New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba announced today that the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour will be coming to Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 16th. Presented by Mountain Dew Code Red, the tour features many of the top street basketball players in the United States.

“I am thrilled to welcome the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour to New York City,” said Commissioner Podziba. “This exciting event is a wonderful opportunity for the nation’s greatest street basketball players to demonstrate their incredible skills against New York’s finest players at Madison Square Garden.”

The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour has featured some of the best streetball players in the country, including streetball legend and current NBA player Rafer Alston. The 2004 tour began on June 3rd in Fresno, CA and will culminate in Washington, DC on August 21st, visiting a total of 30 cities throughout the tour. Each tour stop consists of a free Open Run followed by a ticketed Mix Tape game, which features the AND 1 team. The current tour will feature well-known players from New York City including “Half Man-Half Amazing” (Brooklyn), “Alimoe” (Harlem), and “Shane the Dribbling Machine” (Bronx), as well as special guest appearances by Alston at select events.

“The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour is the preeminent streetball tour in the world,” said Ron Scotarczak, Vice President of Entertainment for AND 1. “Coming to New York City, the Mecca of street basketball, and Madison Square Garden, ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena,’ should make for a very compelling event.”

Basketball players from all over the Big Apple will have the opportunity to play streetball outside the Garden in front of thousands during the Open Run. Participants will have a chance to win a place on the 2005 AND 1 Mix Tape® Tour, an endorsement contract and be featured on the third season of “Street Ball: The AND 1 Mix Tape® Tour presented by Mountain Dew Code Red” on ESPN this summer. The Open Run is a series of non-stop basketball games during which New York talent take to the court to try to earn a spot on the AND 1 Mix Tape® Tour roster. The Open Run/Expo is a free event and will be held from 4:00 – 6:30pm on 33rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Participants must be at least 18 years old or must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

AND 1’s series of basketball videos known as the ‘AND 1 Mix Tapes’ have been well received by basketball fans everywhere. After more than a year of giving away the mix tapes featuring footage of little known local players paired with new hip-hop music, AND 1 took the show on the road for a three-city test. Now, five years later, the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour has reached over 338,000 basketball fans and elevated the Mix Tape Tour players’ popularity worldwide.

Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office, or through Ticketmaster either by calling (212) 307-7171 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

The New York City Sports Commission ensures the continuation and growth of a healthy environment for professional, amateur and scholastic sports activities in New York City. In recent years, the Sports Commission has played a role in attracting or creating many new sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square, the BMC Software NYC Cycling Championships, Senior Men's Tennis Championship, Let Freedom Run and The Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race. The agency is also working with NYC2012 to bring the Olympic Games to The World's Second Home™.

Contacts:

Mandy Murphy (AND 1) (610) 420-4664
Marc Mugnos (New York City Sports Commission) (212) 487-5663