The International Swimming League (ISL) will debut this year as the first professional sports league for elite swimming. This October, the brand new league will host a series of U.S. and European-based competitions that culminate in a global championship at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
By putting one of the world’s most popular sports on display, the ISL will shift the paradigm of swimming by offering professional athletes a chance to participate in regular seasons and earn competitive bonuses, prize money, appearance money, and build commercial value.
Founded by Ukrainian financier Konstantin Grigorishin, the league will explore the full potential of competitive swimming and secure sustainable commercial growth in the sport.
Mixed gender teams will compete for points in fast-paced races – including sprint, relay and skin.
The is built on six pillars:
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A team-based competition format – swimmers compete for team points.
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Financial incentives – each athlete will sign two contracts: one with their team and another with the ISL – creating two sources of revenue, one that runs through the clubs, and one that comes directly from the league.
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Gender equality – 12 men and 12 women will represent each team
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World’s best athletes – About 75% of swimming’s current Olympic champions and world record holders will compete in ISL tournaments
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Regular seasons – Meets will be held from October to December 2019. In 2020, the season will be extended.
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Zero tolerance of doping – No athlete with a previous doping violation will be allowed to compete, and there will be a zero tolerance policy if doping is discovered.
In addition to the European teams, the U.S. will be represented by four teams to start, the New York Breakers, the Los Angeles Current, the DC Trident, and the Cali Condors.
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Lenny Krayzelburg, an American backstroke swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and former world record holder. He will serve as General Manager of the Los Angeles Current.
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Kaitlin Sandeno is an American former competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist, world champion and former world record-holder. She will serve as GM for the DC Trident.
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Jason Lezak, an American former competition swimmer and four-time Olympic gold medalist, will serve as GM for the Cali Condors (San Francisco).
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Tina Andrew, manager of five-time world champion Michael Andrew, will serve as the GM of New York Breakers.
A formal meet schedule and participating team athletes will be disclosed in the coming weeks.
An impressive roster of world class swimmers and athletes endorsed the International Swimming League in Europe last month; this month, Americans Katie Ledecky, Nathan Adrian and Ryan Murphy announced themselves to be ambassadors for the league, in addition to a glorious roster of international Olympians.
Meets will begin Oct 4-5, 2019 and will be held almost every weekend through November 24.
The finals will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on December 20 and 21, 2019. The four best clubs from US and Europe will compete for prize money and glory in a newly built, pop-up Olympic-level swimming pool.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with the International Swimming League. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
This is some exciting stuff!!
Interesting
So awesome!
Michael Heinz