When it comes to basketball, you’d think most references to “the league” would imply the NBA. However, The League Group has already made a name for itself in Los Angeles as a destination where sports, style, streaming and celebrity collide.
Thursday capped off three back-to-back nights of basketball games at SRGN Studios, complete with hundreds of fans, dozens of top athletes and celebrity appearances from Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Austin McBroom and more.
“Sports is the common denominator. We use that to bring all of the culture together,” The League commissioner and co-founder Ron Abaekobe told TheWrap ahead of tip-off. “So, sports is like the elephant in the room, then you can really highlight everything else: the camaraderie, the lifestyle, the networking, the brands, the experience. You can be here and miss the game.”
Indeed, the venue near USC had everything from food stands and brand activations to top-shelf drinks, arcade games and even a peak inside The Shoe Surgeon’s operations — all while being live-streamed, of course. There were so many people, in fact, the paparazzi were seen climbing ladders outside just to take a pic of Bieber arriving to support his team, SKYLRK.
“I love empowerment and I love community, and I’ve empowered the community — so everyone shows up and everyone feels like a big family,” Abaekobe said of the massive fan turnout. “It’s a testament to the hard work. It’s like watering a garden for so long, it’s time to start enjoying and spreading the fruits of your labor.”
On the court, Week 7 – Day 3 saw TruHeight vs. Nahmias, Sweet Sweat vs. N3ON, SKYLRK vs. Soho House, and Surgeon vs. LRG (winners in bold).
