Big3, the US professional three-on-three basketball league co-founded by rapper Ice Cube, has seen increases in television viewership and live attendance in its sixth season.
Its week one viewership averaged 483,000 on June 25, while week two averaged 501,000 in early July. The third week drew 525,000, and week four attracted 600,000.
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The fourth week in Memphis earned a 0.31 rating and its 600,000 average during the league's three-and-a-half-hour broadcast window represents a 46% increase from the 412,000 viewers and 0.26 rating in the same weekend time slot last year.
In the same time slot, BIG3 topped the NBA summer league on ESPN (309,000 viewers) and baseball's MLB on FS1 (369,000).
BIG3 co-founder Ice Cube said: "We're thrilled to see this continued interest and growth as we start season six. It's a testament to the highly competitive and entertaining product we put on the court each week. This season is the best yet."
The league also claims that attendance has rebounded following two seasons impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. The first three weeks in Chicago, Dallas, and New York drew close to 30,000 fans in total, with crowds averaging over 9,000 per event.
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By GlobalDataLeague co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz added: "Our fans have been eager to get back to experiencing the Big3 in person. Their energy and excitement have been palpable in each city so far."
The Big3 season continues on Sunday (July 23) at the Kaseya Center in Miami, followed by Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, and Washington D.C. for the playoffs, while the championship and all-star games will be played at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom, on August 26.
Big3 games are broadcast on CBS, Paramount+, and TV.BIG3.COM.
Earlier this month, Big3 announced the return of energy drinks brand Monster Energy as a sponsor for the 2023 season.
Under the deal, Monster will retain naming rights for the Big3 celebrity game on August 25, and its logo will continue to have a major presence during all Big3 games on the court itself and along the stanchion of the basketball hoop.
Image: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for BIG3
