ESPNs multi-year commitment to SlamBall is further validation of the enormous appeal and growth potential of our sport, said SlamBall creator and CEO Mason Gordon. The level of interest in our hybrid team sport not just in the U.S., but across the world, has been beyond our expectations for the 2023 season. Its clear that this is the best talent we have had in the sports history.
Mason and I couldnt help but respond to the #BringBackSlamBall clamor, said SlamBall co-founder Mike Tollin. Live sports dominate the airwaves these days and audiences are looking for the next big thing. Its a thrill to collaborate with ESPN in bringing this ground-breaking sport back to the world.
We are excited to partner with SlamBall, a league that combines elements of some of our fans favorite sports, resulting in a unique game that is sure to entertain viewers across ESPNs platforms. said Ashley OConnor, Sr. Director, Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN.
The broadcast team, production details, and full broadcast schedule will be announced in the next few weeks. SlamBall has a long-term partnership with global premium experiences company Legends to provide e-commerce and on-site event retail; global, data-driven partnership strategy and execution; and business intelligence with actionable insights to drive revenue across all areas of the league. David Levy at Horizon Sports and Experiences is providing additional sponsorship sales support in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
SlamBall recently closed an $11 million Series A round led by Roger Ehrenbergs IA Sports Ventures and Eberg Capital (Owner and Advisory Board Member, Miami Marlins, Betr, Simplebet) with participation from strategic investors across sports, gaming, entertainment, and media. Strategic investors include David Blitzer (Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Cleveland Guardians, Crystal Palace), David Adelman (76ers, NJ Devils), Michael Rubin (Fanatics), Gary Vaynerchuk (VaynerX, Major League Pickleball), and Blake Griffin (Boston Celtics power forward and six-time NBA All-Star), as well as Kevin Nagle (Sacramento Kings), Lloyd Danzig (Sharp Alpha), Legends, Brian Lovell (Red Games), Jesse Sharf (Gibson Dunn), Accelerate Sports, and Eric Manlunas (Wavemaker Partners). Accelerate Sports provided investment banking services for the round.
About SlamBall:
Launched originally in 1999 by founders Mason Gordon and Mike Tollin, SlamBall is a one-of-a-kind sports and entertainment property with a rich history of success in the United States and in markets around the world. It is a compelling hybrid combination of the best elements of basketball, football, and hockey, infused with the essence of a video game come to life. The new, enhanced league, which includes partner Tom Penn, founder of LAFC, is set for relaunch in the summer of 2023. Amid the current resurgence of interest in alternate sports, the hashtag #BringBackSlamBall has garnered more than 200 million views on social media, offering a powerful foundation of fandom for the sports revival. For more information visit https://slamballleague.com/
###