MUMBAI: Steve Rifkind, who is responsible for breaking in many of the biggest artists in music, has partnered with ABL founder Steve Haney, to brand and promote the United States’ first ever FIBA rules professional basketball league.
The American Basketball League will commence its inaugural 24 game season in January 2013 and will field a 12 team league set to challenge the recent economic and rather public failings of current minor league basketball organizations. Initial ABL markets include; Miami, San Antonio, San Marcos, Sugarland, College Station, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Sebring, and Corpus Christi. Future expansion is scheduled for California and New York.
Rifkind, one of America’s top music moguls, was the founder of Loud Records, which he sold to Sony in 1999, and currently is the president of SRC. In his distinguished 25 years in the business, Rifkind has long been associated with such artists as; New Edition, Akon, Wu Tang Clan, Three Six Mafia, Big Pun, Xzibit, David Banner, Melanie Fiona and others. In addition to managing the careers of many of the biggest names in music, Rifkind has also launched numerous high profile national marketing campaigns for such companies as; Nike, T-Mobile and HBO. By all accounts, Steve Rifkind has long been one of the most powerful names in the entertainment business.
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Haney rose to national prominence through his representation of NBA Hall of Fame basketball icons Magic Johnson and Dominique Wilkins. In 1999, Haney spearheaded Magic Johnson’s well publicized comeback to basketball by negotiating a landmark licensing deal between the Laker great and European club team M7 Boras. During that time, Haney served as Vice President and General Counsel of Magic Johnson International, which included representing Magic Johnson’s European business interests. In 2005, Haney continued his historic accomplishments in the world of International basketball by coordinating the return of NBA Hall of Fame basketball player Dominique Wilkins to Athens, Greece. As the personal attorney to Wilkins, Haney negotiated his appearance at the Greek League All Star Game, marking Wilkins’ first return to Greece after leading his former club team Panathanaikos to the 1996 Euroleague Championship.
The combination of Rifkind and Haney arguably equates one of the most experienced and powerful partnerships in American minor league sports history.
Haney said, “Steve Rifkind is a pioneer of not only American music, but American culture. Combining our experiences and networks will create a professional basketball product never seen before in America.”
In conjunction with the ABL, Haney and Rifkind have launched an apparel division to be headed up by long-time Haney associate Dave Klink. The apparel division will focus on merchandising and branding efforts targeting domestic and global markets.
Rifkind said, “Integrating the worlds of entertainment and basketball poses a challenge to make sports history. The ABL offers a platform to present an entertainment product which will integrate the US and global basketball worlds. Our vision could change the course of professional basketball.”
