Starting Five: May 30
Start every week with VPCo.’s Starting Five, our favorite highlights from the last week in sports.
- TBT Enterprises, the group that operates The Basketball Tournament (TBT), will take their first shot in the soccer world this week.
The Soccer Tournament (TST) will host 32 teams, including teams affiliated with nine professional soccer clubs from six different countries, as the teams compete for a $1 million prize.
2. Larry O’Brien 🤝 Lord Stanley
The championship trophies from the NBA and NHL met for the first time for a sit-down at Katz’s Deli.
Both trophies are going on a media tour as they prepare to be handed to winning teams in the weeks to come, so why not bring them together?
3. Pickleball has grown in popularity since 2021, so much so that it now costs nearly $5M to start a Major League Pickleball team.
Growing popularity, combined with celebrity investments, has caused the price of entry in the league to skyrocket. Will we see the cost continue to rise as the sport continues to grow?
4. Apple, MLS, and YouTube came together to bring MLS 360 to YouTube for free (for one night only) in an effort to increase subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass.
MLS 360 has a similar feel to the NFL’s “Red Zone,” a show that is extremely popular with football fans. Will one-time preview offers like this convince more fans to subscribe to MLS Season Pass?
5. P.J. Tucker is the NBA’s biggest sneakerhead BY FAR.
Tucker owns more than 5,000 pairs of shoes, including one pair worth over $250K. 👀💰
Read more about Tucker’s shoe obsession and massive collection below.
Until next time, best swishes.
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