The World Jai-Alai League (WJAL) recently held its Battle Court Spring 2024 Season Draft on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The home court is MC Fronton is Miami, Florida.
The Draft event unveiled the player lineups for the six teams competing over the upcoming 16-week season, including the addition of an expansion team, the Fireballs, to the League's Battle Court roster and a fresh realignment of team owners for the upcoming season, starting on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m.
The WJAL has seen a surge of interest in the past year, bringing on notable ambassadors, investors and team owners including Grammy Award-winning recording artist and entrepreneur Armando Christian Pérez, known as Pitbull, retired NFL legends Ray Lewis and Lawrence Taylor and retired three-time NBA champion Udonis Haslem.
"After a year marked by an extraordinary surge of growth and interest, we are proud to announce the latest lineup of team owners and the newest team of the Battle Court franchise," said Scott Savin, chief operating officer of the World Jai-Alai League. "The next season promises to be more phenomenal than the last. With six new players, we are continually looking to raise the level of talent and the stakes on the court."
Spring 2024 team owners include retired NFL legends, Ray Lewis and Lawrence Taylor, as co-owners of the Warriors; three-time NBA champion Udonis Haslem as owner of the Renegades; Chris Cote, the longtime producer of the "Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,' as owner of the Cyclones alongside Mike Ryan; K. Marie "La Gringa Más Latina" from TU 94.9FM and Grammy Award-winning recording artist Maffio as owners of the Devils; Lifestyle Miami and Mister Red as owners of the Chargers; and WJAL as owner of the Fireballs.
The addition of the Fireballs will increase the WJAL's roster to 36 athletes, twice the number the league started with in 2018. The 2024 roster features a lineup of both American and international pelotaris, considered among the best jai-alai players in the world.
Battle Court Spring 2024 Season Draft picks: (Listed by courtside names)
Team Name | Chargers | Cyclones | Devils | Fireballs | Renegades | Warriors |
Round 1 | Zulaika | Manu | Olharan | Inaki | Goixerri | Douglas |
Round 2 | Iturbide | Lopez | Jairo | Foronda | Aratz | Nicolas |
Round 3 | Benny | Carballo | Urbieta | Amigorena | Goenaga | Manny |
Round 4 | Ubilla | Ikeda | Robin | Hernandez | Arta | Julen |
Round 5 | Bradley | Bueno | Roque | Cabrera | Ben | Correa |
Round 6 | El Barba | Flores | CRB | Jeden | Joseph | Williams |
WJAL matches are viewable during the competitive season on Jai-Alai TV (www.jaialai.live), via the Jai-Alai app and at www.watchjaialai.com. Battle Court matches are available on DraftKings and BetRivers for wagering in 17 states including Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Battle Court gamedays take place at the Magic City Fronton's glass-walled court at 450 NW 37 Ave. in Miami. Gamedays are open to the public on Fridays (7 p.m.) and can be viewed via live broadcast only on Mondays and Tuesdays (5 p.m.) from Feb. 2 through May 17. Battle Court games are viewable on ESPN+, Jai-Alai TV (www.jaialai.live), the Jai-Alai app (downloadable on Apple App Store and Google Playstore) and www.watchjaialai.com.
About World Jai-Alai League
The World Jai-Alai League is dedicated to revamping the once renowned sport of jai-alai across the globe by modernizing gameplay, capitalizing on the exploding international sports wagering market, and delivering the sport through social media to a new generation of fans.
For more information, go to www.jaialaiworld.com.
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