Kickstarter

What's up Kickstarters! My name is Ben Stephens, I was the creator and producer of MTV's reality series "Who's Got Game" starring NBA legend Magic Johnson. I hope you enjoyed the video above and I'm truly thankful for your time. I have been living in the Los Angeles area for the past 14 years working in the entertainment industry. I have a new basketball project that I have created in which I need your support. I'm lucky enough to have been granted access to some of the best playground players on the planet and my goal is to showcase their skills to the world.

But before I fill you in on how you can help let me give you a brief project description.

What is the Blacktop Battle?

BTB is a 10-episode web series featuring elite streetball players as they battle 1on1 full court [45x60 court size] for a shot at the Blacktop Battle Championships world title. We will document these dynamic players as they clash in the most exciting 1on1 showdowns on the planet. World champions will be determined as they battle their way to the top putting their reputations and legacies on the line. It is the ultimate challenge where pure competition decides who will compete head to head for the title in the toughest 1on1 battle ever!

Blacktop Battle is the ultimate test of a champion. Played on a 45x60 foot full-court the game calls upon a players heart, will and all the desire he can muster in the longest 14-minutes of his life. Blacktop Battle comes from its ancestry of playground warriors competing man to man more than 60 years ago. In order to survive this war each player must display incredible speed, strength and stamina.

This web-series will put the top most talked about streetball athletes under the spotlight. It is a battle that turns challengers into champions. Billed as the UFC of street basketball, Blacktop Battle is where the best streetball athletes in the world prove it! This championship series will end all speculation of whose better by pitting the best against the best on the biggest and most exciting stage streetball has ever seen!

The games will consist of four (4) 3:30-minute quarters with a 1:00 minute rest between each period. There are NO Halftime and NO Timeouts. The player that accumulates the most points when time expires is declared the winner. All games are played under standard basketball rules and regulations with two certified referees controlling the action.

The 10-episode web series will give viewers an authentic bird’s eye view of what the sport of streetball is really about. It will showcase some of the most creative and innovative players to ever step on a basketball court.

Why I Joined KickStarter?

I joined Kickstarter because I wanted to produce this unique basketball project outside of the typical Hollywood studio system where I believe that you, the audience, fans and community would never be allowed to enjoy this concept the way it was originally conceived. Kickstarter is not an investment or charity but a platform that allows me to give you rewards in exchange for your donation.

Why is this project Important to me and the Community?

I my humble opinion the NBA doesn't feature the best 390 basketball players in the world. I believe they're players at your local playground that have the ability to play at the professional level. For some reason these ballers never got the opportunity to go to college or be seen by the right person. The Blacktop Battle is more then just basketball...your support will give these players a second chance and an opporunity of a lifetime.