The BIG3 announced that the league has been officially certified as a Black-owned and -operated business by ByBlack and the U.S Black Chambers Inc. This certification establishes the league as part of the ByBlack network and distinguishes the BIG3 as the first and only professional sports league to be certified.
“Myself and the entire league are honored to be officially certified by ByBlack and the U.S. Black Chambers,” says Ice Cube, BIG3 CEO and co-founder. “From day one, the league has been dedicated to providing opportunities for Black players, fans, investors, and partners, and we are proud to be a part of a nationwide network of Black business owners. Supporting Black enterprise is a lifelong passion of mine and the BIG3 will continue to build upon its successes and lift up other Black entrepreneurs.”
“USBC is energized by the BIG3 basketball league becoming a certified ByBlack business. This is the first step of what we deem to be a fruitful partnership, with Ice Cube’s commitment to helping other Black-owned businesses get ByBlack certified. We applaud Ice Cube for leading the way in this initiative and it is our goal to continue this partnership by collaborating with Ice Cube, BIG3, and other Black-owned businesses in the sports and entertainment industry,” says Ron Busby Sr., USBC CEO and president.
As a league focused on innovation, the BIG3 had several new enhancements to the player and fan experience across their fifth season. The league introduced the first-of-its-kind Forever Experience Action Tokens (FEATs), which leverages blockchain technology to sell NFTs offering ownership-like benefits and real-world experiences, redefining how teams and leagues can use Web3.0 technology. Owners include a community of Axie Infinity Members – owners of the now three-time-champion Trilogy – DeGods, Gary Vaynerchuk and VeeFriends, Bill Lee and MyDoge/DogeCoin, Krause House, and Snoop Dogg and PayPal Co-Founder Ken Howery.
Recently, Ice Cube also co-founded the Contract with Black America Institute and struck a landmark partnership with the National Football League to have the league invest and partner directly with Black-owned businesses with over $125 million committed and efforts are ongoing. This strategic partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. equips the BIG3 with a direct pipeline to Black businesses at every stage, Black Chambers’ at a national level, and a recognized national certification through ByBlack, all of which will support the league and its founders in its commitment to Black entrepreneurs.
The BIG3 also introduced Heat Vision, an exclusive 3-on-3 shot tracking software powered by Microsoft Azure and Noah Basketball Analytics, allowing BIG3 players and coaches access to real-time data on every single shot, including arc, rotation, and depth. Last season also saw the Monster Energy BIG3 Celebrity Game, featuring stars like Rob Gronkowski, Nelly, NLE Choppa, and Wallo267 and Gillie Da Kid.
The BIG3 will announce the complete schedule with broadcast dates and venues in the coming weeks.
