Presented by SPALDING®, the NBPA Training Ground provides a virtual learning experience for youth basketball players of all skill levels

*For a look at the action, check out this video*

NEW YORK, NY, May 27, 2020 -- Famer, the sports coaching and mentorship mobile platform, today announced a landmark partnership with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) which will allow professional players and elite trainers and coaches to create and share custom personal training videos and communicate with kids and their parents for free. Hosted on the NBPA Training Ground channel on Famer, these custom videos will feature drills and skill training as well as strength and conditioning workouts. Youth players will also be able to upload their own videos on the interactive platform and receive direct feedback from the best players and trainers in the world. Today marks the launch of this partnership in the US which will expand to reach a larger global audience in the coming months.

The NBPA Training Ground will be presented by Spalding, and its initial launch will feature videos and training with NBPA members including Aaron Gordon, Andre Drummond and others as well as with NBA-level trainers such as Chris Matthews and Tim and Ross Burns.

“The current issue of social distancing in youth sports also brings the opportunity for innovation and engagement with kids in a truly unique way,” said Famer CEO Rich Abend. “This partnership with the NBPA is a great example of how to bring curated communication and training from the world’s best athletes and trainers directly to kids via their mobile phones.  It will help kids stay active and connected through COVID-19 but also will continue to grow in the coming months and years for athletes of every skill level around the world.”

“Over the last few years, our NBPA youth camps and training clinics have given us the opportunity to make a positive impact in grassroots basketball in major cities like New York and Los Angeles,” said Dan Gladstone, SVP of Grassroots Basketball & Business Development for THINK450, the for-profit arm of the NBPA. “This collaboration with Famer allows us and our members to digitally connect with the larger grassroots basketball community throughout this pandemic, and also expand our reach and impact globally in the long term. We look forward to having kids of all ages and skill levels train with us and to finding ways to continue to innovate with our players and brand partners."

“Since entering the league, I’ve come to really appreciate the importance of the fundamentals I learned as a kid,” said Aaron Gordon, whose instructional videos will be available on the NBPA Training Ground. “While in-person youth camps and clinics are temporarily paused, I’m excited that I can still help kids train and pass along some of the tips and drills that I have picked up throughout my basketball career."

“Spalding is excited to partner with Famer and the NBPA to bring this program to young athletes all over,” said Jack Marquardt, VP Brand Communications for Spalding. “This partnership will enable aspiring players to have access to professional-level training at their fingertips, allowing them an opportunity to develop the skills necessary to take their game to the next level. Spalding is a proud sponsor of this program and hopes that this will continue to ignite the players’ passion for the game.”

Information on the NBPA Training Ground program can be found at www.nbpa.com/grassroots or on the Famer App, available for download here.

All media inquiries should be directed to communications@nbpa.com.

About Famer:

Famer is a sports coaching & mentorship mobile platform that enables team and personal training programs with interactive feedback between athletes and their coaches/club. It is community for a sports club/organization, coach or trainer to host and distribute a library of custom training content. It provides an extension and enhancement of training curriculum resulting in better performance. Famer also provides deeper engagement between club, coaches, parents, and athletes resulting in greater retention; it is interactive where kids can send in video and also choose specific curated video. The coaches review each submitted segment and provide real time instruction. Sports include lacrosse, soccer, baseball/softball, basketball, hockey and volleyball, and are being ramped up to include football and tennis soon. Overall, Famer is supporting the youth sports industry in the following  ways: Providing their platform to sports clubs/organizations to load up their own private communities and content to continue the training and communication with their athletes. Keep the engagement, encouragement, and the kids on track while they’re stuck at home or unable to meet as a group - kids are already hunkering down and playing video games and the training momentum is broken. Providing “off the shelf” curated content in select sports (Lacrosse, Soccer and Basketball) with current best in class experts/influencers that can be distributed and utilized by clubs/orgs, teams, and individual consumers. Providing coaches/trainers a chance to augment their lost earnings in private/group training - We want to keep coaches/trainers coaching to avoid a significant loss of revenue. Details are at The site is famer.us

About the NBPA:

The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, or counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.

About Spalding:

SPALDING® is the largest basketball equipment brand in the world. SPALDING® is the official basketball of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the official backboard of the NBA and NCAA Final Four. The SPALDING® trademark is owned by Russell Brands, LLC. For more information, visit www.spalding.com.

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