2023 INDIA RISING: HISTORIC ESPN BASKETBALL TEAM

WHAT IS INDIA RISING?

India Rising is the home for brown athletes. On July 26, 2023, 12 Indian-origin professionals from around the globe will make history by competing in the highest-stakes basketball tournament in the world on ESPN. But there’s more to this story....

India Rising was created to show the world that brown ballers exist.

Our historic All-Star team represents a diverse pool from all corners of the world, with experience from the NBA, G League, NBL (England, Australia), USports (Canada), 3x3 Leagues, and multiple FIBA national teams.

India Rising needs to raise $15K by June 30, 2023 in order to participate in “The Basketball Tournament” (TBT) on ESPN. Without your funding, our team cannot exist.

WHY DO WE NEED YOUR HELP?

Any donation helps! If you’ve ever wanted to be an owner of a professional basketball team, now is your chance:

Your contributions will cover player (1) flights, (2) hotels, (3) transportation, (4) camera equipment, and (5) team uniforms.

All 64 of the TBT teams rely 100% on donations from fans to compete in the annual tournament. The Brown Ballers Foundation (EIN 92-1717997) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and contributions are tax-deductible.

Please check out our deck to view a list of sponsorship opportunities and unique perks (e.g., jersey patch, coaches polos, 1:1 AMA w/athletes) to see if there’s a package that makes the most sense for you! No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe

THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT on ESPN (JULY 2023)

India Rising is one of 64 teams competing in “The Basketball Tournament” (TBT). The TBT is a single-elimination, winner-take-all tournament on ESPN, watched by over 15M people globally,

Since launching in 2014, the TBT has hosted over 400 games, partnered with ESPN for global distribution, and paid out $10M in prizes.

Over 70+ players with NBA experience have competed, along with 30+ college alumni teams and international professionals from top leagues around the world.

THE DATA & REPRESENTATION MATTER

We have a problem with cultural stereotypes. This is a massive opportunity to redefine what it means to be brown. This is bigger than basketball

The assumption that we’re unathletic, or nerdy, quiet, shy, only want to pursue medicine or engineering - all stops now. India Rising was created to break the cultural stereotypes about brown people around the world.

There are 10.5M basketball players in India and it’s the most popular sport amongst the Indian-American and Indo-Canadian Diaspora.

There are over 60+ professional brown players today, competing in countries you’d never expect - Taiwan, Finland, Uruguay, Singapore, and New Zealand - with NBA, G League, and pro-FIBA experience.

OUR STORY

We’ve already built a team of experts from Hollywood to Bollywood to tell the INDIA RISING story on a global stage.

To have a multi-generational impact, just playing is not enough - we need to document this team’s journey. Our influencers love this game, from Hasan Minhaj and Ranveer Singh, to Lily Singh and Tesher.

We will produce a sports docuseries, similar to Drive to Survive or The Last Dance, which is why your investment and impact reach far more than just this summer.

View our trailer here!

Another Chip On Our Shoulder:

As brown athletes & entrepreneurs we know a lot about facing adversity, it's a part of our DNA and story. As we navigate this journey of building Brown Ballers we know we will face many ups and downs. We want to share another example of a massive challenge we just faced this June.

Click here to view the full article and news coverage

We were set to play in the World Vision Cup, a basketball tournament that brings teams from all over the world to compete. We were promised many things from the organizers such as high-level competition, hotels, flights and much more. As we continue to show the world brown athletes exist, this was another great opportunity for us to compete and show that.

Unfortunately, 13 hours after arriving and going through our first practice, the tournament organizers told us the tournament was canceled.

We were stuck in Kansas City. Our players and coaches had flown in from all over the world to compete in this tournament. We’re out $$$ with sunk costs. This financial loss was a tough one for us as it affects the foundation's ability to continue helping push brown athletes into the limelight. Players, who already don't have much money, had to eat the costs of their flights. Your support means the world to us and we need you now more than ever.

Other Ways You Can Help

Even if you can’t contribute financially, that doesn't mean you can't help :) Help us get the word out by sharing this campaign on social media and tagging Brown Ballers! (@brownballers) - Click here to view our Instagram!

Thanks for your support and RISE UP!

INDIA RISING