NEW YORK, N.Y., Aug. 26, 2011 /New York Netwire/ — Sky Ball League (www.skyballleague.com), an exciting, no-holds-barred next generation coed pro sport, airs the first part of the series semi-finals Saturday, August 27 at 10:30 a.m. on Sports New York across New York State. Sky Ball League is also seen nationally on DirecTV (see listings for dates and times).
Sky Ball is an extremely competitive and spirited combination of basketball, baseball and volleyball, with a little lacrosse thrown in. The game uses Sky Balls and smash gloves and is played on a court with goals set at each end that consist of three scoring pads raised 12 feet – 17 feet above the court. Game highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNMo5S_FQto .
Slightly larger than a softball and constructed of a special combination of plastic and rubber material that is pumped with oxygen and helium, Sky Balls are capable of bouncing up to 75 feet. Besides the requisite physical dexterity, the challenge to players is that they must not only excel in controlling the ball, but the skillful manipulation of a challenging piece of equipment.
Brian Dunkleman, one of the original co-hosts of American Idol, hosts the 16 episodes in the Sky Ball League series. “Age knows no bounds in this energetic game,” says Brian Kessler, designer of the Sky Ball and co-creator, along with sports executive Danny Swartz, of the Sky Ball League. “Across the entire league, this season’s players range between 18 and 39, and neither age nor gender has made a bit of difference on how well anyone plays. They’re all talented athletes.”
The teams battling it out in this portion of the semi-finals are the Tampa Dragons and the Los Angeles 405s. Previously taped in L.A., the Dragons consist of 5 male and 3 female Tampa locals, and 7 males and 1 female form the L.A. 405s. Players from both teams were selected from over 500 hopefuls to compete in the first season of this already popular next generation coed sport.
The four teams that were formed and are competing in the first season of Sky Ball League, http://www.skyballleague.com, are the Tampa Dragons, Austin Starz, Youngstown Ballers and Los Angeles 405s. The final episode in the series will feature the remaining two teams standing, who will compete in the Tournament of Champions in Los Angeles. This final smackdown determines who gets the winner’s purse of $40,000. The Sky Ball League MVP will pocket an additional $5,000.
