April 22, 2021 [Cleveland, OH] — The Professional Collegiate League (PCL) and Next Level Sports and Entertainment (NXT), along with their digital affiliate For The Fans (FTF), today announced the completion of a comprehensive distribution agreement for the PCL’s first season. 

As part of the deal, the PCL’s inaugural season, expected to launch later this year in an interim, single-city model, will be featured domestically on Next Level Sports (cable/linear) and FTF (digital/OTT) and internationally, in at least 43 countries and territories, on FTF International (digital/OTT). Additionally, the PCL and NXT are finalizing the game and practice venues for the first season, which will be in the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia area), one of the top regions for basketball talent in the country. 

PCL CEO and Co-Founder Ricky Volante said, “With the completion of this agreement, the PCL will be able to move into the next phase of development, focusing on player recruitment, coaching hires, sponsorships, and partnerships. With a reach of more than 110 million households across 44 countries and territories, FTF and Next Level Sports offers the PCL an incredible opportunity to have our games readily available worldwide, and creates significant value for our athletes and sponsors.”

André Gudger, Owner of NXT, added, “With Next Level, we sought to invest in and show up in service with and for urban communities. This historic partnership to distribute the PCL’s inaugural season is a testament to this commitment. It is an honor for Next Level Sports, the only wholly minority owned, global multi-sports and entertainment linear cable network, to broadcast the inaugural season to over 100 million households via cable and, with its partner FTF, digital distribution. Next Level believes in the power of these young athletes and the communities who will support the league, their education, and professional development.”

David West, PCL COO and Co-Founder, commented, “Players and their families have made it clear that to appropriately evaluate the PCL, they needed to know where our games would be aired. Adding FTF and Next Level Sports as our distribution partners allows us to emphatically answer that question and amplify the incredible opportunity that the PCL offers.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the PCL to distribute their inaugural basketball season," said Dave Gross, CEO of For the Fans/FTF Sports networks.  "We wholeheartedly support the PCL’s mission to provide exceptional young athletes with the opportunity to showcase and grow their talent and skills.  The PCL is blazing a trail at the intersection of professional play and academics, and FTF will proudly offer PCL games, for free, to fans around the globe. Fans can watch the exciting PCL action on digital and cable by tuning in to FTF's two FAST linear (Free Ad Supported Television) networks, FTF and FTF International, and on FTF's cable channel partner, Next Level Sports (NXT), available on major US cable affiliates.”

About the PCL

The Professional Collegiate League is the first collegiate basketball league to enable athletes to benefit directly from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering a scholarship and compensation, in the form of a salary and employee benefits. The PCL is operated independently from colleges and universities, and will consist of eight teams initially on the east coast of the U.S. Aiming to become the primary destination for elite college basketball players across the globe, the PCL intends to reimagine the landscape of collegiate athletics by disrupting the NCAA’s amateurism model and offering a legitimately superior alternative, while also addressing the economic outlook of college basketball players (men initially), most of whom are minorities and/or come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. In short, the PCL is college sports reimagined. The league has already released three of its team brands (the Carolina Flight, Baltimore Phoenix, and DC Stealth) and has announced that Alan Major will serve as the DC Stealth’s head coach, with Greg Oden joining his staff as an assistant coach.

For more information on the PCL, visit www.thepcleague.com.

About NXT

Next Level Sports and Entertainment is a global multi-sports and general entertainment content platform. Promoted as the sole minority owned 24/7 linear platform distributed across digital and broadcast networks that showcase live events and original programming for and by urban communities. Whether watching a game, documentary or an Influencer, it's time to go to the NEXT LEVEL.

About FTF / Lax United Marketing, LLC

Lax United Marketing distributes sports programming under the FTF, Next Level Sports, and LSN brands. The FTF digital networks are available in 115M households via Samsung TV Plus (Channel 1167), Xumo (Channel 711), The Roku Channel (Channel 228), Twitch, DistroTV (Channel 38), Local Now, Fanatiz, SelecTV, and Zingo.

LSN/Lax Sports Network is the 24-7 sports network dedicated to the sport of lacrosse. 

Next Level Sports / NXT is the 24-7 multi-sport network distributed via top US cable affiliates.

For more information on FTF, go to www.ftflive.com. 

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Professional Collegiate League

Wendell Haskins

press@thepcleague.com

For The Fans

Rob Wallace

rwallace@ftflive.com

January 27, 2021 [Cleveland, OH] — The Professional Collegiate League (PCL) today announced that Alan Major will serve as the Head Coach of the DC Stealth. A veteran leader on and off the court, Major brings over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to the PCL. Additionally, Greg Oden will serve as Major’s Assistant Coach for the DC Stealth.

On his decision to become the first head coach in the PCL, Major said, “I’m excited to accept the position to lead the DC Stealth. The PCL has a chance to be a terrific option for elite college basketball players. The League is striving to be the solution to many of the current issues surrounding the collegiate game. For me, the exciting thing about the PCL is knowing David West [PCL Chief Operating Officer] for almost 20 years and watching his passion for the game grow. He has a vision for the League and wants to develop it the right way.”

PCL COO David West stated, “Coach Major knows and loves the game. Throughout his career, he has continued to positively impact young people through teaching and coaching the game. The PCL is lucky to have him leading our DC team.”

Alan Major previously served as the Head Coach at UNC-Charlotte from 2010-2015. Major also served as an assistant coach at University of Texas (women’s team, 2018-2019), the Ohio State University (2004-2010, 2016-2017), Xavier University (2001-2004), University of the Pacific (1995-1998, 1999-2000), Southern Illinois University (1998-1999), and California Lutheran University (1992-1995). Major has coached and developed numerous players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, including Mike Olowokandi, David West, Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Jr., Evan Turner, Kosta Koufos, Byron Mullens, and Daequan Cook.

Greg Oden, the first player selected in the 2007 NBA Draft, played three seasons in the NBA for the Portland Trailblazers and Miami Heat. Oden also played for the Jiangsu Dragons in the Chinese Basketball Association, Scarlet & Gray in the The Basketball Tournament, and the Aliens after being selected 9th overall in the Big3 Draft. Oden serves on the Advisory Board of Edyoucore LLC, an organization that educates, equips, and empowers individuals in sports and entertainment to make better financial, business, and lifestyle decisions. Oden received a Bachelor’s Degree from the Ohio State University in Spring 2019. 

PCL CEO Ricky Volante stated, “It’s been great getting to know Alan and Greg throughout this process. David’s respect for Alan pushed him to the top of our interview list early in the process, and his track record in recruiting, coaching, and developing elite talent jumped out to me. In a moment of serendipity, I’d just met Greg at an event when Alan mentioned him as a key target for his staff. We’re very excited to have this duo leading the DC Stealth, and more importantly, we think that prospective recruits will be excited to play for them.”

You can hear more from Ricky, David, Alan, and Greg on the latest episode of the PCL’s Forward, Thinking podcast, which will be released today on all major podcast platforms. 

The PCL is the first collegiate basketball league to enable athletes to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering an education and compensation in a US-based basketball league free of academic and economic exploitation. In short, the PCL is college sports reimagined. The PCL will also be releasing its Baltimore team name and brand later this week. 

Stay up to date on the PCL by following the league on social media.

Twitter: @the_pcleague

Instagram: @thepcleague

MEDIA CONTACT:

Wendell Haskins

Chief Marketing Officer

Professional Collegiate League

press@thepcleague.com

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On Wednesday, the sports world awoke to breathless reports that the NCAA Board of Governors had finally opened the floodgates and would allow college athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness rights. Instead, Wednesday’s announcement from the NCAA was ultimately all smoke and no fire. The hype was fueled by an NCAA PR call for the media, in which they talked a good game but then left all the less-than-rosy details for a thirty-one-page document that few seem to have read in detail. 

At the PCL, we have enough institutional experience to know that nothing the NCAA claims can be taken at face value. The place to look for the devilish details is in the actual report released, which outlined the following:

• The Model Won’t Change: “No desire for changes to NIL rules that would undermine the Association’s model of amateur intercollegiate athletics.” The bold is not added for emphasis, that’s how it appears on Page 6 of the report. In plain language, the NCAA made it clear that no rules would be recommended that “would undermine, or fundamentally change, the NCAA’s overall model of amateur intercollegiate athletics.”  Allowing athletes “uncapped” third-party payments cannot be squared with maintaining that model, and so the only logical conclusion is those uncapped payments won’t actually come to pass.

• Congressional Protection Needed: “The Presidential Subcommittee on Congressional Action has identified distinct legal impediments to the Association’s ability to modernize its rules related to NIL and to maintain the model of intercollegiate athletics generally. Therefore, the subcommittee has put forward a number of recommendations for Board consideration in engaging with Congress, including to seek preemption of state NIL laws.” In other words, some of the recommendations are likely illegal and will therefore require protection from Congress in the form of an antitrust exemption. And by “some” they mean all of the recommendations related to payment to athletes for their athletic NIL value. That is, all of the good stuff. 

• Congressional Intervention Also Needed: The recommendations do not go as far as the state NIL laws that have been proposed and/or passed, so Congress is needed to strike those down while also granting an antitrust exemption.

• Tethered to Educational Expenses or Incidental to Participation: These legal terms of art were created in O’Bannon v. NCAA, and have a great deal of legal significance in ensuring the continuation of an amateurism model. Aware of this, one of the “guardrails” emphasized in the report was, “To assure that any proposed legislative solutions kept in mind that student-athlete benefits must be tethered to educational expenses or incidental to participation.” Tying endorsements to education with an exception for activities incidental to athletic participation is incredibly limiting on the value of any such agreement for an athlete. For example, what is the educational tether for appearing in a Coca-Cola or Pepsi commercial?

• Potential Areas of Conflict: “In addition, an institution would have discretion to prohibit a student-athlete’s involvement in particular name, image, and likeness activities, as defined by the institution (e.g., areas that conflict with institutional values, conflicts with institutional arrangements).” 

• No Inducements and Limiting Value: “Protecting the recruiting environment and prohibiting inducements to select, remain at or transfer to a specific institution.” For those that don’t know, prior to making a recruiting decision is often when an athlete has the most value and leverage. Taking away that window of opportunity severely limits their earning potential. 

• No Group Licensing: Don’t expect a college football or basketball video game any time soon. In discussing the player’s associations that represent the athlete bargaining units in professional leagues and the Olympics, the report noted that “the absence of similar legal structures in intercollegiate athletics greatly complicates the NCAA’s ability to pursue a group licensing approach similar to the modules used in the professional context.” For the vast majority of college athletes, group licensing would be the primary source of any revenues related to name, image, and likeness. 

• Potentially No Shoe or Apparel Deals: Tucked away on Page 31, the report asks the NCAA to consider “[w]hether certain categories of third-party businesses (e.g., athletics shoe and apparel companies) should be precluded from, or have limited participation in, the newly permitted activities, due to their history of encouraging or facilitating recruiting and other rules infractions.”  For elite basketball athletes, this would be cutting off access to six-figure endorsement deals, even seven-figures in certain cases. This is also the single most valuable category for athlete endorsement agreements. 

Ultimately, nothing changed Wednesday, regardless of what the headlines say. And the chance of things changing when the next NCAA dog and pony shows comes to town is slim as well, given they’ve told the world they need Congress to grant them antitrust immunity or else no athletic NIL rights. Like all of amateurism, this proposal is a con. Don’t fall for it. 

March 24, 2020 [Cleveland, OH] — The Professional Collegiate League (PCL) today announced that Wendell J. Haskins has joined its leadership team as Chief Marketing Officer. Haskins brings over 20 years of experience in entertainment and sports marketing and proven success in leveraging key relationships with media networks, labels, studios, and major league sports organizations, including the NBA, MLB, NFL, USTA, and The PGA of America, to drive business strategies. In this new position, Haskins will lead marketing and public relations efforts at an important and exciting time as the PCL transitions from concept to reality.  

“Wendell is an exciting and necessary addition to the PCL leadership team; his past experience in sports marketing coupled with his long-standing relationships and extensive network will be invaluable to the league as we grow,” said Ricky Volante, Co-Founder and CEO of the PCL. “We look forward to benefiting from Wendell’s expertise in talent relations, brand activation, event management, strategic partnerships, and diversity and inclusion initiatives as we work to reshape the future of collegiate athletics.”

As founder of Original Tee Inc., Haskins conceptualized “The Original Tee Classic” and has managed the annual event since 1999, benefiting the National Minority Junior Golf Scholarship Association and numerous other charities. He also served as Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion and Director of Sports & Entertainment Marketing for The PGA of America where he implemented marketing strategies to recruit athletes and celebrities of color to be advocates for golf and player development, including NBA players Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Alonzo Mourning, Julius Erving, Otis Birdsong, former MLB player Gary Sheffield, actor Dondrè Whitfield, and others. Prior to working for The PGA of America, Haskins served as Creative Director and Player Development Consultant at the NBA, where he was instrumental in training incoming players in the Rookie Transition Program, as well as in leading the creative process and managing the staff responsible for dressing the performers of the NBA’s “All-Star Saturday Night,” with an international TV audience of 10 billion. He also incorporated all NBA licensed apparel and branding into nationally televised productions of the NBA, which included commercials, marquis events, and the NBA All-Star Game halftime show.

The PCL is the first collegiate basketball league to enable athletes to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering an education and compensation in a US-based basketball league free of academic and economic exploitation. In short, the PCL is college sports reimagined.  In April, the PCL will unveil the league’s first team name and insignia.

Media Contact: Sarah Bray, Sarah@InnovantPR.com, 832.226.2116

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March 13, 2020 [Cleveland, OH] — Due to the rapidly escalating coronavirus concerns and the recent cancellation of the March Madness tournaments, The Professional Collegiate League (PCL), Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Soledad O’Brien Productions today announced that they will be cancelling their panel discussion event, originally scheduled to take place in Atlanta at the Loudermilk Conference Center on April 5th. 

“We are actively supporting the global and national effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic by cancelling our event.  The health and safety of event attendees and participants is our top priority, and we believe this is the responsible decision.  We are looking to have this important discussion around the future of collegiate athletics in a modified, safe format at some point in the future,” stated Ricky Volante, CEO and Co-Founder of the PCL. “Given that Atlanta is one of the eight cities in which the PCL will launch its inaugural season, we are still planning to unveil the league’s Atlanta-based team name and insignia in the coming weeks.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Sarah Bray

Innovant Public Relations

Sarah@InnovantPR.com

832-226-2116

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The Professional Collegiate League, Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University, and SO’B Productions to Co-Host a Panel Discussion on the Future of Collegiate Athletics During the 2020 Final Four in Atlanta

March 04, 2020 [Cleveland, OH] — The Professional Collegiate League (PCL) is coming to Atlanta on April 5th to discuss a better, professional opportunity for collegiate athletes around the Final Four and Championship games. As college basketball players, coaches and fans gear up for the national championship game, the PCL will be co-presenting a panel discussion with the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Soledad O’Brien Productions. Industry leaders from across the nation will gather in Atlanta to discuss the future of collegiate athletics and the PCL’s critical role in defining that future. The PCL will also be unveiling the league’s Atlanta-based team name and insignia at the event. 

The PCL is the first collegiate basketball league to enable athletes to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering an education and compensation in a US-based basketball league      free of academic and economic exploitation. In short, the PCL is college sports reimagined.

WHO: The panel will consist of award-winning journalist and producer and PCL Advisory Board member Soledad O’Brien, ESPN’s Bomani Jones, PCL COO and NBA Champion David West, and PCL CEO and Co-Founder Ricky Volante. It will be moderated by Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of Global Sport Institute at Arizona State. Focusing on the historical, societal, economic, and legal issues in collegiate athletics, attendees will hear from these industry professionals who bring a wealth of talent and experience in the business of sports.  

WHEN: Sunday, April 5th, 2020; 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Loudermilk Conference Center, 40 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303

WHY: As the discussion of compensating college athletes continues to progress, Atlanta offers the perfect venue to host a discussion on the future of college sports. Not only will the Final Four tournament be a gathering spot for the who’s who of college basketball, Atlanta is one of the eight cities in which the PCL will launch its inaugural season.

RSVP TODAY: https://pcl-atl-panel.splashthat.com/

The event is free and open to members of the public. 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Sarah Bray

Innovant Public Relations

Sarah@InnovantPR.com

832-226-2116

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PCL CEO Ricky Volante and COO David West Named to Constellation Research’s 2020 AX50 

Global List of Executives Leading Disruptive Customer Experience Initiatives

Cleveland, OH – January 28, 2020 – The Professional Collegiate League (PCL) today announced Ricky Volante, CEO, and David West, COO, were named to Constellation Research’s 2020 AX50, an elite list of innovative and disruptive leaders transforming customer experiences—and businesses—around the world. The AX50 will be featured and celebrated at the Ambient Experience Summit in Atlanta on February 27, 2020.

Ricky is a Co-Founder of the PCL and serves as the Chief Executive Officer, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the League, while focusing on business and operational growth and the benefits created for the athletes. David is a Co-Founder of the PCL and serves as the Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the development of the PCL’s basketball infrastructure, including: scouting, recruitment, player development, and NBA relations.

The PCL is the first collegiate basketball league to enable athletes to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering an education and compensation. It provides a US-based basketball opportunity free of academic and economic exploitation. In short, the PCL is college sports reimagined. 

The list presents a selection of influential executives across a variety of industries, including entertainment and sports. The AX50 demonstrated how to effectively implement customer-centric strategies, disruptive business models and emerging technologies to help transform customer experiences, keep brand promises, activate movements, grow revenues and increase operational efficiency.

On being named to the AX50, Ricky said, “It is an honor to be included in such an accomplished list of leaders, made even more special because I am joined by David. We sincerely appreciate the recognition from the Constellation Research team, especially Ray Wang and Paul Greenberg, who have quickly made us feel like part of their family. We look forward to joining everyone in Atlanta for the Ambient Experience Summit in February.”

“Sustainable businesses put customers at the center of everything they do. In today’s experience economy, the goal of empowering great customer experiences drives successful business transformation. The AX50 leaders are paving the way to better, more durable relationships through great customer experiences across their organizations,” said Nicole France, VP & principal analyst at Constellation Research. 

The full AX50 list and more on the program can be found here: https://www.constellationr.com/ax50-2020.

About Constellation Research

Constellation Research is a technology research and advisory firm based in Silicon Valley. We deliver strategic guidance to companies seeking to transform their businesses through the early adoption of disruptive technology. Our analysts draw on their experiences as practitioners to deliver pragmatic advice to CXOs leading digital transformation within their organizations. Clients include boards of directors, C-suite executives, line-of-business leaders, and IT visionaries who are not afraid to challenge the status quo. Our mission is to conduct research on emerging technologies, identify and validate trends, and empower our clients to succeed in the digital economy.

Global Press Contacts:

Aubrey Coggins & Elle Froze

Constellation Research

Email: Press@Constellationr.com

Cleveland, OH – January 7, 2020 – Today, the Historical Basketball League (HBL) unveiled its new name: the Professional Collegiate League (PCL). As the first collegiate basketball league to enable athletes to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering an education and compensation, the PCL name better reflects the league’s model and purpose. The PCL provides a US-based basketball opportunity free of academic and economic exploitation. In short, the PCL is college sports reimagined. 

The league’s executive team, led by CEO Ricky Volante and COO David West, set out to determine a name that appropriately represents the league today and will remain relevant in the future.  “It is exciting to finally announce the Professional Collegiate League’s new name. Our mission is the same, and now the name accurately depicts what the league represents – a better, professional opportunity for college athletes. Not only will renaming the league avoid consumer confusion, it will allow us to seamlessly expand into women’s sports and other men’s sports in the future,” said Ricky Volante.

In addition, the PCL recently added four new members to its growing Advisory Council. New to the Advisory Board are David McFarland – founder of DLM Entertainment Group and DLM Impact Partners and award-winning producer/writer; Bradd Busick – Chief Information Officer of MacDonald-Miller and former Project and Portfolio Manager for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; and Katrina Ghazarian – CEO of EVA8 and TEDx Speaker. Also, NBA Champion and 32-year coaching veteran Henry Bibby will be joining the PCL’s Athlete Advisory Board. Leveraging the diverse backgrounds and experience of the Advisory Council members, the PCL will holistically develop college athletes to allow them to benefit from an experience rife with opportunity in every manner possible. 

With backing secured from twenty investors from a range of industries and backgrounds, the PCL continues to prepare to launch its 2021 inaugural season in eight cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore, District of Columbia (D.C.), Richmond, Norfolk, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta. The PCL’s focus in 2020 is on hiring head coaches, rounding out the league’s staff, announcing team names and logos, securing an apparel and distribution partner, negotiating venue agreements, and signing 4-star and 5-star prospects. 

Press inquiries for interviews, additional facts, and images should be directed to press@thepcleague.com. To keep up to date, follow the PCL on Twitter (@the_pcleague) and Instagram (@thepcleague).

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Erin Szalkowski

Innovant Public Relations

Erin@InnovantPR.com

713-412-6436

Cleveland, OH – November 12, 2019 – The Historical Basketball League (HBL) is pleased to announce the addition of documentarian, journalist, speaker, author and philanthropist, Soledad O’Brien, to the league’s Advisory Board. Comprised of influencers from various industries critical to the long-term success of the HBL, the Advisory Board includes experienced leaders in technology, finance & investment, sports, media & content, legal, and academics. Soledad O’Brien is the newest member of the HBL Advisory Board and will work closely with the HBL Executive Team to provide critical input on decisions related to overall strategic planning and execution of the HBL’s mission and vision.

Ricky Volante, CEO and Co-Founder of the HBL remarked, “Soledad brings passion and grit to every effort she commits to and we are so pleased to welcome her to the HBL Advisory Board.  Her extensive experience and knowledge, as well as her long-standing relationships in the media industry, will be invaluable as the HBL moves into the next strategic growth stage. Soledad's efforts to give under-represented and exploited individuals a voice, as well as her dedication to upholding human and civil rights, fit perfectly with our overall mission to create a fair and equitable college basketball model that rewards its athletes for their efforts, rather than exploiting them.”

Soledad O’Brien is the CEO of Soledad O'Brien Productions (SO’B Productions), a multi-platform media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues. In addition to leading SO’B Productions, she anchors and produces the Hearst Television political magazine program Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien and reports regularly for HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel and PBS’ NewsHour. O’Brien has appeared as an anchor or contributor on all three major networks and was the face of CNN’s morning news shows for many years. She also anchored the CNN documentary unit where she created the In America documentary series.  O’Brien is the Philanthropy Editor of Worth Magazine and is also the author of two books, her critically acclaimed memoir The Next Big Story and Latino in America.  She speaks on a variety of social issues at college campuses and corporate events.  

On joining the HBL Advisory Board, O’Brien said, “I'm honored to be part of the Advisory Board of the HBL because I think there’s an important conversation to be had on how best to reform the system—that uses promising young athletes but fails to compensate them. As a storyteller I know the public is ready for a conversation about the rules that govern college athletes, and where those rules can be improved. I'm thrilled to join their team of courageous athletes, sport pioneers and innovative leaders at such a critical juncture.”

The HBL is the first professional college basketball league to enable athletes to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering an education and compensation. The league is shifting the landscape of collegiate athletics by offering salaries up to $150,000 per season, in addition to 5-year guaranteed scholarships, along with allowing its athletes to fully commercialize their name, image, and likeness without restriction. 

With backing secured from over a dozen investors from a range of industries and backgrounds, the HBL is preparing to launch its 2021 inaugural season in eight cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore, District of Columbia (D.C.), Richmond, Norfolk, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta. The HBL expects to finalize its domestic media partnership in the coming weeks and will then shift its focus to hiring head coaches and securing an apparel partner, as well as continuing to engage and recruit 4-star and 5-star prospects.  Expect more exciting news from the HBL, including updates on coaches, players, team names and logos, as well as further details on team and league sponsorships and partnerships.

Press inquiries for interviews, additional facts, and images should be directed to press@hbleague.com. To keep up to date, follow the HBL on Twitter (@hb_league) and Instagram (@hbleague).

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Sarah Bray

Innovant Public Relations

Sarah@innovantpr.com

832.226.2116

Cleveland, OH – October 3, 2019 – Ricky Volante, CEO of the Historical Basketball League (HBL), and David West, COO of the HBL, today announced the addition of several new members to the league’s Advisory Board and Athlete Advisory Board.

The HBL is the first professional college basketball league. The HBL will compensate and educate athletes, allowing players to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work without having to sacrifice their educational opportunities or leave the United States.  As the HBL transforms from concept to reality, it is disrupting the amateurism model and shifting the landscape of collegiate athletics. As a result, the HBL’s Executive Team places great importance on the role of the HBL’s Advisory Council (Advisory Board, Athlete Advisory Board, and Academic Advisory Board).  Comprised of influencers from various industries critical to the long-term success of the HBL, the Advisory Council includes current and former elite college and professional athletes, experienced higher education professionals, and leaders in sports marketing and management.  Members of the HBL Advisory Council bring vast experience in the fields of technology, finance & investment, sports, media & content, legal, and academics. 

The HBL Advisory Board works closely with the HBL Executive Team to provide input on decisions related to overall strategic planning and execution of the HBL's mission and vision.  New to the HBL Advisory Board are Damon Jones – former Senior Director of Player Development at the NBA; Ameesh Paleja – Founder of Atom Tickets and Chief Technology Officer at OfferUp; Manny Ojobaro – Finance Manager at CapitalG; and LJ Kwak Yang – leadership and business developer, entrepreneur, investor, and former Googler. 

“We are very excited to announce our new Advisory Board members.  Damon, Ameesh, Manny, and LJ bring significant expertise in fundraising, media content creation and distribution, sports sponsorships, and college and professional basketball,” said Ricky Volante.  “We are thrilled that they have joined the HBL Advisory Board and look forward to the many ways in which they will leverage their experience and resources to provide the league with strategic guidance as we transition into the next critical growth phase, which includes finalizing our media and apparel partnerships, hiring coaches, recruiting players, and much more.”

Damon Jones said, “In the 19 years that I have worked with elite collegiate and professional athletes, one of my main goals has been to ensure athletes are given ample mentorship and support. I am impressed with the unique resources the HBL has in place to help empower college basketball players on and off the court, and I am excited to be a part of this movement that will greatly enrich each player’s experience. Focusing on the players' individual development and using basketball as a means to shape their off-the-court aspirations will maximize their opportunities now and in the future.”

“It’s an exciting time to be joining the HBL Advisory Board.  My hope is to compliment the already talented HBL Executive Team with my experience in the tech and media spaces, as they lay the groundwork to launch the league’s inaugural season and connect with basketball fans across the country,” said Ameesh Paleja.

Joining the HBL Athlete Advisory Board to counsel the Executive Team on matters critical to the experiences of athletes in the HBL and serve as mentors to the league’s players are: Chekesha Johnson – actress, model, and former basketball player at the University Arkansas at Pine Bluff; Emily Hu – world record setting powerlifter and medical device researcher; and Nadia Eke – Ghanaian Olympic triple jumper.  

Regarding these additions, COO David West said, “We are excited to welcome Chekesha, Emily, and Nadia to our Athlete Advisory Board.  I'm proud that the HBL is taking a leading role in providing athletes rarely afforded and meaningful opportunities to engage in the management and ownership of sports.  I look forward to more pro athletes taking advantage of the HBL’s multiple options for involvement, whether as a league investor, advisory board member, or team ambassador."

Chekesha Johnson added to West's sentiments saying, "As a former college basketball player, I am pleased to be part of executing a vision that will change the status quo and allow college athletes to be justly compensated for their significant contributions.  As a Millennial, I want to change the future for the next generation of athletes.  I look forward to working with this incredibly seasoned and talented group of current and former professional athletes as we pave the way for the future of college athletes."

Emily Hu stated, “As a former professional athlete, I'm excited to join the HBL because I believe that college athletes should never have to risk their education and their future to play a sport at the highest level. I was fortunate enough to receive the education of my choice from a top college, so I will never have to rely on my athletic ability to put food on the table. I’m passionate about helping other talented young athletes succeed off the court, and the HBL’s vision gives college athletes that opportunity.”

The HBL has secured backing from over a dozen investors from a range of industries and backgrounds and is preparing to launch its inaugural season in eight cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore, District of Columbia (D.C.), Richmond, Norfolk, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta.  The HBL expects to finalize its domestic media partnership in the coming weeks and will then shift its focus to hiring head coaches and securing an apparel partner, as well as continuing to engage and recruit 4-star and 5-star prospects.  Expect more exciting news from the HBL, including updates on coaches, players, team names and logos, as well as further details on team and league sponsorships and partnerships.

Press inquiries for interviews, additional facts, and images should be directed to press@hbleague.com.  To keep up to date, follow the HBL on Twitter (@hb_league) and Instagram (@hbleague).

MEDIA CONTACT:

Sarah Bray

Innovant Public Relations

Sarah@InnovantPR.com

832.226.2116

Ricky Volante, CEO of the Historical Basketball League (HBL), and David West, COO of the HBL, announced the initial members of the HBL Athlete Advisory Board (AAB).  The AAB will consist of: NBA players TJ Warren and Darren Collison, NBA Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond, NFL Hall of Famers Terrell Owens and Champ Bailey, former NBA players Etan Thomas, CJ Watson, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Butch Lee, and Jimmy King, who is joined on the AAB by his Fab Five teammate Ray Jackson.  In addition to joining the AAB, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf has accepted a position on the overall HBL Advisory Board.

The AAB consists of current and former professional athletes that serve as ambassadors and mentors to the players in the HBL. These athletes will advise the HBL Management Team, especially when making impactful decisions on the lives of our players.  No one better understands the intricate balancing act college athletes endure managing their educational and athletic responsibilities.  HBL athletes will benefit from the experience and mentorship of AAB members, regarding personal development and preparedness for the professional ranks.

Earlier in the week, Volante and West introduced Terrell Owens as the HBL's first official Team Ambassador.  As a Team Ambassador, Owens will be directly involved with a single HBL team as an influencer and one of the team's marketing faces.  He will work with the HBL's management team to identify and secure local sponsors, partners, and investors.  Additionally, Terrell will serve as a mentor and resource to the team's athletes.  On joining the HBL, Owens said, "The change the HBL is bringing is long overdue, and I'm thrilled to join as the first Official Team Ambassador. An athlete-first model that will treat college athletes equitably and as partners is needed, and I'm excited to be a part of its development."

In describing the AAB's importance, Volante said, "David and I are excited to be able to offer our athletes the opportunity to tap into the decades of collective experience of the AAB.  As a former college athlete, I know the challenges in transitioning from high school to college can be daunting, but our athletes will be pioneers.  In the HBL, they will be athletes, students, and businessmen.  Having the AAB as a resource will make that transition easier and more successful."

The HBL is the first college basketball league to compensate and educate its athletes.  The league will begin play in June 2020 with an inaugural schedule of eight teams in East Coast cities spanning the Mid-Atlantic and Piedmont regions.  With its athlete-centric model, the HBL does not have traditional team owners, opting instead for coupling investor-operator groups and team ambassadors.

HBL COO David West said, "The AAB has more professional experience than any blueblood program can offer.  Unlike those programs, we will encourage our athletes to work with the people who know how to transition to the next level and be successful on and off the court."

On joining the AAB, CJ Watson said, "I agreed to join because I believe in the league's vision and path they are developing for the betterment of college athletes. To give these young kids a different outlet and opportunity to achieve their goals and dreams without being exploited is a blessing. For me, it is truly an honor to be chosen for the athlete advisory board to mentor and give advice to these athletes."

Mitch Richmond added, "I've had the honor of winning a gold medal, being named Rookie of the Year, and being inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Having been so blessed, this is my chance to pay it forward to the next generation of basketball players, to help them blaze a new trail that was not there for me.  These men have already accomplished a lot in their young careers and I look forward to working with them as they go on to even greater things in the HBL and beyond."

June has been a busy month for the HBL.  In addition to bringing Owens on board and creating the Athlete Advisory Board, the HBL announced it was launching its 2020 season in eight cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Richmond, Norfolk, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

Before the HBL, basketball players were excluded from the lion's share of financial benefits while everyone around them received significant compensation.  The HBL provides a new and better opportunity, one without economic and academic exploitation.  The HBL's players are projected to earn between $50,000 and $150,000 per season based on athletic talent and marketability, in addition to receiving a guaranteed scholarship and having the ability to fully commercialize their name, image, and likeness, all without jeopardizing their eligibility with the HBL.

Volante emphasized today's announcement is just the beginning of a busy run-up to the league's 2020 launch: "The HBL is launching in one year's time and as an organization we spend every day focused on the next step towards a successful launch.  The success of the HBL revolves around our ability to recruit elite players and produce an entertaining product for fans.  The AAB is an essential part of that recruitment process and the HBL's overall positioning with players and their families.  With elite players, we are going to change the way college sports are viewed in the US, end the Amateurism con, and allow college athletes to earn and learn at the same time."

Volante and West promised more news in the coming weeks and months as the league plans to roll out team names and logos, announce head coaches, as well as to provide further details of sponsorships and partnerships as the HBL moves toward its June 2020 launch.

Press inquiries for interviews, additional facts, and images should be directed to press@hbleague.com.  To keep up to date, follow the HBL on Twitter (@hb_league) and Instagram (@hbleague).

Terrell Owens, NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver, becomes first Team Ambassador for the HBL, launching in June 2020.

Cleveland, OH (June 24, 2019) – Ricky Volante, CEO of the Historical Basketball League (HBL), and David West, COO of the HBL, announced Terrell Owens is partnering with the league to become its first Official Team Ambassador.  

The HBL is the first college basketball league to compensate and educate its athletes.  The league will begin play in June 2020 with an inaugural schedule of eight teams in East Coast cities spanning the Mid-Atlantic and Piedmont regions.  With its athlete-centric model, the HBL does not have traditional team owners, opting instead for coupling investor-operators groups and team ambassadors.

As a Team Ambassador, Owens will serve as an influencer and marketing face of one of the HBL teams.  He will work with the HBL’s management team to identify and secure local sponsors, partners, and investors.  Additionally, Terrell will serve as a mentor and resource to the athletes. HBL CEO Ricky Volante said, “Terrell’s interest in positively and meaningfully impacting the next generation of athletes made him an obvious choice as a Team Ambassador for the HBL.”

Owens, a Hall of Fame wide receiver, ranks third all-time in career receiving yards (15,934) and touchdowns (153).  Throughout his 16-year NFL career, Owens played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals.  Owens was selected in the 3rd round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers after graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Owens’s experiences in the NFL and at UT-Chattanooga give him a first-hand understanding of how the current college sports system does not meet the needs of college athletes.  Owens was drawn to the HBL because of the league’s mission – developing athletes for careers in basketball and beyond, and providing meaningful educational opportunities, all without requiring athletes to sacrifice their fair share of the revenues they generate.  On joining the HBL, Owens said, "The change the HBL is bringing is long overdue, and I'm thrilled to join as the first Official Team Ambassador. An athlete-first model that will treat college athletes equitably and as partners is needed, and I'm excited to be a part of its development."

HBL COO David West was thrilled to be able to start working with the NFL Hall of Famer.  West said, “I’ve always admired TO. After speaking with him about the HBL, it was clear that we felt similarly about creating an equitable opportunity for college athletes, one that puts the athletes first.  Ricky and I look forward to working collaboratively with Terrell to see the HBL vision realized.”

Before the HBL, basketball players were excluded from the lion’s share of financial benefits while everyone around them received significant compensation.  The HBL provides a new and better opportunity, one without economic and academic exploitation. The HBL’s players are projected to earn between $50,000 and $150,000 per season based on athletic talent and marketability, in addition to receiving a guaranteed scholarship and having the ability to fully commercialize their name, image, and likeness, all without jeopardizing their eligibility with the HBL.

Other industry veterans are impressed as well.  Luke Bonner, owner of Power Forward Sports Group and HBL Advisory Board member, said, “What the HBL is doing is truly groundbreaking, building a bridge between the professional athlete community and the next generation of top talent.  These Ambassadors will help prepare athletes for the professional game in a way not offered by the current system.”

June has been a busy month for the HBL.  In addition to bringing Owens on board, the HBL announced it was launching its 2020 season in eight cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore, District of Columbia (D.C.), Richmond, Norfolk, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

HBL CEO Ricky Volante explained that with Owens on board as the first Team Ambassador, the HBL was on track to meet its goal of being the premier destination for NBA-bound college athletes and thus creating must-see basketball for anyone interested in watching future all-stars during their college careers.  “Our Team Ambassador roles enable current and former professional athletes to participate in the strategic development and implementation of the HBL’s business model – something they are currently excluded from with other professional leagues. Athletes have an incredible wealth of knowledge, and value far beyond what they can do on the field. In addition to addressing inequality affecting college athletes, we believe that more former athletes should be represented in senior management positions of professional sports leagues.  We (and Terrell) expect that others will continue to join us in fixing college basketball and the role of athletes in sports more broadly.”

Volante promised more news in the coming weeks and months as the league plans to roll out the initial members of the HBL’s Athlete Advisory Board, team names and logos, as well as to announce further details of sponsorships and partnerships as the HBL moves toward its June 2020 launch.

Press inquiries for interviews, additional facts, and images should be directed to press@hbleague.com.  To keep up to date, follow the HBL on Twitter (@hb_league) and Instagram (@hbleague).

In the six months since hiring David West as the HBL’s COO, our Management Team has been hard at work. I want to recap what we’ve accomplished and what to expect in the coming weeks.

Inaugural Cities of the HBL

Our team reviewed the Prospective City List carefully, focusing on: (1) market size, (2) the local basketball market, (3) school and educational options, (4) venue options, (5)the city’s appeal to potential recruits, (6) cost of living, (7) proximity to elite talent, (8) commercial marketability, and (9) the geographic footprint of the HBL. Upon concluding our review process, we determined that the following cities will be the Inaugural Eight:

• Atlanta, GA

• Baltimore, MD

• Charlotte, NC

• Norfolk, VA

• Philadelphia, PA

• Raleigh, NC

• Richmond, VA

• Washington, DC

The Inaugural Eight includes three of the top 10 markets by greater metropolitan area population in the US (Atlanta (9th), Philadelphia (8th), and DC (6th)), five of the top 25 markets by greater metropolitan area population  (Baltimore (21st) and Charlotte (22nd)), and three of the Top 10 highest rated local markets for NBA viewership  (Norfolk (1st), Raleigh (7th), and Richmond (8th)).

If you have not already noticed, the Inaugural Eight are located on the East Coast, in close proximity within the Mid-Atlantic and Piedmont. These teams will eventually be known as the eastern division (or conference) of the HBL. Over the course of the next five years, the HBL will launch additional divisions of eight teams in the other quadrants of the US.

Why start with the East? In addition to the market size and basketball interest within these markets, we wanted to align ourselves where much of the best talent in the country already resides.

Additions to the HBL Advisory Board

We have added several important members to the HBL Advisory Board:

• Manny Ojobaro is the Interim Head of Finance at Capital G, a private equity firm under Alphabet, Inc., the parent company of Google. Manny has a strong background in finance, investments and transactions, having also held positions with EY and Google.

• LJ Kwak Yang is a leadership and business developer, entrepreneur, investor, and former Googler. LJ has considerable experience in guiding start-ups, developing leaders, and interacting with the investment community.

We’re excited to welcome Manny and LJ and look forward to working with them.

Creation of the Athlete Advisory Board

David and I often mention that we are working to add current and former professional athletes to the HBL Athlete Advisory Board (AAB). The HBL AAB members will serve as mentors to our players and further as a resource to the HBL, especially when making critical decisions that will impact our athletes and the direction of the League. We feel that athletes should have an important voice in the growth and future direction of the HBL. Professional athletes are typically blocked from these kinds of opportunities because the barriers to entry within ownership groups of professional teams are often too high.

The initial members of the AAB will be announced later this week, and we expect to add more people in the coming weeks, especially as the NBA playoffs conclude.

RJ Hampton Goes Abroad and Kenyon Martin Jr. Decommits From Vanderbilt

As many have already discussed, RJ Hampton, a consensus top 5 prospect from the Class of 2019, announced that he will forego all US-based basketball opportunities to play with the NBL Breakers (New Zealand) next season. A week later, Kenyon Martin Jr. decided to decommit from Vanderbilt and announced that he, too, will be playing overseas next season.

What does this mean? Well the obvious answer is that the US-based basketball options for players after high school (but pre-NBA) are flawed. If they weren’t, why would players feel the need to look elsewhere? But rather than dwelling on the downside of this situation, the good news is that starting with the Class of 2020, no player will have to choose between: (1) compensation abroad, (2) playing with 25-year olds domestically, or (3) being exploited for all they are worth domestically. Instead, they will have the opportunity to join the HBL and receive meaningful educational opportunities while being compensated, all without feeling the need to move 5,000 miles away. This won’t be limited to athletes straight out of high school either, as returning players from previous recruiting classes will have the opportunity to join the HBL as sophomores, juniors, or seniors without having to enter the transfer portal.

Looking Ahead

There is still much to accomplish between now and next June. Looking ahead, there will be many more things to announce in the coming days and weeks.

Coaching Search

We have begun the process of identifying and contacting potential head and assistant coaches for our teams. This will be a critical component of our overall strategy for recruiting players. It’s crucial that a player and his family feel comfortable knowing that our coaches will be of the necessary caliber to holistically develop and prepare them for the next stage of their career. We’re looking forward to wowing the world with these, and anticipate making our first hire within the next month.

Additions to the Management Team

As with growing any business, it is important to build a team that is talented and mission-aligned, and it’s no different for the HBL. As the hiring of David legitimized our efforts in the basketball community, we will be adding additional members to the Management Team soon that will have NBA front office, player representation, and/or college basketball coaching and operations experience. These additions will contribute to the HBL’s business and basketball operations.

Team Intellectual Property

Now that our cities have been unveiled, our design team has begun to identify potential names and color schemes for each city. Upon finalizing each team name, we will then begin the process of developing a logo/mark and corresponding merchandise. Local artists in each market will have the opportunity to participate in the development process, as we try to capture the essence and vibe of each city.

Team Ambassadors

As an extension of the Advisory Board and Athlete Advisory Board, the HBL will be announcing Team Ambassadors for each of the inaugural eight teams. Ambassadors will be one of the public faces for our teams as they enter the world’s consciousness. Think Spike and the Knicks, though the Ambassador will be more than just the team’s super-fan. HBL Team Ambassadors will be far more involved in the business side of the League, whether as part of each city’s operational team, as an HBL shareholder, and/or even as a coach. As with the other personnel announcements, get ready to be really excited.

Fundraising

Since David joined the Management Team in November we have welcomed a series of new investors, and will continue to. One of the most exciting parts of the regional model we’re implementing is that it drastically reduces the first-year operational costs of the League. We took heed of the AAF’s collapse and wanted to establish a strong footing that will allow the HBL to steadily grow in the coming years, while not taking an all-or-nothing approach at the onset. Our  plan lets us get the HBL right with a regional footprint and then roll it out nationally over the course of the next half decade.

Player Recruiting

Speaking of rollout, scouting for the HBL’s first 100 players has officially begun! As the summer season ramps up, we will continue to identify our targets in the Class of 2020, as well as current college players and top international prospects.  Don’t expect to hear actual names until towards the end of the year or even 2020, as we remain respectful of our targeted athletes’ need to maintain varsity eligibility until they are ready to make their move to the HBL. As these names hit the news, you’ll be able to see why the HBL is confident we will be the premier college basketball league in the world, and that #AmateurismIsACon.

***Statements in this letter that refer to forecasts, future plans, or expectations are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements that refer to or are based on projections, uncertain events, or assumptions also identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on the company’s current expectations and involve many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements.

The HBL will be announcing the initial cities in June. In the meantime, here is a reminder of the prospective city list under consideration:

• Atlanta, GA

• Austin, TX

• Baltimore, MD

• Boston, MA

• Brooklyn, NY

• Charlotte, NC

• Chicago, IL

• Cleveland, OH

• Detroit, MI

• Houston, TX

• Jacksonville, FL

• Las Vegas, NV

• Los Angeles, CA

• Miami, FL

• Nashville, TN

• New Orleans, LA

• Oakland, CA

• Pittsburgh, PA

• Philadelphia, PA

• Portland, OR

• Raleigh, NC

• Richmond, VA

• Seattle, WA

• St. Louis, MO

• Washington, D.C.

Answer this quickly: if a young man in high school develops something special, patents it, and commercializes it, licensing it to a major state university and makes $100,000 in royalties, how do you feel about him?  Do you cheer his ability to turn his talents into financial success?  How would you feel if he then went to the same state university on scholarship, combining his education with his business partnership?

Scandalized yet?

Well according to the NCAA, you should be.  At least if the “patented” talent is sports related.  In the wake of recent revelations from Pat Forde and Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports that dozens of high school athletes received payments to bring their talents to the elite schools of Division I.[1]  And the NCAA’s response was to call this an “affront,” “systematic failures that must be fixed and fixed now,” and the work of “unscrupulous parties” the NCAA must “clean up.”[2]

The Historical Basketball League (the HBL) couldn’t disagree more.

At the core, the concept of NCAA “amateurism” can be thought of as a wealth transfer.  College sports are valuable, but while Mark Emmert can earn nearly $2 million for his role in commercializing the sport, if an athlete negotiates a contract to share in the revenue he helps to generate, he can be banned for life.  The result is everyone else gets a slice of the pie that the athletes help create.  The scholarship the athlete gets is valuable, but it’s a far cry from what the true market value of those services would be if the rules did not insist that the surplus go to Emmert and other non-athletes when the market outcome would send it to the athletes themselves.

The side payments revealed by Yahoo! Sports start to paint a picture of what a star collegian might be worth.  For example, as alleged by Yahoo! “Dennis Smith, who would go on to play at North Carolina State in 2016-17, received $43,500 to … $73,500 in loans” though the loans only had to be paid back if Smith did not sign with the agency that made the loan.  Others allegedly received smaller amounts, ranging from $26,136 for Seton Hall’s Isaiah Whitehead, to $16,000 to LSU’s Tim Quarterman, to $10,000 to future number one draft pick Markelle Fultz.

This is where you should perform a character check on yourself.  If you hear those figures and you think the scandal is that athletes sought compensation for the services, you’ve missed the point.  If you hear those figures and think the black market nature of the system meant that even the athletes who sought compensation were still underpaid, then you might be ready for the future of college sports.

That future is the HBL.  The HBL will be a professional, collegiate club-sports league operating as a for-profit corporation.  The HBL will employ college athletes to play a full summer season of basketball, and those athletes will also be enrolled as full-time students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that will make up the HBL’s membership.  These will be real students getting paid real money to help their universities generate revenue, no different than when the chemistry department pays a chemistry student to work on a new drug patent during the summer semester.

Because the HBL will be a club-sports league, the NCAA and NAIA have no regulatory power over our corporation or the HBCUs’ participation in the HBL, and so the “amateurism” ethos that treats college athletes’ labor, who are predominantly black, as unworthy of full and fair compensation, while allowing white administrators to reap the benefits will be turned on its ear.  With a summer basketball schedule and full-time employment, athletes will no longer have to choose between their education and athletics or between fair compensation and collegiate competition.

From a purely business point of view, what the NCAA wants to do is wonderful for the HBL.  We’re hoping the NCAA keeps insisting on ostracizing anyone who thinks college athletes are worth more than a fixed price scholarship.  Every time they say “you earn too much” we say “come earn what you’re worth with us.”  Every time they say it’s a scandal that the future number one draft choice earned $10,000, we say, you’re right, he should have received $100,000.

The problem with Amateurism is that it makes people confuse capitalism with controversy, business with badness.

It’s time for America to recognize that the real scandal is that athletes have to hide what they are worth or accept a fraction of their value.  The real scandal is that we hear about athletes receiving some portion of what they are worth and we think it’s a problem that must be cleaned up, rather than the first step in righting a wrong.

If you’re ready to right that wrong, come join us at HBLeague.com today.  We’d like you to join us in making the world a little bit more just.  Are you ready to tell the NCAA that their days of exploiting athletes in the name of protecting athletes from exploitation are over?

Amateurism is the scandal; the HBL is the solution.

[1] https://sports.yahoo.com/exclusive-federal-documents-detail-sweeping-potential-ncaa-violations-involving-high-profile-players-schools-103338484.html

[2] http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/ncaa-statement-yahoo-sports-story

The HBL management team are experts in the business of sports and the legal issues surrounding compensation of college athletes. We have seen this story play out before: a court ruling chastises the NCAA, but the decision lacks teeth to meaningfully provide justice to college athletes. Equity for college athletes will not come from a court decision, and will certainly not come from the NCAA suddenly deciding to do the right thing. This is exactly why we founded the Historical Basketball League.

Last night, Judge Claudia Wilken issued her ruling in the Alston case. She determined that the restrictions on educational benefits established by the NCAA and its member-schools violate antitrust law. I'm going to say that once more for the people in the back: A Federal Judge, ruled in court, that the NCAA and all the schools profiting from college athletes, are violating federal laws designed to protect consumers and the free market.

Judge Wilken further stated that “amateurism” is likely not a necessary part of college sports in the eyes of consumers. We agree. This all sounds great so far! Federal courts will provide equity to college athletes, right? Unfortunately not. This isn’t the first time that a federal court has found the NCAA to have violated antitrust law. As in each of the previous cases, the ruling was not paired with anything that would meaningfully change outcomes for college athletes.

Judge Wilken left the restrictions on benefits not related to education intact. Essentially, she decided to protect the salaries of conference commissioners, athletic directors, and coaches over the rights of college athletes to be paid directly for their labor.

Judge Wilken saw through the con that is amateurism.  She made clear that consumers “enjoy watching sports played by student-athletes who receive compensation and benefits.”  When a Federal Judge is willing to say that NCAA rules “do not follow any coherent definition of amateurism,” that's legalese for #AmateurismIsACon.

She saw that the optimal decision would likely be to pay the athletes to please the consumers, writing that: “In a market free of the challenged restraints...student-athletes would receive offers that would more closely match the value of their athletic services.” We agree, which is why we are making that market.

Judge Wilken wrote over 100 pages detailing all of the harms caused by the con of amateurism. Yet in her ruling, on the last few pages, she chose to leave almost all of that harm in place.  She actively worried that the six- and seven-figure salaried athletic directors and commissioners who run these college sports leagues might make “miscalculations” and overpay their athletes. On this (poorly reasoned) ideal, she chose to deny all college athletes their right to fair market pay.

Think of your job. Imagine if a judge said that because Brad from accounting might be overpaid, no paychecks for any other employees, including you, will ever be handed out. Oh by the way, your boss now makes $6 million a year from all the money freed up from not paying you and your coworkers. But at least you get free coffee, a parking spot and a desk, and the opportunity to work “for the love of your job.” After all, isn’t that enough?  

We feel that this ruling is poorly reasoned because it prioritizes the powerful over the vulnerable, the privilege of wealth over the rights of the poor.

There are four ways to dismantle an economic cartel: (1) litigation, (2) legislation, (3) unionization/organization, or (4) competition. The first three are far too slow for the arc of history to ever bend towards real justice.  The cases against the NCAA have now taken 13 years – and will likely take years more once the NCAA appeals this decision. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Similarly, legislation introduced in the State of Washington to permit athletes to sell their name, image, and likeness rights (i.e., sign endorsement deals) died in committee. While similar bills have been introduced in California, Maryland, and North Carolina, you can be sure the NCAA will be sending their lobbyists to Sacramento, Annapolis, Raleigh, and DC to try and kill these efforts as well.

Unionization efforts proved unsuccessful at Northwestern in 2015. These efforts also resulted in certain states (e.g., Michigan and Ohio) passing bills that specifically prevented college athletes at public universities from unionizing.

It should also be considered that any reform, whatever the method, will still end with the same people in charge – the NCAA, conference commissioners, and athletic directors. We have over 60 years of evidence that they will put themselves above the athletes every time.

The only method of providing justice to college athletes that is immune to the above shortcomings, is competition. The Historical Basketball League is that competition. The dimension of competition that should be prioritized, is providing long-term value to college athletes. No amateurism con. No false choice between education and compensation. No restriction from profiting from their own likeness.

The HBL is the first college basketball league to educate and compensate its athletes.  When it launches in June 2020, the HBL will be the premier destination for elite college basketball players to shine on a national stage. Structured as a single-entity sports league independent of the universities, the HBL will take a holistic approach to developing each athlete on and off the court.

The HBL’s basketball operations division, led by 2-time NBA champion David West, is recruiting the top athletes from the freshman class of 2020, as well as identifying athletes at existing schools ready to take their talents pro without having to give up their college education. The more the NCAA schools cling to amateurism, the easier it is for the HBL to disrupt their model by offering fair wages for athletic services – what’s bad in Judge Wilken’s decision is great for the HBL business model.

In addition to being employees of the HBL, the players will be enrolled as bona-fide students at two- and four-year colleges and universities, as well as vocational and online programs. With our regular season taking place in the summer, an HBL player can actually be a student and an athlete. As an employee of the HBL, each player will receive an annual salary ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, plus they will no longer be denied the right to earn third-party income from sponsorships, endorsements, and even their own social media channel.

We continue to add mission-aligned investors and ramp up basketball operations. The HBL was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal, and will be featured in a number of national outlets over the next few weeks.

The HBL will initially consist of 12 teams in strategically selected cities across the country – here are the 20 markets that we are considering. We are identifying and engaging mission-aligned investor-operator groups to run these teams, and look forward to bringing together a group of powerful investors ready to change the world and make money in the process.

If like us, you are tired of college football and basketball players from low socioeconomic backgrounds being economically exploited for the benefit of college coaches, athletic directors, and universities, then the HBL is meant for you. David West, the HBL’s COO, explained that being pro-HBL means being “on the right side of history” by helping create an equitable system for college sports. Amateurism is a con, and the HBL will provide a path to a better, juster, and more professional future.

By: Ricky Volante (HBL CEO & Co-Founder) and Andy Schwarz (HBL Chief Innovation Officer & Co-Founder)

In a recent opinion piece for the New York Times, Cody McDavis trotted out a series of stale and mostly discredited arguments against antitrust remedies proposed by the plaintiffs in the Alston v. NCAA case. He argued the proposed remedies would lead to the death of college sports. His lead thesis claims that unravelling the pay caps imposed by the NCAA would “distort the economics of college sports.” McDavis has confused cause with effect, poison with cure.

The economics of college sports are highly distorted because of “amateurism.” The 350-plus NCAA schools that band together to set maximum compensation caps are a classic example of a monopsonistic cartel — a group of independent businesses that agree not to compete on price for an essential input to their business.

Imposing price caps almost always distorts markets, and in the case of a monopsony (economics jargon for a buyer’s monopoly), the most typical impact is the cap distorts the price of related complementary inputs, things like coaching salaries and facilities spending.

And indeed, this distorting effect has been massive. In the late 1990s, Steve Spurrier (then the head coach of the University of Florida) was the first college football coach to earn $2 million dollars in a season. Today, according to the college football coach salary database compiled by Steve Berkowitz ofUSA Today, 62 football coaches — all but a handful of the Power 5 Conference schools earn $2 million or more, with the highest honor going to Nick Saban whose guaranteed pay exceeds $8 million.

Similarly, schools spend lavishly on athletics facilities and athletics-specific amenities, in part, to attract elite athletes to their campus in the absence of the more traditional ways of using compensation and benefits as a direct inducement.

This dramatic rise in coaching pay and facilities spending has two causes. First, college sports have become more lucrative, and second, athlete pay is capped. Schools invest in indirect means of recruiting because the NCAA will punish and/or ban them if they use the direct methods. This has led to Alabama’s locker room featuring a waterfall and $10,000 player lockers in Texas’s football locker room.

The result is market distortion. McDavis sees the positive changes that would occur as schools adjust their spending downward to appropriate levels for coaches and facilities, and upward for athletes as a problem, rather than as a sign that things were finally coming back into equilibrium.

McDavis also trotted out the “sky is falling” arguments, saying that if schools had the choice to pay athletes, some would simply quit. In supporting this, he pointed to the testimony of University of Wisconsin chancellor Rebecca Blank, who testified last September that: “It’s not clear that we would continue to run an athletic program.” McDavis omitted the fact that the outcry against this testimony was so great that Wisconsin issued a retraction one day later, stating publicly it has “no plans to stop offering athletics,” lest the Badger State rise in revolt at this ridiculous claim.

To be clear, McDavis knows these arguments are threadbare and have been rejected by federal courts. Indeed, his Op-Ed is essentially a precis of his 2018 article in the Marquette Sports Law Review, where he specifically acknowledges that these arguments were rejected at the summary judgment phase of the recent Alston v. NCAA case, meaning the NCAA’s argument was so weak, it was rejected even before the trial began.

Among these rejected arguments, McDavis adopts the idea that capping athlete pay helps balance college sports. He bemoans the likelihood that college sports will become imbalanced, with only the top 25 schools capable of winning the national championship. But that is the case now.

Try telling a fan of any women’s basketball team other than UConn and a handful of other contenders that the 26th best women’s program has a realistic chance to win it all. McDavis essentially offers up the nightmare scenario that Clemson and Alabama might play each year for the FBS football championship because they would spend the most on athletes, but of course three of the last four years have featured that exact match-up even with “amateurism.” Why? Because those teams spend the most on coaches and facilities. Think it’s more balanced in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)? Guess again. North Dakota State University has won 7 of the last 8 national championships.

Even in men’s basketball, seen as a haven for “the little guy,” the last ten championships have been won by Villanova (2), North Carolina (2), Duke (2), UConn (2), Louisville (1) and Kentucky (1). These are blueblood programs, winning year after year. Indeed, if we total all national championships won by these programs and just three others (UCLA, Indiana, and Kansas), those nine schools won 48 of the 80 national championships ever awarded in men’s basketball. That’s approximately 2.6 percent of the schools participating in Division 1.

You cannot call a sport “balanced” when 2.6 percent of the teams have collectively won 60 percent of the championships.

But where McDavis really goes astray is when he tries to make the economic argument against compensating players.

He points to rule changes which came in the wake of a court ruling against the NCAA’s previous (and more onerous) pay cap, that allowed, but did not require, schools to pay athletes a cash stipend of between $2,000 and $6,000 — known as the “cost of attendance” scholarship.

Over 250 of the schools in Division 1 adopted this increase in one form or another within three years of the rule change. Sounds good, right? Not to McDavis. Instead, he argues that by allowing schools to choose where they would direct their funds in a more open-market manner, this has led them to giving more money to basketball and football, but led to cuts in other sports like golf and tennis.

As it happens, he gives just one example — a school that cut, inter alia, golf, though the causal connection between the school’s adoption of higher pay for some sports and the decision to cut other sports is rather dubious.

However, if his single example were true, that simply means the current market is encouraging schools to under-compensate athletes who play football and basketball, and over-compensate those who play golf. In light of the fact that at many schools approximately half of the participants in basketball and football come from families with income low enough to qualify for Pell grants, it is not clear why McDavis supports shunting their money into country club sports. But for our part, we posit this is a distortion that needs to be fixed — not preserved.

Who are we? We are David West, Ricky Volante, Keith Sparks, and Andy Schwarz, the executive team of the Historical Basketball League (HBL). We are launching the first professional college sports league in June 2020. The HBL wants to end forever the forced (and false) choice between education and economic rights by offering athletes both: guaranteed five-year scholarships (that can be suspended while an athlete pursues an NBA career and then resumed thereafter) and market rates for their basketball services. Plus, HBL athletes will be able to tap into the lucrative market for endorsements, like sneaker deals, and still remain eligible for the HBL as long as they remain students in good standing at their school.

We think college athletes, like all of us within the American economy, deserve the benefits of a vibrant market in which the best talent can seek the best rewards, free from collusion among employers. The HBL can’t make the NCAA stop being a cartel, but we can make them pay a heavy price for denying athletes their fair market value.

We plan to attract the best collegiate talent in the good old-fashioned American way — by paying more for quality. The NCAA schools can choose to compete, or they can accept becoming the amateurs.