NickSports USA To Debut New Basketball Documentary On Wednesday 26th November 2014

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting the exciting news in the following article that Nickelodeon USA will host the world TV premiere of "Little Ballers", a brand-new sports documentary that centers on a group of 11-year-old basketball players in New York City's Amateur Athletic Union, an inner-city springboard for potential NBA talent, on Wednesday 26th November 2014 at 9:00pm, as part of Nicktoons USA's recently launched NickSports programming block!

'Little Ballers' - FYI Brand Communications

The 81-minute doc is set against the backdrop of New York City, shining a spotlight on the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) as a feeding ground to potential NBA stardom. Featuring interviews with NBA and WNBA stars including Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Joakim Noah, Walt Frazier, Tyson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Chamique Holdsclaw, Little Ballers follows four 11-year-old boys and their legendary coach as they set out to win an AAU National Championship. For these boys, basketball is more than a game; it offers them hope. The movie is directed by Crystal McCrary and executive produced by Lupe Fiasco and Stoudemire.

From THR:

Lupe Fiasco-Produced Sports Doc 'Little Ballers' to Air in November (Exclusive)

Also produced by Knicks player Amar'e Stoudemire, the doc centers on four 11-year-old basketball players in NYC's Amateur Athletic Union

Nickelodeon has set an airdate for Little Ballers.

The sports documentary — centering on a group of 11-year-old basketball players in New York City's Amateur Athletic Union, an inner-city springboard for potential NBA talent — will air on Nicktoons on Nov. 26 at 9 p.m., during the newly-established NickSports block.

The 81-minute doc, which also explores basketball among today's black youth, is directed by Crystal McCrary and executive produced by Lupe Fiasco and New York Knicks player Amar'e Stoudemire. It features interviews with NBA and WNBA stars including Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Joakim Noah, Walt Frazier, Tyson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Chamique Holdsclaw, as well as HBO Sports svp Kery Davis, Black Enterprise president and CEO Butch Graves, Relativity Sports vp Travis King, and journalists Pablo S. Torre, William C. Rhoden and Roland Martin, among others.

"I wanted to executive produce Little Ballers because I once was a little baller," Stoudemire tells The Hollywood Reporter. "It made a major impact on my life, helped me to become a better man and a better leader. Youth sports are very important for children — there are so many lessons to learn that impacts their lives forever. Sports help build character, discipline and teamwork, which are all important aspects for the future."

Watch a promo below, featuring the Little Ballers cast and Kobe Bryant.

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Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products Confirms Plans To Open Nickelodeon Shop In London, UK's Leicester Square

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) UK and Ireland have today, Monday 6th October 2014, announced and confirmed the amazing Nickelodeon UK News that they have partnered with Florida-based Entertainment Retail Enterprises to open a range of Nickelodeon-branded retail stores in London, UK, beginning in the second quarter of 2015 with the opening of NVCP flagship specialty Nickelodeon Shop at Criterion Capital's One Leicester Square!

Pictured: Exterior rendering of the Nickelodeon Shop/Nick Shop at One Leicester Square

The multi-level outlet — to be followed by other stores in 2015 and 2016 — will include multimedia and interactive elements allowing visitors to engage with Nickelodeon properties, including "SpongeBob SquarePants", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Dora the Explorer". Product from a select group of global licensees will be showcased in the store. Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products' deal with Entertainment Retail Enterprises builds on an existing partnership and join Nickelodeon's other two international destinations in Panama and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which opened this year. A second Saudi outlet is due to launch in Jeddah by the end of 2014 and another one in Moscow in 2015. Also under the expanded pact, Nickelodeon and Entertainment Retail Enterprises will open additional Nickelodeon-branded stores in "key global markets and premier tourist destinations around the world."

Nickelodeon's deal with Entertainment Retail Enterprises has been extended to cover Nickelodeon Store openings across five continents.

Announcing the London location, Ron Johnson, the Executive Vice President (EVP) of Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products, said: "Leicester Square is one of the best known tourism destinations in one of the greatest cities in the world and is an absolutely ideal location for an iconic brand like Nickelodeon. I am really excited that London is joining our growing roster of international retail destinations, helping to drive growth in the branded retail space for the Nickelodeon brand internationally in partnership with ERE."

Tina Calvo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Entertainment Retail Enterprises, added: "We are proud to be Nickelodeon International's stand-alone retail partner. Stores in Panama and Riyadh have proven successful and highlighted the global appeal of the Nickelodeon properties. The London flagship store will elevate our efforts. We're looking forward to building on our success to date with flagship stores, mall stores and other retail solutions in key global markets. Nickelodeon is a unique partner with properties that appeal across all demographics. We will leverage their powerhouse portfolio and global brand equity to create a true destination for the entire family."

Additionally, the building has consent for hotel use and Nickelodeon is said to be considering running a branded hotel concept, similar to the successful Nickelodeon Suites Resort (Nick Hotel) in Orlando, Florida, USA! Plans for the Nickelodeon hotel are under discussion after Criterion won planning permission this month for a 142-room hotel in the same block as the new shop.

Sources: World Screen, The Hollywood Reporter, Kidscreen.

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