LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the BIG3
announced a partnership with Microsoft for the 2021 BIG3 SuperDraft
that will take place this Monday, June
14 at 5pm PT/8pm ET at the Microsoft Lounge in Los Angeles. Kicking off its partnership with
the popular AI-powered social media platform, the draft will air
live on Triller and FITE TV ahead of the 2021 season with
SuperDraft serving as the title partner for event.
As the previous 2019 champion and runner up, Triplets and Killer
3s will bring back their entire roster as stated in league rules.
The remaining ten teams will have two picks each following the
lottery selections last week before the BIG3 Combine. On site at
the Microsoft Lounge in Los
Angeles, the draft will be hosted by Chris McGee with Commissioner Clyde Drexler announcing the draft selections
aside Ice Cube. There will be additional analysis and commentary
from Coaches and Players including Michael
Cooper, Reggie Theus,
Nick Young and Cuttino Mobley. BIG3 will also connect with
Coaches, Player Captains and Draft picks around the country with
Microsoft Teams.
Leveraging Microsoft Teams and Surface devices, the BIG3 will
connect with Coaches, Player Captains and Draft picks around the
country in a hybrid setting, with guests attending both virtually
and in-person. The Microsoft Lounge will provide a sports analyst
studio experience. The room will be equipped with Surface Hubs,
Microsoft Teams video feeds of draft picks will be shown on a 9.5
by 32 foot LED video gallery wall, and remote attendees will join
in via Microsoft Surface Duo devices.
Round 1 order:
- Enemies
- Tri-State
- Power
- Ball Hogs
- Ghost Ballers
- Aliens
- 3 Headed Monsters
- Bivouac
- Trilogy
- Three's Company
Round 2 order:
- Power
- Tri-State
- Bivouac
- Three's Company
- Trilogy
- Enemies
- Aliens
- 3 Headed Monsters
- Ball Hogs
- Ghost Ballers
"As things were rapidly changing in the world around us, BIG3
had a vision and we were determined to bring fans the overwhelming
excitement of the BIG3 Draft. Our concept and tight timeline meant
coming together with a partner that could help pull it off, which
is why Microsoft was the ultimate choice. Between its authentic
technology solutions and highly advanced Lounge, the Microsoft team
came prepared to support our vision," said BIG3 CEO, Chris Hannan.
"It's our plan to deliver fans with a thrilling show next Monday
as we unveil draft picks with the best technology possible.
Microsoft Teams will be connecting our coaches, players and
draftees around the country during the live event," said BIG3
co-founders, Ice Cube and Jeff
Kwatinetz. "We keep saying this season is going to be the
biggest one yet and if you've been doubting that you're not keeping
up with BIG3 news. We are here to play, and the fire is
coming."
"Core to Microsoft's mission is to enable people to thrive in
this new world of remote and hybrid work. This past year, Microsoft
Teams has powered fashion shows, concerts, virtual fan experiences
and drafts for national sports leagues – all of which gave us the
learnings and technical experience we need to make this the best
BIG3 SuperDraft yet. Big3 has a vision for driving entertainment,
community and positive change and we are proud to be a part of
it," said James Bernstrom,
Director, Strategic Partnerships, Microsoft.
BIG3 is the official creator of the new global sport, FIREBALL3,
and is returning for its fourth season on July 10, 2021 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The BIG3's regular season will run
in Las Vegas and New Orleans before the plays, consolation, and
championship are played at Atlantis Paradise Island in the
Bahamas.
Known as a ground-breaking league that focuses on innovation,
BIG3 implemented notable rule changes following the 2019 season
which included lowering the minimum age of athletes from 27 to 22
and opening the league to all nonprofessional and professional
athletes that want to try out.
To watch the BIG3 SuperDraft on Triller please visit,
https://tril.co/2R74M3R or
https://www.fite.tv/watch/2021-big3-superdraft/2p9js/ to view
it on FITE TV. For more information on the league, please visit
https://big3.com.
ABOUT BIG3:
BIG3 (BIG3.com) is who we are, FIREBALL3 is what we play. It's
not your grandfather's 3-on-3. The premier global BIG3 league
features many of the greatest, most popular and skilled
professional athletes of all time. Founded by producer, actor and
music legend Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, the BIG3 combines highly
competitive, physical, fast game experiences and incredible fan
experiences.
ABOUT MICROSOFT:
Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital
transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an
intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every
organization on the planet to achieve more.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jeremy Watkins (Hiltzik
Strategies for BIG3)
jwatkins@hstrategies.com
Alyx Sealy (Hiltzik Strategies
for BIG3)
asealy@hstrategies.com
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SOURCE BIG3