Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat celebrates after teammate Wayne Ellington hits a three against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 27, 2019. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NBA star Dwyane Wade has been named the first global ambassador for BallerTV, a subscription-based streaming platform for watching live youth and amateur sports. Wade will receive equity in the company as part of his new role, according to a press release from BallerTV.
Wade will represent BallerTV as the venture-backed startup looks to expand its coverage of youth sports events across the U.S. The company currently provides live streams, highlights, and replays for 10,000 amateur games per weekend according to BallerTV’s press release. Wade has used the BallerTV platform himself to watch his son Zaire play basketball. Zaire is a 16-year-old emerging prospect at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla.
“I’m thrilled to join BallerTV as their first global ambassador as I believe they are changing the game of sports broadcasting,” said Dwyane Wade in BallerTV’s press release. “As a father first, I believe in the importance of always being there for your children, but sometimes life on the road gets in the way of the joy of watching my son play ball. As a proud father, I can watch live streams and replays of his games so I never miss those special moments. I look forward to supporting BallerTV’s mission and opening more doors for young athletes.”
Subscribers can access BallerTV’s live streams and library of footage through the company’s website. BallerTV covers men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, and football. In addition to real-time viewing during games, athletes, coaches, and parents can use the platform to analyze game tape. Scouts can use BallerTV to identify new talent and find potential recruits looking to make the jump from the high school to college athletics.
SportTechie Takeaway
After a surefire Hall-of-Fame playing career, Wade is planning on retiring from the NBA at the end of the current season. By joining BallerTV, Wade will be able to stay involved with basketball after his playing days are over and also gain equity in a startup. The “global ambassador” wording in Wade’s new title might suggest that BallerTV has plans to expand its amateur sports coverage beyond just the U.S.
