The Grind Session has notified members of the media that they must pay $3,500 to film any of Spire Academy’s games this weekend at Marshall County High School.
Here is a copy of the e-mail that was sent to media members via Adam Zagoria:
Here's the email telling video outlets they must pay $3,500 to film LaMelo and @SpireBasketball this weekend in Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/XoiiorNxVr
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) January 17, 2019
It really is the Big Baller Beatdown…of your checking account.
Here’s an excerpt from Zagoria’s article:
If you want to film LaMelo Ball and his SPIRE Institute teammates this weekend at their event in Marshall County, Kentucky, you’ll have to pay $3,500 at the gate to do so.
Those who apply for video credentials for the event receive this email which reads, “All games are free to film except for the Spire Institute games. To film either of the 2 Spire Institute games, you will have to present $3,500 at the gate as per rules of the Big Baller Brand media credential.” One source said several video outlets had agreed to pay the fee.
The Big Baller Brand is run by LaVar Ball, and SPIRE (Ohio) features his youngest son LaMelo Ball, so LaVar and the BBB will be directly profiting off the talents of LaMelo and his teammates. The team also includes Michigan State commit Mark “Rocket” Watts and uncommitted 2020 forward Isaiah Jackson.
For the record, this is the same kind of e-mail that made us decide it wasn’t in our best interest to cover the Marshall County Hoop Fest, an event that we truly used to love attending.
Here’s a schedule for the weekend:
Big Baller Beatdown gets underway this weekend. Two days of elite talent, including the showdown between LaMelo Ball and Julian Newman, you won't want to miss this!
Live stream: https://t.co/V7fUxnKRi9
️Tickets: https://t.co/ZJkcepSpJO pic.twitter.com/zHgQXlYioh— The Grind Session (@thegrindsession) January 14, 2019
