Pro League Network, the producer of made-for-betting sports such as jiu-jitsu in a car, is teaming with NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett to launch a new pro streetball-style three-on-three basketball league called str33t.
The league’s first season should launch in 2024, playing out over four weeks with men’s, women’s and coed teams competing under FIBA 3×3 rules, according to a release from PLN Thursday. The teams will compete for daily and season-long prize pools in a round robin format with a championship game.
“I’m excited to work with the PLN team to create a professional series with str33t that gives the incredible 3×3 players a major platform to show what they can do to fans across the country,” Garnett said in the release.
As part of the venture, Garnett’s investing arm, Big Ticket Sports, becomes an investor in PLN, which was launched in December to create niche sporting events that can provide sports wagering content for sports books on days and hours not occupied by major sporting events. Previously in August, PLN received seed funding from Eberg Capital. Garnett will also be an adviser to PLN on the strategic direction of str33t. Garnett’s Hoop It Up operates a 3×3 basketball tour that has seen millions of participants since its beginnings in 1989.
“With the average 3×3 basketball game taking less than 20 minutes, we believe str33t is tailor-made for digital consumption and sports betting,” George Daniel, CEO of Big Ticket Sports and HoopItUp, said in the announcement.
In addition to 3×3 hoops and CarJitsu, PLN operates more than a dozen other niche sports, including the World Putting League, SlapFIGHT Championship, National Carrom League and the rugby derived Beastball. Sportsbooks including DraftKings, Bet365 and Betfred carry PLN sports and the company streams its events on social media channels it owns and with other broadcast partners.
Garnett’s Big Ticket Sports also owns and operates leagues in 3-on-3 soccer, 4-on-4 flag football and 5-on-5 lacrosse, as well as an esports venture.
(This story has been corrected to clarify from where PLN’s seed funding came.)
