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СпутникиРНSpaceXРоскосмосNASAThe Big3 basketball league, co-founded by Ice Cube (real name O’Shea Jackson Sr.) and Jeff Kwatinetz, is set to become the first publicly traded U.S. professional sports league via a $290 million merger with Graf Global Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). After the merger, the combined entity will be renamed Big3...
The Big3 basketball league, co-founded by Ice Cube (real name O’Shea Jackson Sr.) and Jeff Kwatinetz, is set to become the first publicly traded U.S. professional sports league via a $290 million merger with Graf Global Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
After the merger, the combined entity will be renamed Big3 Basketball Holdings, Inc. Management intends to list the company on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE American, or Nasdaq in the fourth quarter of 2026. The ticker symbol will be TONT, which represents three-on-three.
Key upcoming milestones for the Big3 include obtaining regulatory approval and finalizing the business combination with Graf Global Corp. Before the 2026 public listing, the league plans to expand its franchise model by selling more city-based teams and will focus on financial disclosures and investor relations.
READ ALSO: Dwight Howard Joins Ice Cube’s BIG3 Basketball League
The move allows fans to purchase shares in the league and be part owners with a vested interest in its potential growth, a process that has historically only been open to institutional investors or billionaires.
When the company is listed, its shares will be available to the public through the major online brokerage platforms. Fans can buy and sell Big3 stock with new or existing brokerage accounts, using the traditional rules of publicly traded companies.
“You can’t participate in the upside of the team besides winning,” Ice Cube said in an interview with Bloomberg. “And we need the fans for the league to be successful, so it’s a match made in heaven.”
“Going public is our next step,” Ice Cube also noted in a statement. “This lifts us to a bigger stage, accelerates our international potential, and gives our fans a way to grow with us, support us, and participate in our success.” According to a Business Wire press release, Mark King will join the BIG3 as Chairman of the Board, while Ice Cube continues as chief executive officer. Sean Bannon will still be president, and Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler will remain as commissioner.
While TKO Group Holdings has been public since September 2023, the Big3’s move is pioneering as major leagues like the NBA, NFL, and MLB remain private. This shift to public ownership is significant. Despite Black athletes comprising roughly 70% of NBA rosters, Black ownership at the league level is still rare.
READ ALSO: Here is how Ice Cube’s Big3 basketball league sold its first team in $10 million deal
By taking the Big3 public, Ice Cube and Kwatinetz bypass traditional venture capital channels and create direct opportunities for Black investors, fans, and communities to build generational wealth through sports equity.
The CEO of Graf Global Corp., James Graf, highlighted how difficult it is for average investors to obtain sports stocks.
“There are few, if any, opportunities for public markets investors to own equity directly in professional sports leagues or teams,” Graf said in a press statement. “We believe such investments may deliver uncorrelated returns over time, especially seeing the appreciation of team values and the growth of sports advertising across media.”
The Big3 is moving from a touring model to city-based teams. It sold its first local franchise in Los Angeles to DCB Sports in 2024 for $10 million. Looking forward, the league intends to add more city-based franchises, eyeing big metropolitan markets such as New York, Chicago, Miami, and Houston. The expansion is designed to build local fan bases and support long-term growth by entering markets with strong basketball cultures.
The ninth season kicks off June 20 in Los Angeles with four games, including Detroit Amps vs. DMV Trilogy and LA Riot vs. Miami 305. The championship game will take place on August 22 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Black Enterprise reported.
READ ALSO: Selena Gomez reveals why her childhood crush was Ice Cube