This signature element of the monumental sports “district of play” initiative to empower young DCs through sport is starting this week
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Washington, DC – March 18, 2025 – The founder and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), Ted Leonsis, announced today the launch of the signature initiative “District dribbling», As part of the greater and in progress in the company’s“ gaming district ”. The District Dribble will deliver 29,000 basketball balls to 80 public schools throughout the district, providing each student from kindergarten to 5th Basketball and T-shirt. This event is part of the “District of Play” initiative of Monumental Sports, a transformative investment of several million dollars in the expansion of access to sports for young people and the creation of healthy and dynamic communities in Washington, DC
Ted Leonsis, whose vision of sports and monumental entertainment includes a double-line strategy to have a positive social impact said: “Growing up in Brooklyn, I remember the joy of receiving my first basketball and spending time in the Sunset Park courts. Or where they live. And Ted has long believed that a ball can change a life, which is why he co -produced the sports documentary, “Kicking It”, told by Colin Farrell.
“When children play sports, they gain confidence, build friendships and develop life skills such as teamwork and perseverance,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We know that being the sports capital does not only concern our professional teams – it is also a question of investing in our young people and making sports and leisure activities more accessible in our city. We are grateful that through District Dribble, Ted Leonsis and monumental sports help put sport and play at hand for more children. ”
On Thursday March 20, 2025Ted Leonsis will join Mayor Muriel Bowser,, DCPS public school chancellor Dr Lewis D. FerebeeAnd Ward 5 Council Member Zachary Parker has Browne Education Campus to Northeast DC to deliver the first 300 of the 29,000 basketball bullets of the NBA for regulation provided for each DC public schools (DCP) Pupil of primary school. The campaign uses a “District Dribble” brand double decker bus which will arrive at the Browne Education Campus carrying Ted Leonsis, Washington Wizards Jaylen Martin and striker JT Thor, Washington Mystics Forward Aaliyah Edwards and the goalkeeper Britney Sykes, and Capital City Go-FORWARD FORWARD FORWARD And Mouhamadou “Mo”, Taling Network of the Fronator of the Gueye Fronator, the Taling Network of Monumal Wizards and Mystics, and several other dignitaries.
The bus will arrive and deliver the t-shirts and basketball balls, which have been designed for the inner and outdoor game. They present the official Wizards logo and the team colors. This marks a pivotal moment in the exciting effort and on a community scale to empower young people, promote physical activity and offer safe game opportunities.
Delivery calendar
The basketball balloons will start delivery to 80 schools in the district on Thursday, March 20, at a rate of approximately five schools per day (excluding weekends). Monumental Sports Coordinate with DCPS to organize the delivery date and the schedule. DCPS is in contact with each schools in the distribution plan at each student and additional information on deliveries will be communicated to students and their parents directly from their school. The first basketball balls will be delivered from March 20th With additional deliveries that should take place in the coming days of school, ensuring that all students receive their time basketball balls for spring holidays.
The Dribble Dribble Bus will make deliveries during school days before returning to public traffic during the Cherry Blossom Festival weekend. Wizards and mystic brand vehicles will then continue the delivery schedule and use moving trucks if necessary.
About the game district
The game district initiative was launched by Monumental Sports in September 2024. The public-private partnership between Monumental Sports and the District to create a brand new Capital One arena included a robust community charitable component that Leonsis labeled “District of Play”. This program aims to create positive and accessible spaces so that young people play, grow and develop skills throughout life in sport, while engaging parents, coaches and local communities.
Monumental Sports, under the direction of Ted, was a coherent partner in the community supporting the great works of non -profit organizations such as Central Kitchen, Martha’s Table and dozens of others. Coming in the form of direct subsidies, donations in kind and volunteering to athletes and employees – that the necessary aid work will continue on several facets of the company.
In addition to that, this is a very special moment in the organization’s charitable work to make an important effort to transform access and opportunities in sports for young people while Capital Onena undergoes its own transformation. This event is intended to trigger the experience of pleasure, to create healthy habits and to offer students accessibility to play and develop their own relationship with sports to pay for life dividends.
This investment in DC young people extends far beyond basketball. In addition to basketball, the monumental game district initiative includes dozens of commitments. A few protruding facts below and a complete list can be found www.monumentalsports.com/districtofplay.
New 1 interior basketball shorts and 2 outdoors per year for the next four years
Build a new street hockey rink
Develop playgrounds in each of the 8 DC districts in the next 8 years
Support programming and sports scholarships for young people, including basketball for young DPRs, star Flag football and the children of Fort Dupont Ice Arena on Ice
Offer transport to rinks so that children learn to skate and try hockey
Invest in a local coaching infrastructure through clinics and partnerships with organizations such as the positive Coaches Alliance
Organize community events such as back -to -school hiking and Thanksgiving initiatives
So far, the game district has had an impact on more than 5,700 children since its launch in September 2024:
Capitals Youth Hockey introduced 1,200 children with ice skate and ball hockey through the Rink pass program and thanks to a partnership with Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Free excursions to local skating rinks for skating lessons and ball hockey rinks for practical education gives children the opportunity to deepen their commitment with sport.
Wizards and mystics Youth Basketball Subsidized the affiliations of the NBA League for the basketball leagues for young people from the Parks and Leisure Department, providing jerseys and offering free clinics at the start of the season, reaching more than 1,500 children.
Wizards welcomed a Free coach workshop in Entertainment & Sports Arena in district 8 where 150 coaches were formed, strengthening the basics of basketball at DC
Wizards welcomed a 3v3 tournament In Historic Barry Farm in district 8 in partnership with Hoop-IT-Up, impacting 100 players.
The wizards held freely or subsidized Gameday clinics serving more than 250 children.
The wizards held a open practice At the Thurgood Marshall Academy in the Southeast, DC attended 360 students.
Monumental organized a Hispanic Heritage Clinic for more than 30 participants in addition to basketball donations benefiting an entire school of nearly 300 students.
Wizards have teamed up with Bridges building on the other side of the river To support Midnight Basketball, a late evening program offering young people and young adults in district 8 a safe and committing recreational space on evenings on weekends. He attracted more than 60 players and 200 members of the community and the season will end with the finals and a closing ceremony organized by the Wizards in The Entertainment & Sports Arena on Saturday, December 21.
Monumental Sports has built a new playground at Huntwood Courts Ward 7 in partnership with Kaboom! And Washington Housing Conservancy. Designed by the children and families who will use it, the playground will serve more than 560 children.
Monumental sponsor Flag Star Football To finance three key initiatives:
Examination of scholarships:: 38% of children playing at RFK are on the stock market, and our support helps increase these opportunities.
Prepare future business leaders:: Since December, up to 120 young managers (high school athletes and college) have gathered for professional development sessions at the arena, hearing various sports business leaders around DMV for free, before attending a Capital or Wizards game for free.
Girls’ groces of girls: we expand offers for girls, which also serves as a basic project for our trainees between training sessions.
The wizards sponsored Basketball license in the United States for basketball coaches throughout the district. The United States’s free basketball license was sent to 83 DCPS schools, allowing 415 coaches to access licenses, as well as helping around 1,200 children in these schools.
The Mystics and the Women’s Sports Foundation organized a sports clinic for young people in American University For girls in the DC region aged 8 to 14, which participates in a variety of skills led by the Washington mystics and to student-athletes. During the clinic, WSF and MSE offered a workshop on parents helped educate the guards on the vital role they play to allow their children to prosper in sport.
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