PA-based HoopsTV.com, the online basketball site
founded by AND 1 CEO Seth Berger, announced that it has
raised $20M in its second round of financing, which was led
by PA-based Safeguard Scientifics and NJ-based Footstar,
Inc.. HoopsTV's first round of funding included backing
from AND 1 and TA Associates (HoopsTV.com). AND 1 and
HoopsTV.com Founder Seth Berger said that HoopsTV.com
received "seven-figure" initial funding from AND 1 and TA
Associates, but added, "AND 1 owns a very small percentage
of HoopsTV.com. It is basically owned by Safeguard,
Footstar and TA Associates." TA Associates invested $31M in
AND 1 this past fall. HoopsTV.com currently has 18
employees and the site will open a "Footaction Baller Mall"
in the "next few weeks" and sell shoes from the Footaction
chain (Ambre Brown, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/22).
DOLLARS FOR BIG PROS: FL-based BigPros.com has entered
into a partnership with EllinGill Interactive, a Canada-
based new media development and hosting firm. The deal,
which will focus on developing and redesigning more than 100
of BigPros' current athlete Web sites, has committed $40M
for the development of additional sports communities and
venture capital for sports startups (BigPros).
