IN CASE THEY GET SLAMMED: SlamBall is coming! SlamBall is coming! The teams have been stocked with big-time athletes and bruisers and they are going to be risking life and limb. No joke. To that end, the league has worked diligently on its health and safety protocol program for the coming 2023 SlamBall League: Series Six season, which begins July 21 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. … The protocols are designed to make sure all athletes are receiving the best proactive health and wellness care and prevention without sacrificing any of their elite skills.
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“We are a legitimate sport first and foremost, and the health and safety of our exemplary athletes is priority one,” said Mason Gordon, SlamBall co-founder. “Having been in and around SlamBall since its inception, our leadership team knows the risks and the challenges these athletes are dealing with every minute they are on the court.e are proud to have been able to address the concerns and challenges of such a high flying, action packed sport by making sure we have the right protocols and best practices in place. This makes sure that our sport is beyond reproach for anyone participating or watching as we head toward the launch on July 21.”
- All players protective equipment include: Elbow pads, knee pads, padded combat shirt, ankleroll guards/ankle braces, and custom padded and fitted head gear.
- In the event of a blow to the head SlamBall’s on-site certified athletic training team will put players through an extensive concussion evaluation protocol. Without exception, players must be medically cleared before returning to play or practice.
- Players must undergo daily health and safety screenings with trained medical personnel. Injury status is updated daily and shared with coaches and executives.
- Timeouts for any injury during play will be at the discretion of the medical staff once the officials have stopped play. Players can return only when cleared by the SlamBall medical team.
- In addition to the 7-man roster, there are four players on a taxi squad who are available to any team needing to add a player due to injury. A coach may also elect to keep a player from the taxi squad in this situation and assign a different player to IR as he rehabs and returns to health. The safety of active players remains the priority, with the rosters adjusting for athletes that are cleared and able to play.
- No athletes will be able to participate in practice or games unless cleared by the medical team.
- Updates on injuries will be provided to fans/media during the regular season as needed and as approved by medical personnel and in accordance with HIPAA rules.
SLAM TV: Opening Night for the return of SlamBall is Friday, July 21, at 7pm ET and it will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN. The broadcast will include three games, beginning with Rumble vs. Mob and continuing with Slashers vs. Lava, and concluding with a showdown between the winners of each match. ESPN+ will air the entire season of games beyond those on ESPN and ESPN2. The season culminates with the SlamBall Championship Game on Thursday, August 17, at 11pm ET on ESPN2.