Monthly Archives: May 2025

SBD World’s Strongest Man Announces 2025 Partners

The SBD World’s Strongest Man has unveiled its lineup of sponsors for the 2025 competition, which will feature 25 of the world’s top strongmen facing off in an epic series of events. The competition returns to Sacramento, California, from May 15–18, 2025, marking its first appearance in the city since 2022. LUCY joins the World’s Strongest Man roster as a first-time partner this year and will support the world-class event alongside returning partners Rogue Fitness, KNAACK, AIRWAAV, Visit Sacramento and title sponsor SBD.

“We deeply value the relationships we’ve cultivated with our core sponsors and the meaningful impact we’re able to create together through the World’s Strongest Man platform—including with the City of Sacramento, which we’re proud to return to for a third year,” said Rebecca Levin, Vice President, Rights, North America, IMG. “With its fast-growing digital fanbase, extensive global broadcast reach, and viral social content, World’s Strongest Man provides a unique opportunity for brands and host cities to connect with an organic, authentic, and highly-engaged audience.”

SBD returns for a sixth year as the title sponsor of the World’s Strongest Man. SBD is the market-leading producer of apparel and accessories for strength sports. Designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom, SBD products are relied upon by elite strength athletes worldwide in the most grueling contests, like World’s Strongest Man.

Returning as the “Official Equipment Supplier” for the eighth year, Rogue Fitness is the leading manufacturer of strength and conditioning equipment, including barbells, power racks, sleds, and accessories. Founded in a garage in 2006, the company remains dedicated to serving the needs of serious athletes at every level.

LUCY joins World’s Strongest Man as an official partner for the first time. Designed for adult nicotine users seeking a modern, more flexible experience, LUCY nicotine pouches offer a discreet, spit-free format that fits seamlessly into the lives of athletes and fans alike. As a first-year partner, LUCY is proud to support the strength, focus, and discipline that define the World’s Strongest Man — and to celebrate the power that drives us all, in both mind and body.

KNAACK® is excited to return for the fifth consecutive year as the “Official Security and Tool Storage” sponsor of the World’s Strongest Man competition. This year, KNAACK will sponsor the new KNAACK Carry & Hoist event, which challenges athletes with a timed two-part task: first, carrying two KNAACK toolboxes, followed by a seated arm-over-arm hoist of a larger toolbox. In celebration of the incredible strength and determination required to compete at this level, KNAACK will once again present the prestigious peer-voted “KNAACK Tools of a Strongman” award to one deserving athlete.

AIRWAAV is back for its third year as the “Official Mouthpiece” of World’s Strongest Man. Backed by 15+ years of peer-reviewed research, the AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece is trusted by top competitors—including 2023 champion Mitchell Hooper and reigning three-time champion Tom Stoltman—to boost strength, endurance, and recovery. This year, AIRWAAV is also highlighting the Recovery Mouthpiece for sleep, designed to improve nighttime breathing and accelerate recovery overnight, along with all-new Nasal Strips. AIRWAAV will have a booth in the WSM Fan Zone with a full range of products available at an exclusive event price.

Visit Sacramento works to improve the quality of life for residents by driving visitor spending that supports the local business community, creates jobs and makes Sacramento a better place to call home. As the premier destination marketing and development organization for the region’s tourism industry, Visit Sacramento plays a lead role in the projects, programs and attractions that bring visitors to the city.

Additional 2025 partners also include Waiakea, Kinesio and Select Medical.

ShotTracker, ASB GlassFloor Announce New Strategic Partnership

ShotTracker, the industry leader in adaptive real-time data and AI-driven insights for basketball teams, leagues, facilities and fans today announced a new collaboration with ASB GlassFloor, placing ShotTracker’s advanced analytics and entertainment graphics into the design of ASB’s LED glass surfaces for the first time. As part of this initiative, the ShotTracker’s Helix system has been installed in the ASB Glassfloor Athlete’s Lab in Orlando, which is currently in use by NBA teams and other visiting sports properties year around.

“The ability to partner with ASB GlassFloor to add our state-of-the art data collection and visualization tools to their cutting-edge floor designs opens us up to a new global audience of teams. leagues, coaches, players and fans who have yet to experience the power and breadth of our AI fueled solutions,” said Davyeon Ross, ShotTracker co-founder and CEO. “This collaborative work will not only expand player development, but performance analytics and fan experience options.”

‘ShotTracker is one of the most progressive, forward thinking companies in not just basketball but in all of sports data, spanning from player development to fan engagement and we are proud to be working with them going forward,” said Chris Thornton with ASB GlassFloor. “Their work should fit quite seamlessly and effectively into the coaching and team drill designs we currently offer with more coming in addition to entertainment data in the months ahead and will help expand both our utility and literal visibility as we grow together.”

ASB GlassFloor’s glass-paneled, LED-embedded basketball courts first caught the NBA’s attention at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup in 2023. Less than a year later, ASB’s flagship video floor, the LumiFlex, was canvas to the NBA celebrity game, dunk contest, 3- point shootout and skills competition at the 2024 All-Star weekend in Indianapolis. The implementation of ShotTracker will include interactive visual analytics focused on game planning and performance, as well as unlocking the potential for more “in the moment” marketing and sponsorship opportunities. The collaboration will also include a new Multi-Sport Adaptability component, with ASB’s instant court transformations combined with sport-specific statistics.

This news follows ShotTracker’s continued growth in 2025. That includes enhanced work with the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships and the largest expansion in university partners in recent company history. ShotTracker partner schools currently include over fifty universities, with more coming later this year.

American Association Sets Attendance Records On Opening Weekend

The Opening weekend for the 20th season of American Association baseball saw records fall off the field. Over 63,654 attended games in the four days (each of the six home teams hosting three games), breaking the Opening Weekend record of 61,382, set in 2022. The defending champion Kane County Cougars led the way with the largest crowd of the weekend, 7,032 Saturday against Sioux City.

“The data tells the story, the effort our teams put in during the offseason to build momentum and awareness from the start of the season literally paid off, and that bodes really well for what we think will be a record season in every aspect for our league,” American Association Commissioner Josh Schaub said. “From new brands and media partners to the innovative promotions our clubs are creating, we are set up for success in every aspect of our business in 2025 and beyond.”

Among the off-season partnerships the AAPB has announced are an agreement with Carbliss as the league’s first-ever Founding Partner and its official “Ready to Drink” beverage; Champro, the official uniform supplier for the BCL; an extension with VensureHR as the exclusive and preferred supplier in the payroll category for the league; Unbeaten, RYZ Network and FuboTV as broadcast partners; CAPX as official hat; and IAS Branding as preferred promotional partner.

The MLB Partner League began its slate, in which each of the 12 teams play 100 regular season contests, on Thursday with Kane County and Cleburne (Texas) opening the season at home. Milwaukee, Chicago, Kansas City and Fargo-Moorhead also hosted series over the weekend. Sioux Falls, Sioux City, Gary SouthShore, Lincoln and Lake Country will begin their home slates this week, while Winnipeg will do so on May 20.

The Harlem Globetrotters Sports Residency Returns To American Dream July 2025 For Nine Consecutive Days

Leaders in breaking barriers and making history, the world famous, Harlem Globetrotters™ today announced they will be returning Saturday, July 12^th– Sunday, 20^th to American Dream in New Jersey for the second version of their summer sports residency. The news was announced today by both Keith Dawkins, President, Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios and Bryan Gaus, Senior Vice President and General Manager of American Dream.

“The Harlem Globetrotters are the first sports team in history to host a residency and we’re excited once again partner with American Dream and provide our fans legendary entertainment with the return of our kids day camps for the first time in over a decade,” said Dawkins. “This residency will also have us welcoming basketball competitors from all over the world to try out to join our Centennial team as we lead to our 100^th in 2026!”

The nine-day residency at American Dream, the world’s leading and innovative retail, dining and entertainment destination, will include an open tryout for men and women to join the squad for next year’s historic season, eight LIVE games throughout the week, where the Harlem Globetrotters™ will take on their legendary rivals, the Washington Generals, and two-hour Globetrotter Basketball Day Camps for kids. Additional details and special events and activities tied to the residency will be announced in the coming weeks. The Globetrotters will also be streaming content on their new owned and operated channels and are in discussions with media partners on additional distribution channels highlighting the residency.

“The Harlem Globetrotters, just like American Dream, embody community, entertainment, and fun, making us the perfect partners for this groundbreaking residency,” said Gaus. “Our property continues to set the standard as a unique sports and events destination while also complementing MetLife Stadium’s extensive list of events next door. Now, one of the most iconic sports franchises will call American Dream home.”

American Dream has become a destination for major sporting events. The center hosted the 2024 USA Curling National Championships, the National Basketball Player Association’s The Throne – High School Basketball National Championship and Arena Bowl 33. Additionally, there are several more athletic competitions and events in the pipeline that will be announced shortly. These events make up a portion of the 500 events held annually at the venue, which also boasts an extensive list of top retailers, fine dining and world-class attractions.

American Association Season Opens Today: Ten Things to Know in the AAPB This Week

After an off-season filled with new partnerships, MLB organization signings and a fun run by the Kane County Cougars in the Baseball Champions League (BCL) Americas last month, the American Association of Professional Baseball (@AA_Baseball) is set to begin the 2025 regular season with two games today, including the defending Miles Wolff Cup Champion Cougars hosting Sioux City at 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET.

Here are 10 (or so) Things to Know about the AAPB this week:

Once again, all AAPB games can be seen LIVE for FREE on the league’s streaming service, AABaseball.TV. Fans can also catch games via AAPB broadcast partners Unbeaten, Ryz Sports Network and Gray TV. The AABaseball.TV app is also available for free on both major platforms.
Cleburne also entertains Winnipeg tonight, with a 7:06 p.m. CT start. All other teams begin their campaigns on Friday, with each squad playing 100 contests in the regular season, concluding on Sept. 1.
The Cougars had a fine showing in the BCL Americas 2025 tournament in Mexico City last month, advancing to the semifinals with wins over the Santia Maria Pirates and Leñadores de Las Tunas of Cuba before falling to Leñadores in the semis.
A few AAPB alumni have made news signing with MLB organizations, notably J.C. Escarra, whose professional baseball journey included a 70-game stint with the Kansas City Monarchs in 2022. The New York Yankees’ backup catcher drilled his first home run in the Majors on April 27 and had a walk-off RBI last night. Winnipeg Goldeyes All-Star standout Dayson Croes recently signed with the San Franciso Giants’ organization. Fourteen league alumni have already appeared in the big leagues in 2025
It’s worked the other way too, as some names familiar to MLB fans are newly dotting AAPB rosters, as former Atlanta Braves All-Star pitcher Jair Jurrjens and Jake Diekman, a New York Met in 2024, will pitch for the Lincoln Saltdogs.
One of the biggest stories of the 2024 season is running it back in 2025, as J.D. Scholten has returned to pitch for Sioux City. Last year, he made national news by rejoining the Explorers after a 17-year hiatus that has included a continued run as a state representative in Iowa. Scholten, now 45, won his first four decisions and finished 2024 at 6-2 in 11 starts.
Among the off-season partnerships the AAPB has announced are an agreement with Carbliss as the league’s first-ever Founding Partner and its official “Ready to Drink” beverage; Champro, the official uniform supplier for the BCL; an extension with VensureHR as the exclusive and preferred supplier in the payroll category for the league; Unbeaten, RYZ Network and FuboTV as broadcast partners; CAPX as official hat; and IAS Branding as preferred promotional partner.
In other broadcast news, the Kansas City Monarchs have moved their radio coverage of road games to Audacy’s KWOD 1660 AM beginning next week. Carter Woodiel will be on the call for the third straight year and is in his eighth year as AAPB lead broadcaster. And select Chicago Dogs games will be streamed live on WGN+.
Some notable milestones to look out for early in the season are:
- Sioux Falls’ Jabari Henry has 141 career AAPB home runs, 5 fewer than the 146 by league career record holder Reggie Abercrombie (SF ’10-’13, WPG ’14-’19)
- Winnipeg’s Max Murphy has 148 career AAPB doubles, 16 fewer than the 164 by league career record holder John Allen (FW ’07-’11, LAR ’12-’13)
Some of this week’s fun promotions across the league include:
- Kansas City: Friday, Satchel Paige bobblehead giveaway, pre-game sky divers, post-game fireworks; Saturday, Teacher Appreciation Night; Sunday: Bluey at the Ballpark
- Chicago: Saturday, Okotberfest and Fireworks presented by Wintrust
- Fargo-Moorhead and Kane County: Magnetic schedule and t-shirt giveaways
Media interest in AAPB remains strong. Some of the recent articles on teams heading into Opening Day include:
- Chicago Daily Herald noting Kane County’s winning culture and the Chicago Dogs’ title prospects
- KTIV-TV details Sioux City’s preparations for 2025, while KSCJ Radio spoke with Manager Steve Montgomeryabout camp and play style
- Milwaukee Magazinenoted the Milkmen opener as a top Thing To Do this weekend
- Sioux Falls Live is ready for the Canaries’ season
The original American Association was formed in 1902 as an independent minor league circuit for Midwestern U.S. cities like Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Louisville and others. After several iterations, the realignment of Major League Baseball in 1997 spelled the end of the venerable league in that form. But in 2006, a new league formed using that great name, the result of a merger between two other “independent” leagues. Today, the AAPB is 12 teams strong and is a Major League Baseball Partner League operating in nine states and one Canadian province.

Tim Smith Spirits Named ‘Official Whiskey Partner’ of TCL Team Boxing League

TCL Team Boxing League (TCL), the first and only professional boxing league with a team-based ownership model, is proud to announce a new multi-platform partnership with Tim Smith Spirits, the award-winning craft distiller behind Climax Fire No. 32 (“Fire 32 Whiskey”), an acclaimed cinnamon spice flavored whiskey. As the Official Whiskey Partner of TCL, Tim Smith Spirits and its Fire 32 Whiskey will be activated across TCL’s Third Season through a wide-ranging campaign spanning broadcast, in-ring branding, digital integration, and on-site fan engagement.

Through this collaboration, Fire 32 Whiskey will be prominently featured during TCL broadcasts on Merit TV, the multiplatform network founded by Dr. Phil McGraw. The partnership includes commercial spots, sponsored features, and integrated content during weekly matchups, including “Knockout of the Match”. Fire 32 Whiskey branding will also appear inside the ring at all league events, ensuring high visibility during key moments of competition.

Select TCL events will feature onsite activations with Tim Smith Spirits, bringing the bold flavor of Fire 32 Whiskey directly to fans. Beyond the arena, the partnership extends into TCL’s digital and social media campaigns, with Fire 32 Whiskey showcased through exclusive content, athlete collaborations, and brand storytelling that connects with passionate boxing fans and bourbon enthusiasts alike. Tim Smith Spirits will also receive intellectual property (IP) rights from TCL, allowing the brand to co-market using official league marks and team assets—providing expanded creative opportunities across advertising and retail promotions.

“We’re excited to light up the TCL ring with Fire 32 Whiskey,” said Tim Smith, founder of Tim Smith Spirits and star of Discovery Channel’s Moonshiners. “This partnership is about bold moves, big hits, and unforgettable flavor—both in the ring and in the glass. We can’t wait to engage with TCL fans who live for the energy and excitement we bring.”

“Fire 32 Whiskey brings authenticity, attitude, and energy to TCL,” added Kevin Cassidy, CEO of Team Combat Entertainment. “Tim Smith Spirits shares our passion for excellence and fan engagement, and this partnership brings tremendous value to our audience and athletes alike.”

ToonieBet Launches Sportsbook, Elevating Player Experience and Local Community Engagement in Ontario

ToonieBet, Soft2Bet’s flagship online casino and sportsbook for Ontario, has officially launched its sportsbook on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The platform is tailored specifically for local players, offering a dynamic betting experience with a broad range of sports events and competitive odds. The platform also features personalised promotions and loyalty rewards designed to match the preferences of Ontario’s diverse betting community.

The sportsbook uses official data feeds, ensuring players have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information on top local and international sports events. Additionally, the platform offers live broadcasting with real-time match analytics, allowing users to make informed betting decisions as events unfold. Integrated with MEGA and advanced player account management features, the operator is committed to delivering a seamless and responsible gaming environment that enhances the overall player experience while supporting local sports initiatives.

As part of this launch, the platform has also introduced a Sportsbook section on its official website, expanding its portfolio and bringing more choice to its growing customer base. With access to over 85,000 live events each month and more than 70,000 pre-match events across a wide range of sports, players now have even more ways to bet on what they love. Soft2Bet’s Canadian brand invites all players to explore its standout online casino and the full spectrum of sports betting, all delivered through a fast, secure, and fully localised platform.

Since its debut at the end of 2024, ToonieBet has offered a fast, fair, and secure online casino and sportsbook experience, fully localised for Ontario’s vibrant gaming market. The Apple App and Google Play additions further enhance accessibility, bringing ToonieBet’s premium entertainment to players on the go.

Additionally, this milestone complements the operator’s recent partnership with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, which made ToonieBet the Official Online Casino Partner of the team. The partnership includes in-arena branding, digital promotions, and fan engagement initiatives like social contests, allowing ToonieBet to connect with Ontario sports fans in exciting ways and offering chances to win team merchandise and tickets.

Yoel Zuckerberg, Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer stated: “As Soft2Bet continues our rapid growth, we are excited to provide Ontario players with access to ToonieBet’s sportsbook which is now available on the Apple App and Google Play Store, offering seamless access to a customised experience tailored for the province’s passionate gaming community.”

ToonieBet is Soft2Bet’s brand, one of the world’s fastest-growing iGaming turnkey solutions providers, that delivers high-quality products and services for online gambling operators with iGaming brands around the world and a portfolio of 19 global licenses, including Ontario.

Fanatics Casino Launches with $2 Million FanCash Drop

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