SlamBall is back, this time from Vegas on ESPN.
In 1999, sports fans were introduced to SlamBall, a new sport involving trampolines, basketball, big jumps and monster dunks.
While most basketball traditionalists didn’t quite understand it at first, the high-flying jumps and powerful, rim-rocking dunks attracted a loyal fanbase who took to the new sports property that combined basketball, football, hockey and an “NBA Jam” video game feel.
To the disappointment of its fans, the league disappeared in 2008.
But now, 15 years later, SlamBall is back.
Co-founders Mason Gordon and Mike Tollin were thrilled to revive SlamBall, and even more excited that the league, which will play all of its games at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, will air on ESPN.
“ESPN’s multi-year commitment to SlamBall is further validation of the enormous appeal and growth potential of our sport,” said Gordon, Slamball’s CEO. “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. It’s clear that this is the best talent we have had in the sport’s history.”
That excitement was echoed by Tollin.
“Mason and I couldn’t help but respond to the #BringBackSlamBall clamor,” said Tollin. “Live sports dominate the airwaves these days and audiences are looking for the next big thing. It’s a thrill to collaborate with ESPN in bringing this ground-breaking sport back to the world.”
Continue reading over at First and Pen.
This content has been brought to you by First and Pen in partnership with TheHub.News. First and Pen “amplifies local sports stories from voices of color to the national conscience…”