, community, global affairs and sports through original editorial content and will expand to include video and audio content in the future.

All content will appear on First and Pen (www.firstandpen.com) and will be shared across social media. Vanderbilt Sports & Society Initiative (Twitter: @SportsSocietyVU) and First and Pen (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: @Firstandpen).

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and KPMG LLP Debut ‘KPMG Ignition – DC’ at Capital One Arena

Today, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and KPMG LLP announced the opening of a transformed, existing arena suite as the newest KPMG Ignition Center, located at MSE’s Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. The renovated suite is equipped with the latest technology and will serve as a meeting place for KPMG and its clients to collaborate and solve business problems together, 365-days-a-year, at any time of the day, regardless of the evening game scheduling of the NHL’s Washington Capitals, the NBA’s Washington Wizards or other live concert or event. When a game, concert or event is hosted in the arena, KPMG will also be able to offer traditional live-event hospitality to their clients as part of an innovative customer experience. 

“When KPMG and the senior executives at Monumental Sports came together on this idea, I thought it was brilliant,’” said Ted Leonsis, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “Taking a suite normally used to host clients to watch Capitals and Wizards games and innovate within it – bringing customers into an environment that’s unexpected and creating a destination to engage people to think differently – is such a big idea. This reinforces the notion that arenas play a central part in the business community’s ecosystem — and that we are now creating a new real estate category of shared workspace— turning suites normally used a few hours per game day into workspace, all day and year-round. I believe the shared space will be seen as a very economical investment given the dual benefits of suite usage for entertaining at games and then office space for meetings, working and demo centers for the benefit of customers. This reimagining of suite space is another innovation our team is bringing to our community of business partners. So, I congratulate the leaders at KPMG for being a first mover and an exemplar in finding new uses for the convening operation we have built, and I’m sure others will soon join them.”

Seeking to address a business need for KPMG to engage in-person with its clients in an innovative and unique setting and MSE’s pursuit of developing additional daypart uses for an otherwise dormant arena, KPMG and MSE senior leaders collaborated to reimagine the existing suite as a hub which capitalizes on the pioneering culture of both organizations. Capital One Arena is filled with premium space that can now be used not only to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for entertaining, but also creates new opportunities for professional service use of the arena during the day. Whereas arena or stadium suites are typically used by sponsors for event-based, social gatherings during sports games and concerts, KPMG Ignition – DC, located within Capital One Arena, represents the most experiential Ignition Center yet.

This 28-person mega-suite can be transformed to meet clients’ needs. From its walls to its furniture, the suite’s modular and movable functionality creates a unique room design for each business session.

The suite is fully equipped with cutting edge technology. The central video wall displays stories and demonstrations to facilitate discussions. Interactive screen displays are scattered throughout the room, along with high-resolution monitors on the ceiling and at the entryway that showcase relevant visuals during meetings. Plus, video streaming enables people to join sessions from anywhere in the world.

KPMG Ignition Centers have assisted a myriad of businesses across multiple industries by curating experiences using a combination of talent, environment, assets, and methods tailored to help their clients reframe complex problems into future opportunities, and drive value from innovation. And driving value from innovation is a core value which Monumental Sports & Entertainment infuses throughout its platform of professional sports teams, venues, and direct-to-consumer media enterprises. 

“This is the first partnership of its kind – an innovation space in a sports and entertainment facility – and a forward-thinking blueprint for arena suites of the future. Innovation can happen anywhere, anytime. KPMG Ignition – DC will provide an opportunity to engage with clients in a collaborative environment outside of their traditional office spaces to lean into disruption and uncover opportunities to create value,” Tim Gillis, KPMG Washington DC area Office Managing Partner, said. “The KPMG brand is synonymous with disruptive transformation and innovation. This partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment is a representation of how we are transforming our own business and how we bring that same approach – and our ever-evolving capabilities – to help organizations in the DC area do the same.” 

With KPMG Ignition – DC, located within a 900-square-feet suite on the second level concourse at Capital One Arena, the two organizations will combine a high-energy atmosphere, unique, immersive fan experiences, and extraordinary hospitality to create a one-of-a-kind environment that sparks creativity and the next big ideas in both established and emerging industries. 

Washington, D.C. is a global destination for business and tech investment and Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s teams, venues and other managed properties serve as convening platforms for the world’s most innovative thought leaders. Capital One Arena hosts over 220+ events per year, ranging from professional to collegiate sports, major music and entertainment acts and in-demand family shows, appealing to multiple audiences on any given day of the week. 

FanDuel Introduces New TV Commercial with PGA TOUR Talent

FanDuel Group, the premier sports gaming destination in the United States, announced today a new television commercial, featuring golfers Abraham Ancer, Will Zalatoris, Harold Varner III, and current FanDuel PGA TOUR partner, Jordan Spieth. The spot will launch during this week’s U.S Open and air through February 2023.

The spot highlights FanDuel’s continued growth with the PGA TOUR relationship, leaning into FanDuel’s commitment to talent. In addition to appearing in FanDuel’s new commercial, Spieth, Ancer, Zalatoris and Varner III will partner with FanDuel on social media support, which will include odds boosts and content surrounding FanDuel Free-to-Play initiatives. As part of the partnership, FanDuel will also have access to the players’ names and likenesses.

“Golf continues to be one of the fastest-growing sports on our platform and, as we greatly value our partnership with the PGA TOUR, we are excited to grow our PGA TOUR program,” said Mike Raffensperger, CMO of FanDuel Group. “Jordan has already been a fantastic partner and we look forward to expanding our golf ambassador roster with the addition of Abe Ancer, Will Zalatoris, and Harold Varner III.”

To celebrate the U.S. Open this week, new sportsbook customers can bet $5 and receive $200 in free bets. The offer ends June 21 and is available in all legal sports betting states where FanDuel Sportsbook operates. *

In December 2021, FanDuel and The PGA TOUR announced a three-year extension through 2024 to their content and marketing relationship designating FanDuel as an Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR. In August 2021, FanDuel announced an exclusive, multi-year partnership with Jordan Spieth making FanDuel the exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy provider of Spieth. Lastly, in January 2021, FanDuel announced it will begin providing real-time highlights of PGA TOUR golf events to FanDuel Sportsbook app users.

Entain plc Acquisition of BetCity, one of the Netherlands’ leading online sports betting and gaming operators

Entain plc (LSE: ENT), the leading global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment group (“Entain” or the “Group”), today announces that it has agreed to acquire the entire share capital of BetEnt B.V., which trades under the BetCity.nl name (“BetCity” or the “Company”), from Sports Entertainment Media B.V. for an initial consideration of €300m (approximately £257m1) and deferred contingent consideration of up to €550m (approximately £472m1).

BetCity is one of the Netherlands’ leading online sports betting and gaming operators. Headquartered in Amsterdam, BetCity received an online sports betting and gaming licence from the KSA (Kansspelautoriteit), the Dutch Gaming and Gambling Authority, in October 2021.

The newly regulated Netherlands online market is highly attractive and fast-growing across both sports betting and gaming.  Since its licensing in October 2021, BetCity has delivered rapid growth, establishing a leading position with approximately 20%2 market share during the fourth quarter of 2021.  This acquisition will create a strong market operator with significant growth opportunities, in line with the Group’s strategy.

BetCity’s offering is highly complementary to Entain’s bwin and Party brands which are awaiting approval for a licence to operate in the Netherlands – now expected during the latter part of this year as the KSA has recently requested additional documentation as part of the ongoing application process.  The combination of BetCity’s local expertise, strong brand and large diverse user-base, with Entain’s global scale and market-leading platform will provide customers with a broader offering of engaging products, fresh content and new experiences.

Melvin Bostelaar, BetCity’s CEO, along with other key members of the leadership team, will remain with the Company.
Consideration structure:
•       Initial consideration of €300m (approximately £257m1) is payable in cash at completion, with a balancing payment to be paid in early 2023 based on the actual performance of BetCity in the financial year 2022;
•       A further contingent payment will be paid in early 2024, based on 10x BetCity’s EBITDA for the financial year 2023, less amounts already paid out;
•       In addition, a final contingent payment of €50m (approximately £43m1) will be paid on delivery of synergies and successful migration to the Entain Platform;

The total consideration payable on current expectations is €450m (approximately £386m1).  However, dependent on the performance of BetCity, the maximum consideration is capped at €850m (approximately £729m1).  The combination is expected to deliver approximately €28m (approximately £24m1) of cost synergies, predominantly from technology, content and royalty benefits, by the end of 2026.

The initial consideration will be funded from existing cash resources and drawings on the Group’s revolving credit facility.

The acquisition is expected to complete during H2 2022.

Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO of Entain, comments:
“We are delighted that BetCity is joining Entain and are excited by the significant opportunities in the newly regulated Dutch market.  This acquisition will provide customers with an even better experience as we combine BetCity’s local expertise and brand alongside Entain’s market leading, customer focused platform.  This transaction further underpins our growth strategy of operating in attractive regulated markets. We look forward to working with Melvin and the BetCity team.”

Melvin Bostelaar, CEO of BetCity, comments:
“We are happy to be joining forces with a world-class group in Entain. Together we will be well-placed to maintain a strong market position in the Dutch market for the coming years. Entain’s market leading platform, technology, established brands and global scale provides a fantastic opportunity to expand and enrich our customer offering. Both BetCity and Entain position the customer at the heart of everything we do, with Entain’s core values and philosophy in responsible gaming, compliance and company-culture seamlessly aligning with those of BetCity. We look forward to a bright future together.”

RealResponse Adds US Equestrian As Strategic Partner

RealResponse, (@RealResponseHQ), the award-winning safe and secure feedback, monitoring and anonymous reporting platform for athletic teams and organizations, today announced a strategic partnership with US Equestrian, further expanding its reach across the Olympic and Paralympic sport landscape. The program will roll out next month, and will initially be available for all US Equestrian members to anonymously and quickly report any issues regarding violations of the USEF SafeSport Policy, including the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies

“We are proud to add US Equestrian as a new partner. The opportunity to fully leverage the versatility of the RealResponse platform in serving the unique needs of USEF is something we wholeheartedly embrace. US Equestrian made it clear that they want to remove as many barriers as possible to reporting concerns and we believe this platform will achieve that. Providing their athletes and members a voice to bring forward any concern safely and with anonymity is our privilege.,” said David Chadwick, Founder and CEO of RealResponse. “Tailoring our service to meet the individual needs of each organization we partner with allows RealResponse to deliver maximum value and impact to our partners.”

“Athlete safety is of paramount importance to USEF. Our staff is dedicated to this effort and our biggest priority is making sure our members know we have a safe, secure, and quick way to be made aware of any issues that arise, and RealResponse gives us this much needed added value,” said Bill Moroney, USEF Chief Executive Officer. “By taking this step, we want to make sure that issues and concerns at any level are reported and dealt with efficiently and professionally, and that the integrity of our organization and our sport remains intact..”

This new platform will provide members with the opportunity to report concerns to USEF about emotional and physical abuse as well as violations of the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies via text message while maintaining anonymity. Members are still welcome to report concerns by emailing [email protected] or by directly contacting a member of the Athlete Protection Team. For details on how to report misconduct go here.

U.S. Open Championship Audio Coverage, Exclusively on SiriusXM

SiriusXM announced today its extensive programming coverage for the 122nd U.S. Open Championship, which will be played June 16th-19th at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.  SiriusXM is the exclusive national radio broadcaster of the U.S. Open.

SiriusXM’s extensive production will provide listeners with more than 40 hours of live shot-by-shot coverage from the course across all four rounds of play.  On Thursday and Friday, with the full field on the course, SiriusXM’s coverage will extend from the day’s first tee time at 6:45 am ET through the end of play.  On the weekend, SiriusXM’s on-course coverage will begin at 10 am ET on Saturday and Sunday and run through the completion of play both days.  If a playoff occurs, SiriusXM will provide live coverage of every shot played. 

SiriusXM’s U.S. Open Championship broadcast team will feature play-by-play voice Brian Katrek and lead analyst Mark Carnevale.  Fred Albers, Carl Paulson, Dennis Paulson, John Maginnes and Andres Gonzales, who is new to the SiriusXM team, will be on-course reporters, following key playing groups.  Chantel McCabe, Jason Sobel and Taylor Zarzour will serve as hosts, provide leaderboard updates and conduct interviews with players.  Swing coach Jim McLean will provide reports from the range as players warm up for their rounds.

On Thursday and Friday, The Starter with Taylor Zarzour, Michael Breed and Greg DuCharme will be on live in the morning to provide coverage as the earliest groups tee off. 

Immediately following each round, listeners will hear a three-hour wrap-up of the day’s play, hosted by Drew Stoltz and Gary Williams.  Three-time U.S. Open Champion Hale Irwin will co-host the show after Sunday’s round.  The show will also feature hour-long appearances by major championship winners Juli Inkster, Scott Simpson, Craig Stadler and Dave Stockton.

PGA Tour players Jason Kokrak and Harold Varner III, both top-40 players who will be competing in this U.S. Open, will host new episodes of their SiriusXM shows.  Crushing It with Kokrak will air tonight at 7 pm ET, immediately followed by The HV3 Show at 8 pm ET.

World Golf Hall of Fame member Fred Couples, who competed in 23 U.S. Open Championships, will host a new episode of The Fred Couples Show on Tuesday at 8 pm ET. 

The U.S. Open Championship, conducted by the USGA, is the ultimate test of golf for the best players in the world.  Played on America’s greatest courses, the U.S. Open annually provides thousands of golfers of all backgrounds the opportunity to qualify through a rigorous two-stage process.

In the days leading up to its U.S. Open coverage, and every week throughout the year, SiriusXM’s weekday golf programming lineup features live shows starting at 7am ET that offer news, analysis, expert instruction and more.  For more go to SiriusXM.com/golfonsxm.

U.S. Open programming on SiriusXM will air nationwide on channel 92 on SiriusXM radios.  Subscribers can also listen with the SXM App (siriusxm.us/SXMPGATourRadio), and with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant or however they stream at home.  Streaming access is included with SiriusXM’s audio trials and most popular plans.

SiriusXM’s U.S. Open broadcast rights come through its agreement with the United States Golf Association and NBCUniversal, the principal domestic media partner of the USGA.

Las Vegas Desert Dogs to Select 14 Players In Expansion Draft July 7

As the club prepares for its inaugural NLL season, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs will take the first major step in building their roster via the league’s Expansion Draft. General Manager and Head Coach Shawn Williams will oversee the team’s 14 selections from among the available players not protected by the other 14 NLL teams. The Desert Dogs’ selections will be announced July 7.

The league’s 14 other franchises must submit their respective lists of protected players by Thursday, June 23 by 12pm ET. No team can lose more than one player via the Expansion Draft.

“The Expansion Draft will not only help in stocking the Las Vegas Desert Dogs with exciting, talented players from among the deep reserves of the best lacrosse stars in the world, but it will also serve as a further introduction of the new, vibrant franchise to the lacrosse community,” said Brian Lemon, NLL Executive VP, Lacrosse Operations. “We know from the experience of last year’s Panther City Lacrosse Club Expansion Draft that there are many outstanding players in the NLL that a team can quickly become a contender through these selections even in its first year.”

Additional ways for Las Vegas to build its roster prior to its inaugural game this fall include, signing free agents starting on August 1st, the NLL Entry Draft, and player trades with other teams.

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

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 (TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.

For more information, visit NLL.com and find @NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more information visit NLL.com.

Beat the Streets Raises $950K with Annual Benefit, Final X New York

Fourteen athletes punched their ticket to the 2022 Senior World Championships in front of a lively crowd of 3,000 wrestling fans at the 12th Beat the Streets Annual Benefit on Wednesday at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

As great as it was for spectators and athletes, it was an even better night for Beat the Streets, which raised more than $950,000 to help in its efforts to make a lifelong impact on New York City student-athletes through the benefits and skills acquired through wrestling.

Olympic champions Jordan Burroughs (74 kg men’s freestyle), Helen Maroulis (57 kg women’s freestyle) and David Taylor (86 kg men’s freestyle), Olympic bronze medalists Sarah Hildebrandt (50kg women’s freestyle) and Kyle Dake (74kg men’s freestyle) and World bronze medalist G’Angelo Hancock (97kg Greco-Roman) were among the winners. The victors of each Final X New York Championship Series will represent the Team USA at the Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.

“This was a great night for wrestling, in large part because of the support and generosity of our community,” said Brendan Buckley, Executive Director of Beat the Streets. “They were treated to a night of exciting matches, newly crowned champions and a celebration of everything that the sport can be, and the best part is that the real winners are the many kids that will benefit from our programs year-round because of it.”

Wednesday represented the first in-person Beat the Streets benefit event since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic safety guidelines prohibited spectators in 2020 and 2021. Beat the Streets hosted a virtual benefit on the banks of the Hudson River in 2020 in Hoboken, New Jersey. The 2019 Benefit was also held at the Hulu Theater, and previous benefits have been at other historic New York locations such as Times Square, Grand Central Terminal and South Street Seaport. These unique and electrifying annual events help Beat the Streets New York raise millions of dollars to support local youth wrestling programs which empower young people in New York City. To provide contributions to Beat the Streets, visit http://btsny.org/donate.

For the full results, visit https://go.teamusa.org/3MtX4ah.

Ones Basketball League Crowns DMV Regional Champion and Awards $10,000 First Prize

Ones Basketball League (OBL) — the first-ever elite competition that celebrates the most skilled one-on-one players on the planet and created by Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady — crowned its fifth Regional Champion at The St. James on Saturday and Sunday. A total of 30 top area and national-level basketball players squared off in spirited action, and it was Kevin Kuteyi (Lanham, Md.), Andrew Washington (Washington, D.C.) and Donte Wright (Jackson, S.C.) who took the top three places in a weekend filled with close contests and spirited play across the board.

Kuteyi, who came into Sunday’s play as the No. 8 seed, had to win a Play-In over Damier Pitts (Charlotte, N.C.) to advance to the quarterfinals. He then dispatched top seeded Terry Hosley (Baltimore) and upended Antonio Carter (Alexandria, Va.) with a flurry of two-pointers, 9-3, to advance to the Finals, where his hot hand from long distance erased an early 4-1 deficit to second-seeded Washington, winning going away 9-5. In the third-place contest, Wright buried two straight two-pointers to break a 6-6 tie and top Carter, 10-6. All three now advance to the OBL Finals in Las Vegas this summer (dates and location TBA).

“This world-class facility and superior level of play made the OBL DMV Regional one of our best events to date,” said McGrady. “It was great to see the guys hit so many big shots and feel the crowd’s energy and support.”

Kuteyi, who played at Chowan Univ., nicknamed “Uncle Skoob,” had one of the more vocal rooting sections at The St. James and he showed a ton of personality interacting with the crowd throughout Sunday’s play.

“I wanted to tire him out a little then turn it on,” said Kuteyi of his Championship-winning matchup with Washington. “He got the early lead on me, but I knew I could come back. I appreciate T-Mac and everyone here for the opportunity.”

Washington, also known as “Sponge Bob,” and whose quarterfinal match against Scotty Hendricks went into overtime before a hard-fought semifinal win over Wright propelled him into the final, appeared winded for parts of his matches but fought through it and promises to be ready for Las Vegas.

“I ain’t done yet,” Washington said following the final. “You’re going to see me in better shape and ready to go in Vegas.”

After a successful debut event in Houston (April 30-May 1) and follow-ups in Atlanta (May 7-8), Chicago (May 21-22), New York (May 28-29) and the DMV, OBL’s next regional event is Saturday and Sunday, June 18-19, concluding the regular season in Los Angeles (site TBA).

The winner of each regional tournament will take home a $10,000 cash prize along with an invitation to the OBL Finals, which will see 21 players (the top three from each region plus three wild cards) compete for a chance to win a $250,000 grand prize and be crowned “Ruler of the Court.”

OBL media partners include SHOWTIME Sports, SLAM Media, Playmaker, and Heart and Hustle Productions.

Follow Ones Basketball League at https://www.oblhoops.com/ and on Twitter and Instagram.

Congressman Peter King Named To Save The Game Advisory Board

Peter T. King, the former New York Congressman who represented the South Shore Long Island district for almost 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, has been named to the advisory board of Save the Game™ www.savethegameus.com, the grass roots effort designed to align with Major League Baseball to encourage youth participation in baseball and “Grow the Game.”  King will be joined on the advisory board by five additional charter members: youth sports authority, Rick Wolff, the host of the “Sports Edge” on WFAN Radio, a publisher, and former minor league player and college coach; Mike Port, the former Major League executive with the Red Sox, Angels and Padres, and former MLB director of umpires; Queens native and Suffolk Sports Hall of Famer Fred Cambria, a former big league pitcher and instructor; the longtime Chicago Cubs scout, Brooklyn native and NYS Baseball Hall of Famer Billy Blitzer; and girls softball coach and Trumbull Little League (CT.) executive board member Jeff Dobrydney, a senior vice president at JSG Commodities in Norwalk. King, the respected elected official and former Chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security,  is a New York native, and an ardent New York Mets fan since the team’s inception.  The announcement was made today by Save The Game™ founders – former college baseball standouts and New York natives Kevin Gallagher and Pat Geoghegan and former MLB infielder, nine-year veteran Jeff Frey. “Baseball is part of the very fabric of our country, so anything I can do to enhance the game is important to me,” said King. “Save The Game™ is a significant grass roots effort to encourage young boys and girls to play, and move baseball back to the faster pace of a bygone era, which I greatly enjoyed throughout my youth.”

American Cornhole League Opens 2022 Pro Shootout Series

The American Cornhole League (ACL) is kicking off its 2022 ACL Pro Shootout Series – which airs live on CBS Sports Network at 7pm Saturday night from Bell Bank Park in Mesa Arizona.

The ACL Pro Shootout Series is in its 2nd year of competition that features eight high-intensity singles and doubles qualifying events hosted across the US, with a total prize pool of $250,000. The championship event – which airs live on CBS Network on September 17 – crowns the Shootout Champions.

This will be the second time in the history of the ACL that the league will be profiled on network television with 16 hours of CBS Sports Network coverage and 4 hours of CBS coverage.

The Pro Shootout Series, sponsored by Johnsonville, Bush’s Beans, Bacardi Spiced, AllCornhole, and Mike’s Hard Lemonade is a 12-round single elimination tournament format – fans will be familiar with it as the format is similar to the 2021 Pro Invitational Qualifying Tour. Each of the eight summer events will feature a Pro Men Singles, Pro Women Singles, and Pro Doubles event with the winners qualifying for the Shootout Championship. The top Pro Doubles team at the end will walk away with a $50,000 cash prize and Women’s and Men’s Singles winners will earn $20,000 each.