VENICEBALL 2020 REVIEW
Photo by Dani Arroniz
After over 2 months on the Hoopbus and a short trip to France, Nico and his crew are heading west back to Venice, when he calls, "Yo! We'll be back in Venice on Thursday, and we're kicking off Veniceball 2020 next week. Do you want to live stream?" For Veniceball, the game truly never stops.
Being in the middle of a pandemic we had to do this on the raw. Find a court thats unlocked, arrive early morning, fix up the court, fend off repercussions, crown the winner by sunset.
The mini-season consisted of 8 teams where each Sunday they would run a double elimination tournament for a month at a different beach court, and the winner of the last week gets $5k. There's also this new play-by-play announcer you have to meet...
Team Sunblock - Photo by Dani Arroniz
The lineup
Project Backboard - https://projectbackboard.org (Charity)
Can't Guard Me - https://www.instagram.com/cgmebrand/ (Clothing brand)
Futuremood - https://futuremood.com (Glasses brand)
More Than Ball - https://www.instagram.com/more_than_ball03/ (Personal training)
Los Fearless - https://www.instagram.com/losfearless/ (3x VBL champs)
P4E - https://www.instagram.com/playing4eternity/ (Sports organization)
XvsX - https://www.xvsxsports.com (Sports organization)
Sunblock - https://www.instagram.com/teamsunblock/ (Sports organization)
Hosted by:
Aaron "Showtime" Taylor - https://www.instagram.com/therebirthofchick/
Aaron SHOWTIME Taylor - Photo by Kelley Koski
Photo by Dani Arroniz
Week 1 - Dockweiler
What a perfect day for basketball on the beach, 80 degrees in November days. The new Emcee, Aaron "Showtime" Taylor is 30 days out of serving 26 years in prison where, he called games in the system and is featured on the Netflix documentary Q-Ball.
Two games behind schedule about halfway through the day, we have no lights and must crown a winner before we leave. Everybody turn on your iPhone lights!
The game
Winner: Sunblock
MVP: THE JUICE - https://www.instagram.com/juice1hunnit/
Watch Top 10 from Dockweiler - https://www.instagram.com/p/CH3rWoUBS5X/
Watch Episode 1 by Veniceball - https://youtu.be/VRErDCYwClU
Photo by Dani Arroniz
Week 2 - Long Beach
Construction lights magically appeared on the streets of Venice the day after Dockweiler - night mode ready. Sunday morning rolls around and here are already a lot of people at the courts. An unwritten rule of streetball comes into play - winner stays on. Venice must win to take over the court, which is not guaranteed. LBC has ballers.
The game
Winner: P4E
MVP: Buddah - https://www.instagram.com/buddha2000/
Watch Top 10 from Long Beach https://www.instagram.com/tv/CICniAvhpRf/
Watch Episode 2 by Veniceball - https://youtu.be/yaic31TK9oM
Photo by Dani Arroniz
Week 3 - Bolsa Chica
Beautiful basketball court, perfect setting, no one here, solid 5G, new iPhone 12s - VBL LIVE!
The game
Winner: Can't Guard Me
MVP: Hezigod - https://www.instagram.com/thehezigod/
Livestream - https://youtu.be/JJ6lt5rJVFA
Watch Top 10 from Bolsa Chica https://www.instagram.com/tv/CI_YBd4hSZa/
Watch Episode 3 by Veniceball - https://youtu.be/4V1PhVRqAfY
Photo by Dani Arroniz
Week 4 - Santa Slam
At the Watts Oasis, the infamous court of the film White Men Can't Jump was filmed. Veniceball restored the court into a magnificent Kobe memorial. Free COVID testing at the door, influencers and celebrities showed out and brought toys for the kids. Game live-stream received over 2,500 views in partnership with BallIsLife!
The game
Winner: Los Fearless
MVP: Bodysnatcher - https://www.instagram.com/bodysnatcher.hoops/
Watch Top 10 from Watts
Link to Episode 4
Hezi God - Photo by Dani Arroniz
What we learned
Veniceball's goal mission is to push the boundaries while maintaining a high quality. It can be found in all their media, clothing and even move packages on the court. At the outset, we set a goal to find what it took to produce a game in a new style that also met the Veniceball standards.
We found to obtain that quality it ultimately took we needed a play-by-play announcer with a wireless condenser mic, iPhone 12s on T-Mobile 5G, and producers who knew how to get the shot. The good news - we provide these tools and education on how to use them to our streaming partners, so they can create the best content for their online audience.
Aside from the technical knowledge, We personally learned something very profound. This production happened during the time of COVID, and as a media team volunteering for our local club, we were going to follow their decision to play or not. Sitting next to a Showtime, who was recently released from 26 years of prison, surrounded by athletes who live in Compton, Inglewood and Watts, COVID "lockdown" looked and felt very different. Lockdown isn't something new in this community. It's life. Many faced danger on a daily basis long before COVID arrived, so why should they stop once it arrives? Basketball is an outlet, a free space, and a community gathering to bring everyone together in times of peril, whether that's a global pandemic or an everyday occurrence. #JUSTPLAY
We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to support Veniceball on their 2020 season, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.
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