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Chicago-based agency will stage 34 games over 51 days, beginning Nov. 10 with the first-ever basketball game at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia

CHICAGO /PRNewswire/ — Intersport tips off its college basketball season this weekend with its first of 10 nationwide events during the 2023-24 schedule. The award-winning agency will stage 34 games in the span of 51 days with distribution on 11 channels over multiple platforms, bringing an elite lineup to basketball fans nationwide.

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It all begins on Friday, Nov. 10, when Intersport will help bring the first-ever college basketball event to life at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. Regional men’s programs Radford and Marshall will face off on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET. The matchup launches a long-term partnership between Intersport and the Greenbrier, which is slated to continue in 2024 with an annual multi-team event.

“We have an exciting slate of consequential, non-conference matchups that will shape college basketball this season,” said Mark Starsiak, who has served as Intersport’s vice president of basketball since 2018. “We’re proud of the collaborative relationships we’ve built with premier college programs, coaches, administrators, networks and sponsors through our reputation as a trusted partner and resource for unmatched events. It has allowed Intersport to substantially grow our presence in the college basketball space as an industry leader. Like fans everywhere, we can’t wait to get the season started.”

Intersport’s schedule will be highlighted by:

• Game broadcasts in partnership with three major networks (CBS, FOX and NBC), five leading sports cable channels (ESPN, ESPN2, SEC Network, FS1 and CBS Sports Network) and three streaming partners (ESPN+, Women’s Sports Network and FSWBucs.com)
• Three multi-team events in November: the Arizona Tip-Off, Fort Myers Tip-Off and Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off
• Two Associated Press top-25 women’s programs—No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 23 Illinois—competing at the neutral site Citi Shamrock Classic contest in Washington, D.C.
• No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 11 Tennessee women’s programs going head-to-head in a Thanksgiving Day broadcast on FOX at 6 p.m. ET
• Five neutral site events in December featuring a bevy of top-25 programs, including No. 6 and defending national champion UConn, No. 11 Gonzaga, No. 16 Kentucky, No. 19 North Carolina and No. 21 USC, among others
• Eleven men’s teams and eight women’s teams ranked or receiving votes in the pre-season Associated Press or coaches poll
• Competitions taking place in nine venues across seven states and Washington, D.C.

Nationally recognized brands are aligned with the Intersport basketball portfolio, including title partners Continental Tire, Elevance Health and the National Basketball Retired Players Association as well as Old Trapper Beef Jerky, State Farm, Libman, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Zappos.

Beyond the loaded early season schedule, Intersport will also hold its annual postseason events: the High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships and the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships. New this season, Intersport is reintroducing the Women’s College Basketball All-Star Game, which is scheduled to take place in Cleveland on April 6, 2024.

For the latest basketball news and behind-the-scenes access, follow Intersport’s dedicated basketball account (@IntersportHoops) on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter). Additional information about Intersport’s capabilities and events is available on Intersport’s primary social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).

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About Intersport:

Intersport is an award-winning agency and leader in the creation of ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, customer engagement, experiential marketing, hospitality, production and sponsorship consulting. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. Since staging just one early season event in 2019, Intersport has grown its basketball portfolio to manage nine different events during the first two months of the season—all with national broadcast partners. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985, with additional offices in Boston, Detroit and New York. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).

SOURCE Intersport

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) shared details on fan engagement across its EA SPORTS FC™ ecosystem, with more than 11.3 million players worldwide, including through EA Play, hitting the pitch in EA SPORTS FC™ 24 through its first week. EA SPORTS FC Mobile, the most immersive mobile football game yet, broke EA SPORTS Mobile Football franchise records with 2.2 million people installing the application on the first day. In the 10 days since launch, a total of more than 11.2 million new users have downloaded the mobile game.

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“We’re thrilled to have so many fans jumping into The World’s Game in both EA SPORTS FC 24 and FC Mobile in just the first few days since launch,” said Cam Weber, President of EA SPORTS. “In addition to welcoming back millions of our longtime players, new players in FC 24 are up nearly 20% year over year, showing the excitement of football fans everywhere to join the Club. We are building the world’s biggest football community through EA SPORTS FC, and we’re just getting started.”

Fans who play EA SPORTS FC™ 24 still have the opportunity to become an FC Founder. Play by November 1, 2023 and unlock exclusive benefits including in-game vanity, and objectives and tasks in Ultimate Team, including a Founder Evolution experience. As a one-time offer, fans can be there at the beginning of a new era for EA SPORTS FC and claim their title as an FC Founder to join the club with style.

Users who log in to play EA SPORTS FC Mobile before November 30, 2023 will also have the opportunity to score one coveted ambassador player item from the Founders Pack*:

• Real Madrid CF’s Vinícius Júnior
• Manchester City F.C.’s Erling Haaland
• Liverpool F.C.’s Virgil van Dijk
• Tottenham Hotspur F.C.’s Son Heung-min
• Real Madrid CF’s Jude Bellingham
• Liverpool FC’s Diogo Jota
• Manchester City F.C.’s Jack Grealish
• Juventus’ Federico Chiesa
• Chelsea F.C.’s Enzo Fernández
• Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko

EA SPORTS FC ™ 24 is available now for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch™.

Download EA SPORTS FC Mobile on the App Store and Google Play Store to access the World’s Game in Your Pocket.

*Conditions & restrictions apply. See here for details.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2023, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7.4 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FC™, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS FC, Frostbite, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

Category: EA SPORTS

Source: Electronic Arts Inc.

Nearly 700 games, BetMGM Race & Sportsbook among features

ASHLAND, Ky. /PRNewswire/ — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear helped open the doors Thursday at Sandy’s Racing & Gaming – a $75 million entertainment facility in Eastern Kentucky that creates nearly 250 new jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenues.

With nearly 700 historical horse racing games, two performance stages and a BetMGM Race & Sportsbook, the 75,000 square-foot facility is unlike anything else in the area.

“Congratulations to Revolutionary Racing and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians” – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

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“Last year, we promised to bring a first-class facility to Boyd County,” said Larry Lucas, Chairman of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, which is making the investment together with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. “Today, we can say – promises made, promises kept.”

The project will also include Kentucky’s only quarter horse racetrack and an equestrian center, located on 182 acres behind Sandy’s. While track construction is officially set to begin in early 2024, Thursday’s festivities included a ceremonial blast, leveling some of the hills at the track site. The first races are set to happen there in 2025, marking continued growth for Kentucky’s thriving horse racing industry.

“Sandy’s Racing & Gaming is bringing top-tier racing, gaming and entertainment to Northeastern Kentucky, along with hundreds of new jobs for the people who call Boyd County and the surrounding region home,” Gov. Beshear said. “Congratulations to Revolutionary Racing and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for creating this exciting destination.”

Last summer, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission awarded the state’s ninth and final horse racing license to Revolutionary Racing Kentucky. Construction began in April and was led by Lexington’s D.W. Wilburn Construction and the Tri-State Building Trades. More than 300 local union workers were employed throughout the project and 90% of all materials and supplies were made in the U.S.

Amenities include a 5,200 square-foot sportsbook, which features dozens of leather recliners and three cinema-sized screens. Daily entertainment will take place on two stages, which include dueling pianos, as well as local and national performers. Country star and Boyd County native Cole Chaney starred as the opening-night headliner, while last year’s “American Idol” winner Noah Thompson delivered a surprise performance.

A craft-focused kitchen offers multiple dining options, with all meat locally sourced from AW Meat House in Argillite. Menu highlights include the Big Sandy Burger, flatbreads, root beer floats made with The Peddler in Huntington, West Virginia and Sandy’s Ale – a craft beer made by Mikerphone Brewing in Illinois, which is only available at Sandy’s.

Located at 10699 U.S. 60 in Ashland, Sandy’s is open from 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

SOURCE Sandy’s Racing & Gaming