Ice Cube launched his the Big3 Basketball League this season to massive ratings. Since its debut, ratings have fallen, but not enough for Fox to pull the plug completely.
On Wednesday, they announced they’d come to terms on a one-year extension to continue broadcasting Big3 games.
The news means that Ice Cube and some of the most recognizable names of basketballs yesteryear will stick around just a while longer. With the championship of their first game around the corner, doubt existed if the league would last long enough to crown a champion again next year.
Fox Sports executive David Nathanson had this to say in the official statement released by Fox:
“We think we have something great with the BIG3 and are thrilled to add another year to our partnership,” said Nathanson. “In its inaugural year, the league provided competitive, entertaining basketball that really resonated with fans, as evidenced by its television ratings on FS1 and packed arenas across the country.”
The Big3 plays its games during a relatively dead time of year for sports. While most of the year has several leagues running concurrently, the summer has been dominated by Major League Baseball for as long as anyone can remember.
While ratings for the show have leveled off, they’re still doing significantly better than the UFC reruns that they have replaced on the airwaves. They’ll need to see a sustained boost in year two if they want another extension though. Like any fledgling league, it’ll be touch-and-go for the first few years they are in existence.
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