Despite $3,500 fee, video outlets show up to film LaMelo Ball's triple-double before 2nd game is cancelled | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Tuesday / March 19.
  • Despite $3,500 fee, video outlets show up to film LaMelo Ball’s triple-double before 2nd game is cancelled

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    By ADAM ZAGORIA

    SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Despite a $3,500 fee to film LaMelo Ball and his SPIRE Institute teammates, several outlets showed up and apparently paid the fee on Saturday in Benton, Ky. One day later, games at the “Big Baller Beatdown” were cancelled due to weather.

    On Saturday, several video outlets were pictured on the baseline of the game in which the 6-foot-7 Ball went for 14 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as Spire crushed Downey Christian in the “Big Baller Beatdown.”

    As first reported Thursday by ZAGSBLOG, outlets that applied for video credentials for the event received an email which read, “All games are free to film except for the Spire Institute games. To film either of the 2 Spire Institute games, you will have to present $3,500 at the gate as per rules of the Big Baller Brand media credential.”

    Jeff Orloff, the COO of SPIRE, suggested the deal may have been made between the Big Baller Brand and the Grind Session, and said Spire had nothing to do with it.

    Orloff told Crain’s he’s “not privy to any deal that the Big Baller Brand did or did not undertake. When we go to tournaments, the common practice is the tournaments own the media rights. So we are not involved.”

    Ball and SPIRE were originally contracted to play on Saturday at the Hoophall Classic against Our Saviour New American, and had a signed contract to do so.

    But when Alan Foster of the Big Baller Brand asked Hoophall representative Greg Procino for a $10,000 appearance fee, Procino declined and SPIRE withdrew from the event and agreed to play the Grind Session.

    Foster did not respond to numerous interview requests, but did attempt to dispute Procino on Twitter, saying he was “lying” about the offer. Still, SPIRE had a signed contract to play at the Hoophall and then opted to bail after “certain financial requests” were not met, Procino said.

    Meantime, LaMelo and SPIRE are slated to appear at several future Grind Session events this season. The tour concludes with a “national” championship in Kentucky in March.

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    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

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