The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Position Sports announced today Heart of the Game presented by Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers, a community initiative led by Vegas For Athletes to provide free cardiovascular screenings for local youth athletes during Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas on November 2-3.
The program will offer 500+ young athletes a complimentary heart screening over the course of two days, a pair of tickets (for child and parent) to attend the November 3 games, and a sponsor-provided giveaway. Screenings, which will be conducted by QT Medical ECG devices and take an estimated 10 seconds, will take place in dedicated, private areas at WODE Athletic Center (Nov. 2) and inside T-Mobile Arena (Nov. 3) and will be supervised by licensed medical professionals. Results are overread by Dr. Ricardo Samson, a board-certified pediatric cardiologist and electrophysiologist at Children’s Heart Center Nevada. Results will be delivered to families within 7-10 business days. This will mark the largest number of heart screenings conducted by Vegas For Athletes over a two-day period and be the first screenings held at a live sporting event.
“We’ve seen too many young athletes collapse without warning, including four kids here in Las Vegas in just the past two years, and every one of those stories reminds us why this work matters,” said Troy Roques, Executive Director of Vegas For Athletes. “Our goal is simple: make heart screenings as routine as a physical before every season, turning those four tragedies into thousands of preventions. We’re grateful to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Position Sports for helping us use this platform to protect our youth and give parents peace of mind.”
Heart of the Game was created to raise awareness about undetected heart conditions that can lead to Sudden Cardiac Arrest, where an estimated 1 in 300 young people unknowingly live with such a condition.
In addition to heart screenings, participating athletes will be recognized during the event, and heart health messaging will be integrated throughout the game’s promotions, sponsor activations, and social media campaigns.
“It’s an honor for us to be involved with such a worthwhile cause,” said Melissa Meacham-Grossman, President of event producer Position Sports. “The Heart of the Game program is already making a difference in the lives of young athletes and being able to provide them and their parents with both a reassuring health screening and a fun night of amazing basketball is very rewarding for our team.”
This year’s Las Vegas event features a marquee lineup headlined by defending men’s national champion Florida, who will take on Arizona in a blockbuster Opening Night showdown. The event’s second matchup will see BYU, led by consensus No. 1 incoming recruit A.J. Dybantsa and local favorite Xavion Staton, face off against Villanova.
Each ticket provides access to both games of the doubleheader.
To pre-register for a heart screening, please click here beginning Saturday, Oct. 18. Registration will be open for one week or until all slots are filled. November 2 screenings will be held at WODE, located at 7165 Rafael Ridge Way in Las Vegas from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM, and Monday screenings will go from 3:00-6:30 PM at T-Mobile Arena. In addition to the Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers, the program will be supported by several additional community partners including Lexicon Bank, Intermountain Health, Nevada State University, and Raising Cane’s.
For more information on the Hall of Fame Series and to purchase tickets, visit HOFSERIES.COM.
About Position Sports
Position Sports, established in 2005, is a premium event production and brand marketing firm that specializes in event operations, activation development, media relations, and digital engagement. Over the years, Position Sports has worked with many of the world’s leading brands, including Nike, Jordan Brand, Red Bull, the Basketball Hall of Fame, ESPN Events, USA Basketball, Upper Deck, MLB, and T-Mobile in nearly every major U.S. city and on a global scale. Position Sports provides clients with the expanded strategic direction needed to succeed in the sports marketing arena, also known as Positioning. To learn more, visit positionsports.com or follow @positionsports on Twitter and Instagram.
About Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors—both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 475 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 150 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com and follow @hoophallU.
