LOS ANGELES, July 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the BIG3
announced the expansion of their partnership with Microsoft, naming
them the Official Technology Partner of the league. The partnership
will include Microsoft and Xbox as the official jersey patch
partner, in-game signage, and product pop-ups. Of the 12 teams in
the BIG3, six will have Microsoft branding on their jerseys and six
will have Xbox. Microsoft will also present the "BIG3 Season MVP"
and "Player of the Week," the latter of which will be chosen by a
fan vote during each week. This collaboration follows last month's
successful 2021 BIG3 SuperDraft at the Microsoft Lounge in Los
Angeles, where Isaiah Austin was
picked first overall by the Enemies. The season is slated for
tip-off on July 10 at Orleans Arena
in Las Vegas, NV and will be
broadcasted live on CBS Sports, Triller, and FITE TV.
"We could not be more pleased to take our relationship with
Microsoft to the next level," said BIG3 CEO Christopher Hannan. "Their brand and technology
elevate the BIG3's approach to innovating the game by engaging fans
across platforms on multiple screens. From their work supporting
the BIG3 SuperDraft with Microsoft Teams and Surface, to the
season-long partnership, Microsoft understands the vision of our
league and we are excited to have them on board as we prepare for
this weekend's highly anticipated return."
"Extending our partnership with the BIG3 makes perfect sense as
we see opportunities for our technology to authentically help the
BIG3 achieve more of their goals across the league and with their
fans. We are excited to continue to support BIG3 and their vision
for incredible entertainment that also drives positive change." –
James Bernstrom, Director, Strategic
Partnerships, Microsoft
Additionally, Microsoft will become the presenting sponsor of
Young3, the BIG3's youth program that provides children in local
communities with the opportunity to enrich their lives through the
game of 3-on-3 basketball with the first Young3 event being held on
July 16th in Las Vegas. As this partnership grows, it will
open the door for future BIG3 events at the Microsoft Lounge and
will involve cross-promotion between BIG3 and Microsoft's owned and
operated social media accounts.
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. The BIG3's regular season will run
in Las Vegas and New Orleans. The playoffs,
consolation, and championship will be held at Atlantis Paradise
Island in the Bahamas.
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