On the sixth episode of Sports Content Kings, Aviv and Shaka Arnon from WSC Sports are joined by hip-hop legend, actor, and CEO of the BIG3, Ice Cube. In the episode, Cube talks about starting a league from scratch, how he’s incorporated technology to engage fans and reach new audiences, and what his plans are for the future.
As a sports fan himself, once the NBA Finals came to an end, Cube didn’t pay any attention to sports until the start of the NFL season in the fall—that was his motivation for creating the BIG3. Now, with a month to go before the start of the league’s sixth season, Cube and his partner, Jeff Kwatinetz, are tasked with raising the league’s profile and getting more eyeballs on the games.
To start, Ice Cube gives credit to the team around him, including Amy Trask, (former CEO of the Oakland Raiders), and the CEO of the BIG3 during its inaugural season, for having decades of experience working with broadcasters, athletes, and sponsors, and bringing that know-how to the BIG3. Additionally, he talks about some of the things that they’ve done to differentiate the league from traditional basketball to make it more exciting for the fans; like the addition of the four-point shot, a shorter shot clock, and hour-long (or shorter) game times.
“Doing the league in this millennium, we don’t want to be doing 20th Century rules and a 20th Century experience. Even the stuff that we’re doing with our NFT’s, giving fans real utilities and a way to experience the game at an owner’s level—it’s something cool and creative that us, coming from the entertainment world, understand [really makes] a difference.” ~Ice Cube
Speaking on the future of the league, there’s a lot in store for fans of the BIG3, including new experiences designed to bring fans closer to their favorite teams and players. Part of that has been offering fans a direct stake in the teams by allowing them to be partial owners via NFT’s. There’s also an initiative to find a home-city and ownership for all BIG3 teams, and eventually, plans to go international. Challenges between teams from different countries and a potential worldwide tournament—The Big Cup—are two things that are on the table for Ice Cube, so stay tuned to catch what’s new this season, and in the seasons to come. For updates and news, you can follow the league on BIG3.com, the BIG3 app, Discord, and the BIG3 YouTube channel, and follow Ice Cube on Instagram and Twitter.
