
COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU...
When I say "TBT," "DRL," or "Project Fanchise," what are the first things that comes to mind?
"Huh?" and "What are they?" are both are great places to start.
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TBT is The Basketball Tournament. DRL is The Drone Racing League. And Project Fanchise is just that.
These days, we don’t see very many new stick-and-ball games created by neighborhood kids. But these three new sports ventures represent a unique blend of yesterday, today and tomorrow -- and they're backed by serious investors with experience in both sports and business.
TBT: The Basketball Tournament
The most lucrative winner-take-all open basketball tournament in the world. This 5-on-5, single elimination tournament is beginning to take off. In 2014, the winning team Notre Dame’s Fighting Alumni took home $500,000. In 2015, Overseas Elite walked away with $1 million dollars beating Team 23 at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym broadcast live nationally. In 2016, the winners of TBT will take home $2 million dollars.
The rules: Anyone over 18 can play, but would forfeit their amateur standing. You can be a professional but not under a current contract. Since TBT takes place from July 9 to Aug. 2, many top players are committed to teams. There is no entry fee. Sixty four teams will be selected. Roster size is a maximum 16 with a minimum of 11.
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How to establish a team: Designated GM creates team page. GM signs players and recruits votes. Fans and players recruit more votes. A team must have seven players & 200 votes to be considered by the June 1 deadline. Twelve of the 16 teams in each region will be selected based on the number of votes. Team registration begins on April 1 for this year's event.
The regionals will be held in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Charlotte. TBT has a Super 16 in Philadelphia from July 21-23 at Philadelphia University. The 17th team is last years champion, which gets an automatic bye.
The final, which will be televised nationally, will be in New York City at Fordham University’s historic Rose Hill Gym on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 2.
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DRL: Drone Racing League
In January of this year, the DRL took off with six planned events in which elite drone pilots from around the globe will compete on complex and unique courses. Custom developed drones, which can travel up to 70 miles per hour, will navigate through sports venues, abandoned malls, and subway tunnels.
The DRL was founded in 2015 and has pushed the envelope reimagining the traditional models of sports leagues. The list of serious investors includes CAA Ventures, Hearst Ventures, Courtside Ventures and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
The races will be held in large venues with the courses bending through tunnels, up various levels and around razor-sharp turns. In each race, gates must be negotiated without crashing.
Think this is just a small niche? Hobby drones are on pace to be a $5 billion dollar industry by 2020. Amazon sells thousands of done hobby kits every month.
Think this is crazy? When is the last time you won a big chunk of change from any type of exercise using a remote controller? Somerset England 15-year-old Luke Banister recently won $250,000 in the first World Drone Prix in Dubai.
Banister piloted Tornado XBlades Banni UK team to victory over a field of 150 teams from around the world.
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Project Fanchise:
Two weeks ago, we saw the formal launch of the world’s first professional sports franchise managed by the fans.
Fans will vote on every aspect of the team, from choosing the name, personnel hiring, designing the logo, hiring the general manager, coaching staff, picking the players, and creating game plans. The first game will be played in 2017 as part of the IFL (Indoor Football League) in either Salt Lake City or San Antonio (whichever city gets the most votes).
Project Fanchise is bridging the gap between fantasy sports, video games and live sports. Live-streaming cameras and microphones throughout the stadium and in players helmets will allow fans to customize their in-game views.
The “Coach of the Fans” coaching position will provide a voice for fans on the sidelines on gameday. Analyze game film and provide input on game plans and scouting reports. scout players, choose training camp invitees and make decisions on final rosters.
Sound a bit crazy? The top-drawing MLS franchise, the Seattle Sounders, have already kicked off a group of their fans called called “The Alliance” who have a general say in the direction of the franchise. The Project Fanchise team will take it to a completely different level in fan control.
The League:
IFL (Indoor Football League) started in 2008 with eight franchises. Teams play a 16-game schedule from February through July. Sixty players from the IFL have gone on to sign contracts in the NFL and CFL.
Franchises:
Cedar Rapids Titans
Billings Wolves
Colorado Crush
Green Bay Blizzard
Iowa Barnstormers
Nebraska Danger
Sioux falls Storm
Spokane Empire
Tri Cities Fever
Wichita Falls Nighthawks
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Note: In the spirit of full disclosure, I am an advisor to both TBT and Project Fanchise and own two small drones that I crash on a regular basis.