Bars & Nightlife Business Development Community Deal Family Featured Music & Events Sports Fara Illich July 28, 2016

Valley-Oop-Graphic
Since DoubleDutch officially posted up in Downtown Phoenix April 4, the San Francisco-based mobile event and conference company has adjusted to being the new kid in town — and now they’re ready to start making friends.
With a new 3-on-3 basketball tournament called Valley-Oop! on Friday, Aug. 19, DoubleDutch plans to rally startups, entrepreneurs and innovators for a friendly co-ed competition at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

And of course, DoubleDutch will be powering the event through their own live engagement mobile platform. Fans will be able to network, share updates on the action and figure out the standings — all by the touch of a button.

For those interested in getting off the bench and into the game, this is a rare opportunity to play on the same court as the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, and for those interested in hanging, this will be a VIP experience with lawn games, food, beer, a thrilling halftime contest and plenty of photo ops.

talking-stick

The Valley-Oop! 3-on-3 basketball tournament will be hosted at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Aug. 19. (Photo: Fara Illich)


But really, like any good pick-and-roll play, it’s all about building relationships.
“We found an inclusive community of startup entrepreneurs and community leaders that have been incredibly warm and generous to us,” Lawrence Coburn, co-founder and CEO, wrote on the DoubleDutch blog.
This event captures that spirit of connectedness and collaboration, which Phoenix is known for — and was one of the driving forces behind DoubleDutch’s move here.
It also helps that Coburn likes basketball.
“When DoubleDutch first was introduced into the Phoenix startup community, we noticed that it was quite robust, yet geographically dispersed across the Valley,” said Jackie Roberts, general manager and “head cheerleader” at DoubleDutch. “We came up with the idea for the Valley-Oop! to bring the startup community together.”
So far, companies like Galvanize, Tuft & Needle, Uber, Allbound, Crowd Mics, WebPT, Picmonic and State Forty Eight have all signed on — and are bringing their A-game. Mayor Greg Stanton and a City of Phoenix team will also be there to represent.
Registration is limited to startups, partnering organizations and tech companies, but the business networking community is welcome to attend, and it’s all for a great cause. Proceeds benefit Startup Arizona Foundation, which focuses on empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs through connectivity, capital and workforce support.
The idea is to bring new talent, new ideas, and new people together on the same court, fostering collaboration, philanthropy and fun times.
In addition to the headquarters in San Francisco and offices in Asia, Europe and the UK, ­­­­ 17 DoubleDutch employees (15 of whom are local) are now comfortably nestled in their new home atop the Monroe Building, and they want to make the Downtown Phoenix tech community as inclusive and fun as possible.
With the help of partnering organizations like the Phoenix Community and Economic Development DepartmentDowntown Phoenix Inc. and Phoenix Community Alliance, the tournament is sure to spur some lighthearted smack talk and limitless high fives.
What: Valley-Oop! 2016
When: Friday, Aug. 19 from 2-8 p.m.
Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena
How much: $5 to watch $175/team to play – click here for more info