The BIG3 has just recently announced that the league has changed the location of next weekend games on Saturday, July 31 to American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas for the “Return of the BIG3 Ballout.” The games will remain at the same broadcast slot on CBS and Triller/FITE TV beginning at 12pm PT/3pm ET. Due to increased COVID-19 concerns, the league has decided to also shift the August 5 and August 7 game days to two Midwestern cities with additional information to come. Given the increase in COVID-19 cases and the Delta variant in Louisiana, staying in the city of New Orleans for 10 days was not in the best interest of the health and safety of the league’s coaches, players, and fans. The league is also enhancing league-wide protocols as COVID-19 rates rise throughout the country. The BIG3 returns to Orleans Arena in Las Vegas this weekend with games starting at 1pm ET on CBS on Saturday, July 24.
“Dallas is where we’ve played for the last three years and the ‘BIG3 Ballout’ in 2019 was a huge success, so we are thrilled to return next weekend and the fan base there has always been so supportive of the league,” said Jeff Kwatinetz, BIG3 co-founder. “We love our New Orleans fans and have played there before, but, at this late stage, putting our players and coaches in a bubble for 10 days was not realistic or feasible for our league.”
The league will return to the site of the widely successful 2019 “BIG3 Ballout.” In 2019, the BIG3 played six straight games and had musical performances by T.I. and Yella Beezy in front of a sold-out crowd.
“COVID-19 pandemic and the recent increase of cases across the country require sudden adjustments and changes in many businesses operations. We’re disappointed we aren’t able to be in front of the great New Orleans fans this summer, but the health and safety of our fans, players, coaches, and staff is always our number one priority,” said Chris Hannan, BIG3 CEO.
Known as a ground-breaking league that focuses on innovation, BIG3 implemented notable rule changes following the 2019 season which included lowering the minimum age of athletes from 27 to 22 and opening the league to all nonprofessional and professional athletes that want to try out. The playoffs, consolation, and championship will be held at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
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