Amit Bajaj Joins the BIG3 as CEO at a Time of Rapid Growth
BIG3 announced today that the professional 3-on-3 basketball league founded by producer, actor and music legend Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz recently added Amit Bajaj as its CEO. His appointment to CEO comes at a time of tremendous growth for the league, which recently announced its broadcast deal with CBS as well as its expansion from eight to twelve teams set to play in a total of 18 cities this summer.
“When we thought about adding to BIG3’s exec team, we knew the only way to do it was to find someone whose love of sports matches their love of and feel for culture,” said Ice Cube. “BIG3 has always been about blending sports with innovation when it comes to entertainment and the way fans experience the game. Amit has that same kind of vision.”
“We got to know Amit as we worked with him to evaluate several deals and transactions the league has considered,” said Jeff Kwatinetz. “But even more important than his business acumen, Amit espouses the values we consider crucial — a commitment to diversity, a belief in player empowerment, and an integrity of the highest degree.”
Bajaj joins BIG3 from Centerview Partners where he was a Partner and provided advice and counsel to many prominent media and technology companies. Previously, he was a senior member of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s investment banking practice, covering a wide range of clients in various industries. He joins the BIG3’s executive leadership team which includes Co-Founders Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz, Chairman of the Board Amy Trask, and Commissioner Clyde Drexler.
“As an observer and fan of the BIG3 over the past two years, I’ve been continuously impressed with the leadership team’s visionary ideas and ability to think outside the box in the midst of creating a brand new sports league that has already seen resounding success,” Amit Bajaj said. “Being in a position to help accomplish the executive team’s goals and shape the league’s continued growth is truly an honor and a dream come true.”