FloSports announces partnership with bdG Sports

AUSTIN, Texas — Today, FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, and bdG Sports, a premier sports event organizer, announced a partnership to provide live and on-demand coverage and content of their men’s and women’s basketball tournaments on FloHoops.com.

Beginning on November 22, FloHoops will showcase a total of 52 NCAA basketball games taking place across the Bahamas, Canada, Southwest Florida, and Las Vegas. Teams competing in this year’s events include conference champions Murray State (OVC), Drake (Missouri Valley), and Wright State (Horizon League) on the men’s side, and recent women’s NCAA Final Four competitors Mississippi State, Stanford, and Syracuse.

Subscribers can tune in to watch the following tournaments live on FloHoops:

  • Nov. 22- 24 – The Island of the Bahamas Showcase (Men’s)
  • Nov. 24- 26 – MGM Resorts Main Event (Men’s)
  • Nov. 25- 27 – Gulf Coast Showcase (Men’s)
  • Nov. 28- 30 – Greater Victoria Invitational (Women’s)
  • Nov. 29- Dec. 1 – Gulf Coast Showcase (Women’s)

Donations being accepted next week for “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” hurricane relief

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Central Kentuckians will have the opportunity to provide help to the people of the Bahamas’ Great Abaco Island, which was ravaged by Hurricane Dorian last month. bdG Sports, a Lexington-based sports marketing agency, will be accepting donations of supplies and new apparel at a tractor trailer, donated by Longship, from Oct. 21-27 in the parking lot of the Landsdowne Shoppes in Lexington. The donations are being accepted as part of the “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” fundraiser,  also which will include a charity event on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Malone’s Prime Events.

bdG Sports, which manages numerous college basketball tournaments and professional golf events across North America, has been organizing the fundraising efforts and has already received more than 2,500 pieces of donated apparel, with more on the way. For the past three years, bdG Sports has managed the Great Abaco Classic, a professional golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour played each January in Abaco. The PGA TOUR announced this week that this year’s edition of the Great Abaco Classic will be moved to Nassau, while Abaco begins recovery efforts.

“The support for ‘Bluegrass for the Bahamas’ from our networks in college basketball, the professional golf community and right here in Central Kentucky has been humbling,” said Brooks Downing, President and CEO of bdG Sports. “Longship has graciously donated a semitruck for us to collect supplies which we will then transport to South Florida for shipment to the Bahamas. We have thousands of pieces of apparel for those Abaconians that have lost everything due to this storm. We also are starting to collect building supplies, which also can be delivered to the truck. There are thousands of Bahamians who lost everything due to Hurricane Dorian and we want to help them rebuild so that Abaco can be rebuilt.”

As a Category 5 hurricane, Dorian is on record as the worst storm in the history of the Bahamas, with sustained winds of 185 mph and gusts to 225 mph when it made landfall on Sept. 1 in Abaco. More than 56 people died in Abaco and Grand Bahama, the two northern-most islands which suffered a direct hit, and more than 600 are still missing. Marsh Harbour, the main city on Great Abaco, lost 70% of its homes, and the power grid on the island was rendered inoperable. Damage is estimated to exceed $7.5 billion.

Donations will be accepted each day from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. at the truck which will be located in front of The MouseTrap. A full list of needed supplies can be found at www.BluegrassForTheBahamas.com with building supplies (sheetrock, plywood, roofing materials, tools, etc.) being among the biggest need at this time. All clothing donations should be new.

Malone’s Prime Events will play host to the “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” charity event on Wednesday from 7-10 p.m. Tickets for the event are $100 and includes a sampling of favorite menu items from Bluegrass Hospitality Group, open bar and charity auction. Live auction items include:

  • A 5-day/4-night golf vacation for two at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, including accommodations in one of the club’s luxurious cabana suites and unlimited golf on its Scottish-style tropical links golf course, rated No. 1 in The Bahamas.
  • A five-bottle collection of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon (10-, 12-, 15-, 20- and 23-year bottles).
  • A trip for two to Las Vegas for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball games vs. Utah on Dec. 18 and Ohio State on Dec. 21 with accommodations at Aria.
  • A 4-day/3-night stay for two at any Sandals Resorts property.

Silent auction items will include a weekend stay at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, Fla., golf opportunities at Southern Highlands in Las Vegas and TPC Scottsdale in Arizona, a year-long membership at Lexington Tennis Club, a Kentucky Castle gift package and a speciality bottle from Makers Mark. There’s even a chrome football helmet donated by the Kentucky football team.

Tickets for the evening can be purchased at www.bluegrassforthebahamas.com. The website also features #AbacoStrong tumblers and shirts with proceeds from all sales being donated to the cause. For those from outside the Central Kentucky area that wish to donate supplies, an Amazon Wish List can be found on the website with automatic shipping to bdG Sports.

All funds raised by bdG Sports will be donated to the Abaco-Winding Bay Relief Fund, a charitable organization created expressly for this effort with active 501(c)3 status in the United States. All funds received will be used to provide assistance specifically to the people of Abaco in the form of food, shelter, medical aid and supplies, and assistance in the island’s clean-up and rebuilding efforts.

Bahamas Great Abaco Classic to be played at Baha Mar in Nassau for 2020

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR announced Tuesday the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour schedule, which features 28 tournaments played in 20 states and four countries outside the United States, with the season culminating with the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in August.

The 28 total events are the most since 2010 and will include $18,850,000 in official prize money, the largest figure on the Korn Ferry Tour in over a decade.

“Bluegrass for the Bahamas” launched in Lexington to aid Hurricane relief

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentuckians will have the opportunity to lend support to the people of the Bahamas’ Great Abaco Island, which was ravaged by Hurricane Dorian earlier this month through the “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” fundraiser announced today. The initiative is being led by Lexington-based sports marketing firm bdG Sports, which manages multiple events in the Bahamas, including the Great Abaco Classic, a professional golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour played each January in Abaco.

“Our company and staff have had the good fortune to work multiple events in The Bahamas over the past decade, and Abaco is near and dear to our hearts,” said Brooks Downing, President and CEO of bdG Sports. “And as been reported, Abaco took the brunt of the Category 5 storm. The damage reports are incomprehensible. In addition to a significant death toll, most of the homes were destroyed in Marsh Harbour and the entire power grid on the island was rendered useless.

“Through our business ventures, we have created tremendous partnerships there with Tourism, the Abaco Club, which plays host to our tournament, the Abaco Beach Resort, where most of our participants and Golf Channel staff resides, transportation companies, groceries and through hundreds of local staff who work our event each year. Because of these many relationships, this event isn’t just another natural disaster, it’s a storm that’s affected friends and family. So God calls us to help those in need, and I’m hopeful that many of our friends in the Bluegrass will help us provide much needed support as thousands rebuild their lives in The Bahamas.”

The multi-level fundraiser will be highlighted by a charity event on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Malone’s Prime Events in Lexington. The evening activities, which run from 7-10 p.m., will include a sampling of favorite menu items from Bluegrass Hospitality Group, open bar and charity auction. Live auction items will include:

  • A 5-day/4-night golf vacation for two at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, including accommodations in one of the club’s luxurious cabana suites and unlimited golf on its Scottish-style tropical links golf course, rated No. 1 in The Bahamas.
  • A five-bottle collection of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon (10-, 12-, 15-, 20- and 23-year bottles).
  • A trip for two to Las Vegas for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball games vs. Utah on Dec. 18 and Ohio State on Dec. 21 with accommodations at Aria.

Tickets for the evening are $100 and can be purchased at www.bluegrassforthebahamas.com. The website also features #AbacoStrong tumblers and shirts with proceeds from all sales being donated to the cause.

All funds raised by bdG Sports will be donated to the Abaco-Winding Bay Relief Fund, a charitable organization created expressly for this effort with 501(c)3 status applied for and pending. All funds received will be used to provide assistance specifically to the people of Abaco in the form of food, shelter, medical aid and supplies, and assistance in the island’s clean-up and rebuilding efforts.

bdG Sports also has issued a challenge to its other event operators at each level of the PGA Tour, to include Champions and Korn Ferry Tour events. In addition, it has requested shoes and apparel from all 700+ NCAA Division I men’s and women’s college basketball teams.

“Kentuckians have proven time and again to be a very generous people,” added Downing. “And I’ve been blessed to build a pretty extensive network, both here locally and around the country. It is our hope that we can deliver something of substance to help those who are in tremendous need.”

Full information on supporting the campaign can be found at www.bluegrassforthebahamas.com.

Pairings announced for Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford

VICTORIA, B.C. – Recent NCAA Final Four stalwarts Mississippi State, Stanford and Syracuse highlight the field of the eight-team Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford women’s tournament to be played November 28-30 at the University of Victoria’s CARSA Performance Gym. The tournament is a collaboration between bdG Sports, University of Victoria and the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission. Pairings for the three-day tournament were announced today by bdG Sports, the Kentucky-based owner and operator of the event.

“Stanford, Mississippi State and Syracuse have combined for four NCAA Final Fours and three appearances in the National Championship game over the past four years and to have all three in one tournament is very special,” said Debbie Antonelli, ESPN analyst and Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford Tournament Director. “Between those three teams and some very talented programs in the rest of the field, basketball fans in B.C. will see some of the very best talent in college basketball at UVic.”

The tournament will feature four games daily over the three days, with a winners’ and losers’ bracket. First-round pairings for Thursday, Nov. 28 are as follows:

  • Green Bay vs. Bowling Green – 11 a.m. PT
  • Mississippi State vs. San Francisco – 1:30 p.m. PT
  • Syracuse vs. Houston – 5 p.m. PT
  • Stanford vs. California Baptist – 7:30 p.m.

Game times for Friday and Saturday will be the same with semifinal games on Nov. 29 at 5:00/7:30. Saturday’s championship game will tip at 7:30.

Two-time NCAA Champion Stanford is expected to lead the pack as a top-five team nationally for the 2019-20 season. The Cardinal adds the nation’s No. 1-rated incoming freshman Haley Jones and dunking-sensation Fran Belibi to a strong core that includes four returning starters. Mississippi State looks to once again be among the nation’s elite after making deep NCAA Tournament runs and winning 30+ games in each of the past three seasons. The Bulldogs will see their line-up bolstered by the return of starting guard Jordan Danberry (averaged 13.1 points while starting all 36 games for MSU), who recently received a waiver to play this season.

Syracuse also is expected to be among the nation’s top-25 teams with seven of its top nine leading scorers returning from last season. Green Bay, 22-10 last season with a 2nd-place finish in the Horizon League; California Baptist, 18-12 record with a 2nd-place finish in the WAC; and Houston, top-four in the American Athletic Conference, all played in the WNIT postseason tournament. Bowling Green (Mid-American Conference) and San Francisco (West Coast Conference) round out the tournament field.

Full tournament info can be found at www.VictoriaInvitational.com and on social media at @VictoriaInvBC.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for the Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford go on sale to the public on Friday, September 20. Tickets are priced on a per session basis at $20 CAD for endzone, $35 CAD for sideline and $125 CAD courtside (approximately $15, $27 and $95 USD respectively). Tickets can be purchased at www.victoriainvitational.com or vikestickets.universitytickets.com.

Final results from NGI: Bandon Dunes

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BANDON – Larry Correa, head pro at La Purisima Golf Course, won the final leg of the 2019 Nike Golf Invitational at Bandon Dunes. The three-day event was played on the Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Old MacDonald courses. Larry’s group also won the team competition which was the second team win for himself and Matt Delph after posting the low team score in Las Vegas in April.

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SWOOSH STAFFER

Larry Correa
Michael Putnam
Matt Borchert
JT Thomas
Todd Killingsworth
Scott Erdman
Kevin Crawford
Steve Ousley
Michael DeJordy
Jason Guss
Neil Maurer
Sadie Palmer
Zach Abels
Robert Pang
Cam Rutherford
Rick Murphy

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BANDON DUNES

65
68
66
74
73
74
71
72
74
70
74
73
70
72
80
83

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PACIFIC DUNES

64
65
69
69
70
68
68
70
72
74
74
69
78
76
72
80

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OLD MACDONALD

65
67
69
70
70
72
75
73
69
72
71
71
74
74
74
81

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TOTAL

194
200
204
213
213
214
214
215
215
216
219
219
222
222
226
244

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TEAM COMPETITION CHAMPIONS

Larry Correa, Matt Delph, Michael Dendas, Michael DeJordy

Bandon Dunes – 128
Pacific Dunes – 123
Old MacDonald – 123
TOTAL – 374

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#BBNVegas campaign launched to support two Kentucky games in Las Vegas

LEXINGTON – The neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip will glow blue when Big Blue Nation takes over Sin City in December with two games at T-Mobile Arena. The Kentucky men’s basketball team will play Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic three days later on Saturday, Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Arena. Lexington-based bdG Sports announced a #BBNVegas campaign today and the launch of ticket sales for the Utah game which it is managing.

The Wildcats head to Vegas for only the third time in school history after playing at UNLV in 1980 and a memorable game vs. North Carolina at T-Mobile Arena in 2016. The Utah game will tip at 8 p.m. PT on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and the event, dubbed the Neon Hoops Showcase, serves to benefit Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org).

“I know our team and our fans have been looking forward to this Las Vegas trip since we announced it and really since the last time we were there in 2016,” said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. “I’ve had folks come up to me and tell me what an unbelievable time they had when we played North Carolina in T-Mobile Arena. The great thing about this trip is we’re going to make it a little longer and play two games so our fans can get a good look at our team while enjoying a few days in Vegas before the holidays. Ohio State and Utah are going to be difficult games and really prepare our young team for what’s to come later in the season. I know we can’t wait to get out there.”

bdG Sports is partnering with Kentucky Sports Radio to promote #BBNVegas which will include fan contests, such as winning a trip to Las Vegas for the weekend, and fan engagement on social media through @BBNLasVegas and the hashtag. The week’s festivities also will include a golf outing at Shadow Creek, the legendary course in Las Vegas that played host to “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson last November, with full details to be announced at a later date.

“Our company has been in partnership with MGM Resorts since 2013 to bring the very best of college basketball to Las Vegas,” said bdG Sports President and CEO Brooks Downing. “Two things that have no equal are the Las Vegas Strip and Big Blue Nation. It’s a destination trip that includes two premium UK games, terrific lodging options, and for the golfer, an opportunity to play one of the world’s finest golf courses.”

Tickets for Kentucky-Utah go on public sale on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET and can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX.

For complete information, visit www.bbnvegas.com or on social media at @BBNLasVegas.

Tickets on-sale Tuesday, Sept. 3 for Kentucky vs. Utah at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – Kentucky’s Big Blue Nation heads west to face Pac-12 powerhouse Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at T-Mobile Arena. Tickets for the game go on sale to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m. PT, event organizer bdG Sports announced today. The annual event, dubbed the Neon Hoops Showcase, benefits Coaches vs. Cancer with tip-off set for 8 p.m. PT that evening.

“When we put together this trip for Las Vegas, we wanted to make it special for the Big Blue Nation,” said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. “We were already scheduled to play in Vegas for the CBS Sports Classic but we wanted to give our fans more than just one game. Not only do we have that, but now we face a program like Utah that has tradition and talent. This is going to be a tough game for us. If it’s anything like our last trip to Las Vegas, this will be an unbelievable experience for our fans.”

Kentucky, expected to be ranked among the top-five nationally, adds another elite freshman class to a strong core of returning players. Returnees Ashton Hagans, E.J. Montgomery, Nick Richards and Immanuel Quickley will be joined by five-star incoming freshmen Kahlil Whitney, Tyrese Maxey and Keion Brooks Jr., as well as four-star prospects Johnny Juzang and Dontaie Allen.

Calipari led the Wildcats to a 30-7 record and an Elite Eight finish last season. A 2015 inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Calipari has coached in six Final Fours, three NCAA Championships games and won the 2012 NCAA Championship with UK.

Coach Larry Krystkowiak’s Utah roster will showcase a bevy of new faces as well. The Runnin’ Utes added 10 new players to the roster but will be bolstered by returning starters Timmy Allen and Riley Battin. Utah has finished among the top three in the Pac-12 in four of the past five years with 20+ wins in four of those years, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.

“We are looking forward to the challenge against Kentucky in a great atmosphere in T-Mobile Arena,” said Krystkowiak. “Historically, there have been some great matchups, and we are hoping to add another historic chapter. It will be a heckuva challenge against one of the top programs in the country, and it will benefit a great cause in Coaches vs. Cancer.”

Kentucky and Utah have a long history in the sport, dating back to the 1944 NIT. Between 1993 and 2005, the teams met in the NCAA Tournament six times, with Kentucky winning all six games. In 1998, the “Comeback Cats” rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Utes in the NCAA Championship game. Last year, UK beat Utah 88-61 at Rupp Arena.

The event benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX.

For complete information, visit www.neonhoopsvegas.com or on social media at @NeonHoopsLV.

NCAA tournament moving to UVic

VICTORIA, B.C. – The University of Victoria will play host to the “Victoria Invitational,” an eight-team NCAA Division Women’s basketball tournament, Nov. 28-30, organizers announced today. The event, which had a very successful launch last year at the Vancouver Convention Centre, will feature prominent NCAA Final Four teams, including Mississippi State (2017 & 2018 NCAA Runner-Up), Stanford (2017 Final Four) and Syracuse (2016 NCAA Runner-Up). The three-day tourney will be played at the CARSA Performance Gym on the University of Victoria campus.

“We are thrilled to have the option to move our premium women’s event to such an outstanding facility at UVic,” said Brooks Downing, CEO of bdG Sports, the Kentucky-based event organizer. “It’s a state-of-the-art, new facility that has played host to the Toronto Raptors training camp and will serve our teams and fans in a first-class fashion.”

In Victoria, the tournament is a collaboration between bdG Sports, the event owner and operator, along with local co-founders Howard Kelsey and David Munro, the University of Victoria, and the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission, which is providing funding to support the event.

“The Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission is proud to support the Victoria Invitational this fall,” said Robert Bettauer, Chair of the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission and CEO of PISE. “The sport of basketball has a long history in Greater Victoria. The Victoria Invitational is a natural fit with our goals of attracting high-profile sporting events that align with strong community support and the development of sport in our region.”

Last year, the event became the first NCAA Division I regular-season tournament ever played in Canada after organizers worked with Sport Hosting Vancouver to create a temporary gymnasium at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Teams played in front of a capacity crowd on three of the six days.

“We are thrilled to bring this event to Victoria this November and especially to UVic’s gorgeous CARSA Gymnasium,” Kelsey said. “Our inaugural event last year was a huge success and to have likely three Top 10 teams participating this year will be a tremendous display of basketball talent.”

In addition to Mississippi State, Stanford and Syracuse, the eight-team tournament field will include Bowling Green, Cal Baptist, Green Bay, Houston and San Francisco. The event will feature four games per day for each of the three days.

“Our teams and their fans will absolutely fall in love with Victoria and all it has to offer,” added Munro. “From the Butchart Gardens to the original Chinatown, from Victoria’s British roots to its stunning whale watching tours, this tournament will provide a unique experience for these teams, their friends, family and fans alike.”

Tournament pairings and public ticket sales will be announced at a later date. Event info can be found at www.VictoriaInvitational.com and on social media at @VictoriaInvBC.

Pairings announced for MGM Resorts Main Event at T-Mobile Arena on November 24/26

LAS VEGAS – The battle for the Heavyweight Championship belt of the MGM Resorts Main Event will tip-off with Colorado vs. Wyoming and TCU vs. Clemson in first-round match-ups on Sunday, Nov. 24 at T-Mobile Arena. The sixth-annual men’s college basketball tournament, being played on a weekend for the first time, tips at 5 p.m. PT with CU-Wyoming followed by TCU-Clemson at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the two-day tournament go on public sale on this Friday at 10 a.m. PT.

“The quality of our fields for the MGM Resorts Main Event has continued to grow in each of our past five years and we saw three of our teams play in the NCAA Tournament last season,” said Brooks Downing, President and CEO of bdG Sports. “This may be our best field yet as excitement is extremely high at Clemson and TCU heading into the new season. Colorado is expected to be among the top three in the Pac-12 for next season. And having known Wyoming coach Allen Edwards for 25 years since he played at Kentucky, I’m certain that he will have the Cowboys ready to play in Vegas.”

The consolation and championship games will be played on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. PT, respectively.

Colorado finished 23-13 last season and returns virtually every contributor, including junior guard McKinley Wright whom played the latter half of last season with an injured shoulder. The Buffs will have two first-team All-Pac-12 players in their lineup in Wright and forward Tyler Bey and count on a strong supporting cast that includes four players that started late in the 2018-19 season. Wyoming returns six players that started multiple games last season, including Las Vegas native A.J. Banks. The Cheyenne High School alum started 18 games for the Cowboys and will be a key contributor at the guard position as Wyoming looks to replace NBA Draft pick Justin James.

TCU coach Jamie Dixon has quickly revitalized the Horned Frogs program which finished 23-14 last season. TCU will be led by senior Desmond Bane, a second-team All-Big 12 selection last year, as well as sophomore center Kevin Samuel. Dixon has now won 21+ games in each of his three seasons in Fort Worth, a feat last accomplished by the Horned Frogs 20 years ago under Coach Billy Tubbs. Clemson already has one championship entering the season as the Tigers represented the United States in the World University Games in Italy this summer. Coach Brad Brownell led the Tigers to a 6-0 record and the United States’ first gold medal since 2015 and second since 2005 at the biennial event.

Tickets will go on-sale on Friday, Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. PT at AXS.com or by calling 888-9AXSTIX. Ticket information and hotel room information for the MGM Resorts Main Event can also be found at www.mgmresortsmainevent.com and on social media at @NeonHoopsLV.