New professional basketball team has a game plan, on and off the court
Photo by Maggie Beidelman.
By: Mitzi Mock | September 20, 2011 – 10:00 am
After labor talks between NBA players and team owners failed to break a lockout last week, some basketball fans may be wondering if they’re in for a dry winter. But for those living in Richmond, there will be a new game in town this season.
Starting in November, the Richmond Rockets, of the American Basketball Association, will be playing regular games at the Civic Center Memorial Auditorium. The Rockets will be the first professional basketball team in the city, and team president Keith Hazell said he hopes they will become an integral part of Richmond.
“I want people to wake up in the morning, go to work and brag about their team,” he said.
The Rockets will be one of 80 teams in the ABA, a league that originally merged with the NBA in the 1970s, but relaunched as a separate organization in 2000. While much lesser known than the NBA, the ABA is currently the largest professional athletic league of any sport in the country, with new teams joining every year.
“We could have waited to the 2012-2013 season, so there would have been more time to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t,’” said Rockets CEO and owner Eric Marquis, who began putting the team together late last spring. “But we saw a window of opportunity that was pretty irresistible.”
For starters, Marquis is hoping the NBA lockout could redirect the interest of Bay Area basketball fans to local ABA teams, of which there are four: the San Francisco Rumble, the East Bay Pitbulls, the Bay Area Matrix, and now the Rockets. But to Marquis, the NBA’s woes will not be the Rockets biggest selling point. It’s economics.
At $10 per ticket, Rockets games will be a more affordable alternative to other professional sports and entertainment events in the Bay Area. Moreover, tough economic times are giving ABA teams an opportunity to develop special symbiotic relationships with their communities.
“I was watching America’s Got Talent last night and one judge told a team, ‘You’re just what America needs right now,’ and I thought that’s what the ABA is all about,” said ABA CEO Joe Newman. After watching the show last Wednesday night, Newman wrote a letter to all ABA team owners reminding them that the league makes job creation, community service, inclusion and affordability a priority.
There are about 2,000 people employed by ABA teams, 75 percent of which are owned by minorities and women. And most teams follow a general grassroots business model: develop close philanthropic relationships with nonprofit groups in the community and help elevate small, local businesses.
It’s a model that the Rockets are following closely. The team has formed a partnership with Richmond’s Police Activities League to allow PAL the primary concession stand at games, and Marquis wants to donate a portion of ticket sales from each home game back to the organization. Additionally, all the players will be required to provide community service, such as mentoring and basketball clinics for youth in the city.
The team will play 30 games this season, beginning November 10. Of those games, 15 of them will be played in Richmond. Marquis and Hazell have already been meeting with members of Richmond’s Chamber of Commerce to discuss concession and sponsorship opportunities at games – opportunities that may be unfamiliar to most vendors.
“The cost to get involved with big teams like the Giants or the 49ers is usually cost prohibitive for small businesses,” said Dick Packer, president of the ABA. “Our teams show them how they can use sports as a platform.”
As for the players, they won’t be making NBA-style salaries. Marquis is still finalizing the pay scale for the Rockets, but for now it won’t be nearly enough for any of the players to quit their day jobs. The ABA caps the collective team salary at $120,000 for the year. But Marquis wants to find ways for the players to share in the success of the team.
“We want to give players additional opportunities to earn income, such as profit from team merchandise and commission from selling tickets,” he said.
Marquis is most ambitious about ticket sales: the Civic Center Memorial Auditorium has 2,200 seats, and Marquis said he believes he can sell out games.
Packer said that most ABA games have fewer than 1,000 attendees. Marquis used to work for the San Francisco Rumble and on average their games drew between 200 and 400 fans. But there are success stories. Last year, the Jacksonville Giants of Jacksonville, Florida attracted 3,500-4,000 fans on average, Packer said. And that was in their first year. He attributes the team’s success to the close ties they built with their local community organizations.
It’s a lesson the Rockets hope to repeat.
“We didn’t come with buckets full of money,” Marquis said. “Our success as a team will be predicated on what we can do for the community. “
Click here to go to original article.
After labor talks between NBA players and team owners failed to break a lockout last week, some basketball fans may be wondering if they’re in for a dry winter. But for those living in Richmond, there will be a new game in town this season.
Starting in November, the Richmond Rockets, of the American Basketball Association, will be playing regular games at the Civic Center Memorial Auditorium. The Rockets will be the first professional basketball team in the city, and team president Keith Hazell said he hopes they will become an integral part of Richmond.
“I want people to wake up in the morning, go to work and brag about their team,” he said.
The Rockets will be one of 80 teams in the ABA, a league that originally merged with the NBA in the 1970s, but relaunched as a separate organization in 2000. While much lesser known than the NBA, the ABA is currently the largest professional athletic league of any sport in the country, with new teams joining every year.
“We could have waited to the 2012-2013 season, so there would have been more time to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t,’” said Rockets CEO and owner Eric Marquis, who began putting the team together late last spring. “But we saw a window of opportunity that was pretty irresistible.”
For starters, Marquis is hoping the NBA lockout could redirect the interest of Bay Area basketball fans to local ABA teams, of which there are four: the San Francisco Rumble, the East Bay Pitbulls, the Bay Area Matrix, and now the Rockets. But to Marquis, the NBA’s woes will not be the Rockets biggest selling point. It’s economics.
At $10 per ticket, Rockets games will be a more affordable alternative to other professional sports and entertainment events in the Bay Area. Moreover, tough economic times are giving ABA teams an opportunity to develop special symbiotic relationships with their communities.
“I was watching America’s Got Talent last night and one judge told a team, ‘You’re just what America needs right now,’ and I thought that’s what the ABA is all about,” said ABA CEO Joe Newman. After watching the show last Wednesday night, Newman wrote a letter to all ABA team owners reminding them that the league makes job creation, community service, inclusion and affordability a priority.
There are about 2,000 people employed by ABA teams, 75 percent of which are owned by minorities and women. And most teams follow a general grassroots business model: develop close philanthropic relationships with nonprofit groups in the community and help elevate small, local businesses.
It’s a model that the Rockets are following closely. The team has formed a partnership with Richmond’s Police Activities League to allow PAL the primary concession stand at games, and Marquis wants to donate a portion of ticket sales from each home game back to the organization. Additionally, all the players will be required to provide community service, such as mentoring and basketball clinics for youth in the city.
The team will play 30 games this season, beginning November 10. Of those games, 15 of them will be played in Richmond. Marquis and Hazell have already been meeting with members of Richmond’s Chamber of Commerce to discuss concession and sponsorship opportunities at games – opportunities that may be unfamiliar to most vendors.
“The cost to get involved with big teams like the Giants or the 49ers is usually cost prohibitive for small businesses,” said Dick Packer, president of the ABA. “Our teams show them how they can use sports as a platform.”
As for the players, they won’t be making NBA-style salaries. Marquis is still finalizing the pay scale for the Rockets, but for now it won’t be nearly enough for any of the players to quit their day jobs. The ABA caps the collective team salary at $120,000 for the year. But Marquis wants to find ways for the players to share in the success of the team.
“We want to give players additional opportunities to earn income, such as profit from team merchandise and commission from selling tickets,” he said.
Marquis is most ambitious about ticket sales: the Civic Center Memorial Auditorium has 2,200 seats, and Marquis said he believes he can sell out games.
Packer said that most ABA games have fewer than 1,000 attendees. Marquis used to work for the San Francisco Rumble and on average their games drew between 200 and 400 fans. But there are success stories. Last year, the Jacksonville Giants of Jacksonville, Florida attracted 3,500-4,000 fans on average, Packer said. And that was in their first year. He attributes the team’s success to the close ties they built with their local community organizations.
It’s a lesson the Rockets hope to repeat.
“We didn’t come with buckets full of money,” Marquis said. “Our success as a team will be predicated on what we can do for the community. “
Click here to go to original article.
Richmond Rockets Bring Pro Hoops to Richmond
by Lee Hubbard July 13, 2011
Keith Hazell
B-Ball Operations
While the National Basketball Association is in a lock out between its league owners and its players and league play looks as if it might not happen next year, basketball will still be played. There are various professional leagues across the world in Europe and a growing minor league basketball presence in the United States.
The bay area will be home to professional basketball in five months, with the new Richmond Rockets franchise due to the American Basketball Association’s expansion to Richmond, California. The Rockets will launch their inaugural season November 2011 with home games played at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium. Keith Hazell, head of basketball operations for the team, and a former European professional basketball player said, “We are a grassroots basketball league that will be exciting and provide affordable family entertainment in Richmond.”
Eric Marquis, a Promotional Consultant and a former garment industry executive is the owner of the team. He has big plans for the team and area, “My goal is to establish a successful ABA team as an integral part of the city, building a winning tradition while benefiting the Richmond community,” said Marquis. The Rockets will be coached by Lamar Baker, a high school basketball standout in San Francisco and a former Junior College basketball All American at San Francisco City College and a player at USF. He honed his coaching skills playing under legendary coach Brad Duggan and Hazell believes he has what it takes to make the Rockets succeed.
The ABA league has 90 teams across the U.S., making it one of the largest professional sports league in the country. In its heyday, ABA established the three-point shot and the red, white and blue basketball and produced various NBA stars. The ABA will begin in November and run through March. The Rockets will play the Northern California division of the ABA, consisting of teams such as the Bay Area Matrix, the Sacramento Heatwave, Central Valley Titans, California Sea Kings, San Francisco Rumble, East Bay Pit bulls, Modesto Hawks and the Seattle Mountaineers.
The Rockers will play 30 games of the season, with 15 home games in Richmond. The team roster will consist of twelve players mainly composed of college seniors and basketball community legends. Hazell is positive that the team and league will be a family friendly environment and offer a nice brand of basketball and entertainment to people, as well as provide jobs in the sports world in various capacities, ranging from sales, to vendors, dancers, to scouts, to marketing executives. Hazell said, “We want to work with community groups and faith based organizations to bring healthy and clean entertainment to the community.”
The Rockets will be having its first open tryout on July 30th at the Richmond PAL gym, 2200 McDonald Ave., at 8 a.m. For more information on the Richmond Rockets you can go to their web-site at www.RichmondrRockets.net.
Click here to go to original Richmond Post article.
The bay area will be home to professional basketball in five months, with the new Richmond Rockets franchise due to the American Basketball Association’s expansion to Richmond, California. The Rockets will launch their inaugural season November 2011 with home games played at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium. Keith Hazell, head of basketball operations for the team, and a former European professional basketball player said, “We are a grassroots basketball league that will be exciting and provide affordable family entertainment in Richmond.”
Eric Marquis, a Promotional Consultant and a former garment industry executive is the owner of the team. He has big plans for the team and area, “My goal is to establish a successful ABA team as an integral part of the city, building a winning tradition while benefiting the Richmond community,” said Marquis. The Rockets will be coached by Lamar Baker, a high school basketball standout in San Francisco and a former Junior College basketball All American at San Francisco City College and a player at USF. He honed his coaching skills playing under legendary coach Brad Duggan and Hazell believes he has what it takes to make the Rockets succeed.
The ABA league has 90 teams across the U.S., making it one of the largest professional sports league in the country. In its heyday, ABA established the three-point shot and the red, white and blue basketball and produced various NBA stars. The ABA will begin in November and run through March. The Rockets will play the Northern California division of the ABA, consisting of teams such as the Bay Area Matrix, the Sacramento Heatwave, Central Valley Titans, California Sea Kings, San Francisco Rumble, East Bay Pit bulls, Modesto Hawks and the Seattle Mountaineers.
The Rockers will play 30 games of the season, with 15 home games in Richmond. The team roster will consist of twelve players mainly composed of college seniors and basketball community legends. Hazell is positive that the team and league will be a family friendly environment and offer a nice brand of basketball and entertainment to people, as well as provide jobs in the sports world in various capacities, ranging from sales, to vendors, dancers, to scouts, to marketing executives. Hazell said, “We want to work with community groups and faith based organizations to bring healthy and clean entertainment to the community.”
The Rockets will be having its first open tryout on July 30th at the Richmond PAL gym, 2200 McDonald Ave., at 8 a.m. For more information on the Richmond Rockets you can go to their web-site at www.RichmondrRockets.net.
Click here to go to original Richmond Post article.
KNBR 680 Radio Interview with Keith HazellThis Richmond, California Bay Area interview was conducted with Richmond Rockets President of Basketball Operations on July 29, 2011
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Lamar Baker Named Head Coach ABA Expansion - Richmond Rockets
Lamar Baker, the former High School and Junior College AllAmerican from San Francisco , has been appointed the team's first skipper. Coach Baker, a graduate of USF, has honed his skills over the past several seasons coaching at the AAU level and has had his eyes on the professional level since his days of playing under the legendary Bay Area Coach Brad Duggan at CCSF .
“Lamar brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and a dynamic energy to our team” says President Keith Hazell. "We are extremely excited about our choice as Lamar is the first block to our championship foundation.”
Lamar Baker is a native of San Francisco who attended George Washington High School where he excelled as a basketball player. As a high school athlete he earned team basketball M.V.P. honors, a City AAA League Championship and San Francisco AAA City League M.V.P. honors.
Mr. Baker received Golden Gate Conference M.V.P. honors and a Conference League Championship while attending City College San Francisco and he also earned a First Team All-State Award and nominated for a Junior College All American Award. Mr. Baker earned full scholarships to attend both University of San Francisco and Tulane University in New Orleans, where he played on a Metro Conference Championship team. Mr. Baker was highly recruited to play in overseas markets in Argentina and in Canada as well. Mr. Baker played seven years in the San Francisco Semi-Pro league and is also a two time San Francisco Pro-Am First Team All League award recipient. Mr. Baker has volunteered thousands of hours coaching inner city youth programs here in the Bay Area over the years. Mr. Baker is an Oakland Athletic League High School Basketball Official.
Mr. Baker returned to the University of San Francisco to complete his studies in Business Marketing in 1986. He has worked for San Francisco Natural Vending, GATX Financial and at Macquarie Bank in various capacities. Mr. Baker is the owner and operator of a high end delivery service, Food Box, Inc. which is located in Oakland California and slated for opening Fall 2011.
Ask the coach about his coaching philosophy and he will tell you it is simple: "Defense first! Full Court pressure packages and intense defensive schemes will create opportunities on the offensive end." Offensively, he will apply an open court, run and gun strategy. His team will push the ball at every opportunity. "There is no such thing as a bad shot on the break".
Rockets fans can expect a fast paced, in your face, full out display of controlled intensity on both ends of the court. Coach Baker's goal: "Like the Rockets on the floor I want to see sweat on the brow of each fan in attendance! More than that I want to WIN!"
Tryouts for this pro basketball team will be July 30, 2011. For more information and registration log on to www.richmondrockets.net
“Lamar brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and a dynamic energy to our team” says President Keith Hazell. "We are extremely excited about our choice as Lamar is the first block to our championship foundation.”
Lamar Baker is a native of San Francisco who attended George Washington High School where he excelled as a basketball player. As a high school athlete he earned team basketball M.V.P. honors, a City AAA League Championship and San Francisco AAA City League M.V.P. honors.
Mr. Baker received Golden Gate Conference M.V.P. honors and a Conference League Championship while attending City College San Francisco and he also earned a First Team All-State Award and nominated for a Junior College All American Award. Mr. Baker earned full scholarships to attend both University of San Francisco and Tulane University in New Orleans, where he played on a Metro Conference Championship team. Mr. Baker was highly recruited to play in overseas markets in Argentina and in Canada as well. Mr. Baker played seven years in the San Francisco Semi-Pro league and is also a two time San Francisco Pro-Am First Team All League award recipient. Mr. Baker has volunteered thousands of hours coaching inner city youth programs here in the Bay Area over the years. Mr. Baker is an Oakland Athletic League High School Basketball Official.
Mr. Baker returned to the University of San Francisco to complete his studies in Business Marketing in 1986. He has worked for San Francisco Natural Vending, GATX Financial and at Macquarie Bank in various capacities. Mr. Baker is the owner and operator of a high end delivery service, Food Box, Inc. which is located in Oakland California and slated for opening Fall 2011.
Ask the coach about his coaching philosophy and he will tell you it is simple: "Defense first! Full Court pressure packages and intense defensive schemes will create opportunities on the offensive end." Offensively, he will apply an open court, run and gun strategy. His team will push the ball at every opportunity. "There is no such thing as a bad shot on the break".
Rockets fans can expect a fast paced, in your face, full out display of controlled intensity on both ends of the court. Coach Baker's goal: "Like the Rockets on the floor I want to see sweat on the brow of each fan in attendance! More than that I want to WIN!"
Tryouts for this pro basketball team will be July 30, 2011. For more information and registration log on to www.richmondrockets.net
Richmond Rockets on KPIX5 - July 20, 2011This report from KPIX news features Head Coach Lamar Baker and some of the executive staff of the Richmond Rockets in an interview with Christin Ayers.
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ABA ADDS RICHMOND, CA TO ITS EXPANSION TEAMS
Indianapolis, IN. The American Basketball Association (ABA) www.abalive.com today announced it will add a team in Richmond, California for the upcoming season. “This is a very special team and a very special owner” stated ABA CEO Joe Newman. “We didn’t anticipate adding another team in the Bay Area, but this had to happen. Team owner Eric Marquis is teaming up with the Richmond PAL with a major focus on youth in the community playing at the RPAL facility and to help raise the local and national image of the city so that people can see that Richmond is a beautiful, vibrant community. If ever the term “The ABA is more than just a game” is appropriate, this is it. Eric is doing this team for all of the right reasons and we are extremely pleased that the Richmond PAL is joining with him to help make this happen.”
Eric Marquis was born and raised in San Francisco and is the youngest of seven siblings. He attended public and private schools in the city and then went on to complete a B.A. degree with an emphasis on business management at Morehouse College. For the last four years, Eric has worked with the ABA’s San Francisco Rumble in various capacities, including management. Along with this, he has years of experience in providing high level athletic activities and academic support services to youth, this gained from working with the San Francisco Senators, Inc., a non-profit agency. Eric takes these skills and experience with him as he embarks on launching the Richmond Rockets.
Currently, Eric is self-employed as a Promotional Consultant where he helps his clients identify the most appropriate promotional products to use in branding their businesses, teams, organizations, or causes and sources these products for them. He has exceptional skills assisting clients to achieve the maximum value for their promotional dollars. “Eric is a bright young man,:” added Newman. “We’ve asked him to be part of the agenda at the ABA regional meetings to share his ideas all of which he can now implement for his team and the city of Richmond.”
“My goal is to establish a successful ABA team as an integral part of the city, building a winning tradition while benefiting the Richmond community,” commented Marquis. “We want to increase civic pride, provide more neighborly interactions, increase positive exposure, and of course, provide a positive impact on our youth.” For more information, phone Eric Marquis at 415.371.9415 or email eric@RichmondRockets.net or visit www.abalive.com.
Eric Marquis was born and raised in San Francisco and is the youngest of seven siblings. He attended public and private schools in the city and then went on to complete a B.A. degree with an emphasis on business management at Morehouse College. For the last four years, Eric has worked with the ABA’s San Francisco Rumble in various capacities, including management. Along with this, he has years of experience in providing high level athletic activities and academic support services to youth, this gained from working with the San Francisco Senators, Inc., a non-profit agency. Eric takes these skills and experience with him as he embarks on launching the Richmond Rockets.
Currently, Eric is self-employed as a Promotional Consultant where he helps his clients identify the most appropriate promotional products to use in branding their businesses, teams, organizations, or causes and sources these products for them. He has exceptional skills assisting clients to achieve the maximum value for their promotional dollars. “Eric is a bright young man,:” added Newman. “We’ve asked him to be part of the agenda at the ABA regional meetings to share his ideas all of which he can now implement for his team and the city of Richmond.”
“My goal is to establish a successful ABA team as an integral part of the city, building a winning tradition while benefiting the Richmond community,” commented Marquis. “We want to increase civic pride, provide more neighborly interactions, increase positive exposure, and of course, provide a positive impact on our youth.” For more information, phone Eric Marquis at 415.371.9415 or email eric@RichmondRockets.net or visit www.abalive.com.
THE ICONIC AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION (ABA), ETHER MARKETING AND 6SPORTS ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF "ABA CLASSICS."
Sacramento & Los Angeles, CA. June 30, 2011: Joe Newman, Chairman/CEO of the American Basketball Association, Inc. (ABA), Deon Taylor, CEO of Ether Marketing & Consulting, LLC (EMC), and J. Erving of 6Sports, LLC (6Sports) have announced they have joined forces to create a new ABA division, ABA Classics. 6Sports, LLC (6Sports), led by music, entertainment, and sports entrepreneur J. Erving, will partner with EMC in this effort. The new ABA Classics division will consist of 12 teams, comprised of professional basketball players drawn from top ABA players, former NBA players, former NCAA players, and the streets, rec leagues, and playgrounds of the world, that will compete for the ABA Classics Division championship title and their share of a substantial prize money purse.
“We are thrilled to partner with Deon Taylor, EMC, and 6Sports in building a new professional sports property focused on basketball,” said Newman. “This is the most exciting development in professional basketball in the past decade and we think it will revitalize a game and an industry that has had difficulty meeting the needs of its consumers. ABA Classics will allow us to connect with the average basketball fan with a fast-paced, high energy game that is more like that which they play or enjoy watching every day.”
“I am so pleased to be able to bring my movie and television background, and my own basketball background as a NCAA and pro player, to re-launching the ABA brand in a new professional sports format, driven for the first time primarily by prize money” said Taylor. “The ABA is a tremendous professional basketball league that speaks to the average urban fan, and I am looking forward to working with Joe and his team and with J. Erving to bring the ABA game and message to the wider audience that enjoys exciting basketball. The platform that we will create will be multi-faceted and will cover television (live, reality, and scripted), film (documentary and scripted), music, the web, and all forms of content distribution, and we are looking forward to using this platform to deliver to top brands a direct channel to the largely untapped urban basketball market. We are fortunate to have the marketing and branding genius of J. Erving to assist us in driving our message to the fans.”
“I have been around high level, and high profile, professional basketball for all of my life, and this new property offers a tremendous opportunity to deliver great basketball to the fans in the way it was meant to be played,” said J. Erving. “This new form of the sport, which in many ways will be a return to its roots or to basketball of a bygone era, will resonate with fans from all walks of life. The time has come for the next player in the sport of basketball to emerge and ABA Classics is that next player.”
About American Basketball Association, Inc. (ABA): The ABA is the largest professional sports league in the US with over ninety (90) teams based in the US and internationally. It is also the most diverse professional sports league in history with over 75% of its teams owned by women and minorities. The ABA has made professional basketball fan-friendly and affordable and it teams are committed to working closely with the youth in their communities. The ABA provides over 1000 players, 200 coaches and 200 referees the opportunity to work and compete at the professional level.
About Ether Marketing & Consulting, LLC (EMC): EMC is a 360 degree independent creative branding agency. EMC combines street cred with cutting edge content and analytics to build a streamlined approach between creative, strategy, and activation. Led by the creative mind of director Deon Taylor, EMC offers world-class production capabilities with true urban insight.
About 6Sports, LLC (6Sports): Led by successful entrepreneur and music industry veteran J. Erving, 6Sports is a multi-platform sports and entertainment company that offers a wide selection of services to professional athletes, drawing upon the founders’ considerable success in the music industry. Identify opportunities and execute strategies to expand clients’ brands into ancillary markets.
“We are thrilled to partner with Deon Taylor, EMC, and 6Sports in building a new professional sports property focused on basketball,” said Newman. “This is the most exciting development in professional basketball in the past decade and we think it will revitalize a game and an industry that has had difficulty meeting the needs of its consumers. ABA Classics will allow us to connect with the average basketball fan with a fast-paced, high energy game that is more like that which they play or enjoy watching every day.”
“I am so pleased to be able to bring my movie and television background, and my own basketball background as a NCAA and pro player, to re-launching the ABA brand in a new professional sports format, driven for the first time primarily by prize money” said Taylor. “The ABA is a tremendous professional basketball league that speaks to the average urban fan, and I am looking forward to working with Joe and his team and with J. Erving to bring the ABA game and message to the wider audience that enjoys exciting basketball. The platform that we will create will be multi-faceted and will cover television (live, reality, and scripted), film (documentary and scripted), music, the web, and all forms of content distribution, and we are looking forward to using this platform to deliver to top brands a direct channel to the largely untapped urban basketball market. We are fortunate to have the marketing and branding genius of J. Erving to assist us in driving our message to the fans.”
“I have been around high level, and high profile, professional basketball for all of my life, and this new property offers a tremendous opportunity to deliver great basketball to the fans in the way it was meant to be played,” said J. Erving. “This new form of the sport, which in many ways will be a return to its roots or to basketball of a bygone era, will resonate with fans from all walks of life. The time has come for the next player in the sport of basketball to emerge and ABA Classics is that next player.”
About American Basketball Association, Inc. (ABA): The ABA is the largest professional sports league in the US with over ninety (90) teams based in the US and internationally. It is also the most diverse professional sports league in history with over 75% of its teams owned by women and minorities. The ABA has made professional basketball fan-friendly and affordable and it teams are committed to working closely with the youth in their communities. The ABA provides over 1000 players, 200 coaches and 200 referees the opportunity to work and compete at the professional level.
About Ether Marketing & Consulting, LLC (EMC): EMC is a 360 degree independent creative branding agency. EMC combines street cred with cutting edge content and analytics to build a streamlined approach between creative, strategy, and activation. Led by the creative mind of director Deon Taylor, EMC offers world-class production capabilities with true urban insight.
About 6Sports, LLC (6Sports): Led by successful entrepreneur and music industry veteran J. Erving, 6Sports is a multi-platform sports and entertainment company that offers a wide selection of services to professional athletes, drawing upon the founders’ considerable success in the music industry. Identify opportunities and execute strategies to expand clients’ brands into ancillary markets.
Director Deon Taylor and Jay Erving, Son of Legendary Julius Erving, Move Forward With Entertainment Division for the ABA Classics.
SOURCE Ether Sports Marketing & Consultancy
LOS ANGELES, July 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Deon Taylor of Ether Sports Marketing & Consultancy and Jay Erving of 6Sports announce a new entertainment venture, ABA Classics Films. The two have joined forces to launch ABA Classics, a new division of the iconic American Basketball Association. While building this new division, Taylor and Erving have also been working behind the scenes on a strongly integrated sports entertainment platform to include reality programming, documentary film making, remakes of classic basketball properties, music and web projects.
"The search for players and coaches to re-boot the legendary ABA as ABA Classics, a current adrenalin pumping league, makes for amazing content. Every day in this endeavor I come across stories and scenarios that I am compelled to get on film. This stuff is off the hook," says Taylor.
"While the NBA is embroiled in lockout drama and lawsuits, Deon Taylor and I are busy building the league of the future and making it come to life both on and off the court with strong entertainment properties that tell the real story of basketball today," says Erving.
Currently slated for development are two (2) reality show concepts, two (2) documentary concepts and the rights to several old school sports properties the duo plan to refresh and bring to a new generation of fans across the globe. In addition, ABA Classics Films is building a cutting edge social media studio driven by content and fan support. The intention is to create a long tail marketing effect that allows fans to have a more personal interaction with each other and the game of Basketball.
About Ether Sports Marketing & Consulting, LLC (ESMC): ESMC is a 360 degree independent creative branding agency. ESMC combines street cred with cutting edge content and analytics to build a streamlined approach between creative, strategy, and activation. Led by the creative team of Director Deon Taylor, Producer Roxanne Avent and 12 year NFL Veteran Ephraim Salaam, ESMC offers world-class production capabilities with true urban insight.
About 6Sports, LLC (6Sports): Led by successful entrepreneur and music industry veteran J. Erving, 6Sports is a multi-platform sports and entertainment company that offers a wide selection of services to professional athletes, drawing upon the founders' considerable success in the music industry.
LOS ANGELES, July 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Deon Taylor of Ether Sports Marketing & Consultancy and Jay Erving of 6Sports announce a new entertainment venture, ABA Classics Films. The two have joined forces to launch ABA Classics, a new division of the iconic American Basketball Association. While building this new division, Taylor and Erving have also been working behind the scenes on a strongly integrated sports entertainment platform to include reality programming, documentary film making, remakes of classic basketball properties, music and web projects.
"The search for players and coaches to re-boot the legendary ABA as ABA Classics, a current adrenalin pumping league, makes for amazing content. Every day in this endeavor I come across stories and scenarios that I am compelled to get on film. This stuff is off the hook," says Taylor.
"While the NBA is embroiled in lockout drama and lawsuits, Deon Taylor and I are busy building the league of the future and making it come to life both on and off the court with strong entertainment properties that tell the real story of basketball today," says Erving.
Currently slated for development are two (2) reality show concepts, two (2) documentary concepts and the rights to several old school sports properties the duo plan to refresh and bring to a new generation of fans across the globe. In addition, ABA Classics Films is building a cutting edge social media studio driven by content and fan support. The intention is to create a long tail marketing effect that allows fans to have a more personal interaction with each other and the game of Basketball.
About Ether Sports Marketing & Consulting, LLC (ESMC): ESMC is a 360 degree independent creative branding agency. ESMC combines street cred with cutting edge content and analytics to build a streamlined approach between creative, strategy, and activation. Led by the creative team of Director Deon Taylor, Producer Roxanne Avent and 12 year NFL Veteran Ephraim Salaam, ESMC offers world-class production capabilities with true urban insight.
About 6Sports, LLC (6Sports): Led by successful entrepreneur and music industry veteran J. Erving, 6Sports is a multi-platform sports and entertainment company that offers a wide selection of services to professional athletes, drawing upon the founders' considerable success in the music industry.
Richmond Rockets in the News
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