Washington, D.C

Monumental Sports & Entertainment Announces “District Dribble”; Campaign Will Deliver 29,000 Basketballs to Elementary Students across 80 DC Public Schools – Monumental Sports

Published

1 day ago

March 18, 2025

This signature element of Monumental Sports’ “District of Play” Initiative to empower D.C. youth through sports begins this week

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Washington, D.C. – March 18, 2025 – Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) Founder & CEO Ted Leonsis today announced the launch of the signature initiative, “District Dribble,” as part of the company’s larger, ongoing “District of Play” effort. District Dribble will deliver 29,000 basketballs to 80 public schools throughout the District, providing every student in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade a basketball and t-shirt. This event is part of Monumental Sports’ larger “District of Play” initiative, a transformative multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment in expanding access to youth sports and building healthy, vibrant communities in Washington, D.C.

Ted Leonsis, whose vision for Monumental Sports & Entertainment includes a double bottom line strategy to make a positive social impact said, “Growing up in Brooklyn, I vividly remember the joy of receiving my first basketball and spending time at the courts in Sunset Park. It wasn’t just about the game—it was about the sense of community, friendships, and the life lessons learned through sports. Now our organization wants to ensure every child in D.C. has the same opportunity to experience the same benefits, no matter their background or where they live.” And Ted has long held the belief that a ball can change a life, which is why he co-produced the sports documentary, “Kicking It,” narrated by Colin Farrell.

“When kids play sports, they gain confidence, build friendships, and develop lifelong skills like teamwork and perseverance,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We know that being the Sports Capital isn’t just about our professional teams – it’s also about investing in our youth and making sports and recreation more accessible in our city. We’re grateful that through District Dribble, Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports are helping put sport and play in reach for more children.”

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, Ted Leonsis will join Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee, and Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker at Browne Education Campus in Northeast D.C. to deliver the first 300 of 29,000 NBA regulation-sized basketballs slated for every DC Public Schools (DCPS) elementary school student. The campaign is utilizing a “District Dribble”-branded double decker bus which will arrive at Browne Education Campus carrying Ted Leonsis, Washington Wizards guard Jaylen Martin and forward JT Thor, Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards and guard Brittney Sykes, and Capital City Go-Go forwards Leaky Black and Mouhamadou “Mo” Gueye, talent from Monumental Sports Network, front office representatives from the Wizards and Mystics, and several other dignitaries.

The bus will arrive and deliver the t-shirts and basketballs, which were designed for both indoor and outdoor play. They feature the official Washington Wizards logo and team colors. This marks a pivotal moment in the exciting, community-wide effort to empower youth, promote physical activity, and provide safe play opportunities.

Delivery Schedule

The basketballs will begin delivery to the 80 schools across the District on Thursday, March 20, at a rate of approximately five schools per day (excluding weekends). Monumental Sports is coordinating with DCPS to arrange the delivery date and time schedule. DCPS is in contact with each of the schools on the plan for distribution to each student and additional information on the deliveries will be communicated to students and their parents directly from their school. The first basketballs will be delivered beginning on March 20th with additional deliveries set to take place over the next several school days, ensuring all students receive their basketballs in time for Spring Break.

The District Dribble bus will make deliveries during school days before returning to public circulation over Cherry Blossom Festival weekend. Wizards and Mystics branded vehicles will then continue the delivery schedule and utilize moving trucks where needed.

About District of Play

The District of Play initiative was launched by Monumental Sports in September 2024. The public-private partnership between Monumental Sports and the District to create a brand-new Capital One Arena included a robust Community Benefits component which Leonsis labeled “District of Play.” This program aims to create positive and accessible spaces for youth to play, grow, and develop lifelong skills in sports, all while engaging parents, coaches, and local communities.

Monumental Sports, under Ted’s leadership, has been a consistent partner in the community supporting the great works of nonprofits like DC Central Kitchen, Martha’s Table, and dozens of others. Coming in the form of direct grants, in-kind donations, and volunteering from athletes and employees – that work of needed assistance will continue across multiple facets of the business.

On top of that, this is a very special moment in the organization’s charitable work to make a significant effort to transform access and opportunity in youth sports as Capital One Arena undergoes its own transformation. This event is meant to spark the experience of fun, building healthy habits and providing students with the accessibility to play and grow their own relationship with sports to pay lifelong dividends.

This investment in D.C.’s youth extends far beyond basketballs. In addition to the basketballs, Monumental’s District of Play initiative includes dozens of commitments. A few highlights below and a full list can be found at www.monumentalsports.com/DistrictOfPlay.

Refurbishing 1 indoor and 2 outdoor basketball courts per year for the next four years

Building a new street hockey rink

Developing playgrounds in each of D.C.’s 8 wards over the next 8 years

Supporting youth sports programming and scholarships, including DPR Youth Basketball, Flag Star Football, and Fort Dupont Ice Arena’s Kids On Ice

Providing transportation to ice rinks for children to learn to skate and try hockey

Investing in local coaching infrastructure through clinics and partnerships with organizations like the Positive Coaches Alliance

Hosting community events such as Back-To-School and Thanksgiving meal-packing initiatives

Thus far, District of Play has had an impact on over 5,700 kids since its September 2024 launch:

Capitals Youth Hockey have introduced 1,200 D.C. children to ice skating and ball hockey through the Rink Pass program and through a partnership with Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Free field trips to local ice rinks for skating lessons and ball hockey rinks for hands-on instruction gives kids the opportunity to deepen their engagement with the sport.

Wizards and Mystics Youth Basketball have subsidized Jr. NBA League affiliations for D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation youth basketball leagues, providing jerseys and offering free clinics at the start of the season, reaching over 1,500 kids.

The Wizards hosted a free Coaches Workshop at Entertainment & Sports Arena in Ward 8 where 150 coaches were trained, strengthening the foundation of basketball in D.C.

The Wizards hosted a 3v3 tournament at historic Barry Farm in Ward 8 in partnership with Hoop-it-up, impacting 100 players.

The Wizards have held free or subsidized gameday clinics serving over 250 kids.

The Wizards held an open practice at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Southeast, D.C. attended by 360 students.

Monumental hosted a Hispanic Heritage Clinic for 30+ participants on top of basketball donations benefiting an entire school of nearly 300 students.

The Wizards have partnered with Building Bridges Across the River to support Midnight Basketball, a late-night program offering Ward 8 youth and young adults a safe and engaging recreational space on weekend evenings. It has drawn 60+ players and 200 community members and the season will conclude with the finals and a closing ceremony hosted by the Wizards at the Entertainment & Sports Arena on Saturday, Dec. 21.

Monumental Sports built a new playground at Huntwood Courts Ward 7 in partnership with KABOOM! and Washington Housing Conservancy. Designed by the kids and families who will use it, the play area will serve over 560 children.

Monumental is sponsoring Flag Star Football to fund three key initiatives:

Scholarship Expansion: 38% of kids who play at RFK are on scholarship, and our support helps increase those opportunities.

Preparing Future Business Leaders: Since December, up to 120 young leaders (high school and college athletes) have been meeting for professional development sessions at the arena, hearing from various sports business leaders around the DMV, before attending a Capitals or Wizards game for free.

Girls’ Flag Football Growth: We’re expanding offerings for girls, which also serves as the core project for our interns between training sessions.

The Wizards have sponsored complimentary USA Basketball Licensing for basketball coaches throughout the District. The complimentary USA Basketball Licensing was sent to 83 DCPS schools, permitting 415 coaches to access the licensing, along with aiding approximately 1,200 children in those schools.

The Mystics and the Women’s Sports Foundation hosted a youth sports clinic at American University for D.C.-area girls between the ages of 8-14 years old, who participates in a variety of skills led by the Washington Mystics and AU student-athletes. During the clinic, WSF and MSE offered a parent workshop helped educate guardians about the vital role they play in empowering their children to thrive in sport.

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Washington, D.C

Schools across DC region rally against proposed education cuts

Published

3 hours ago

March 19, 2025

Press Room

Schools across DC region rally against proposed education cuts

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – Parents, teachers, and students in the Washington, D.C. region are joining a nationwide movement to protest sweeping federal education budget cuts. Organized “walk-ins” are taking place at schools across the country, including Wise High School and several others in Prince George’s County, as part of an effort led by the National Education Association.

Schools protest education cuts

What we know:

FOX 5’s Maureen Umeh says the rallies aim to push back against recent federal cuts that advocates warn could have devastating effects on public education. Last week’s layoff of 1,400 U.S. Department of Education employees reduced the agency’s workforce by nearly half since 2017.

Key programs are at risk, including Title I funding for low-income schools, special education services, and higher education grants like Federal Pell Grants for low-income college students. Local leaders caution that Prince George’s County schools could face overcrowded classrooms, fewer resources, and increased burdens on teachers.

Schools across DC region rally against proposed education cuts

What’s next:

Walk-ins, scheduled for this morning, are expected to last 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the school day. Organizers are urging participants to contact lawmakers during Congress’ recess to demand restored funding for critical education programs.

Schools across DC region rally against proposed education cuts

Parents, teachers, and students in the Washington, D.C. region are joining a nationwide movement to protest sweeping federal education budget cuts. Organized “walk-ins” are taking place at schools across the country, including Wise High School and several others in Prince George’s County, as part of an effort led by the National Education Association.

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Washington, D.C

40% of DC restaurants likely to close by the end of the year, survey shows

Published

14 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Press Room

40% of DC restaurants likely to close by the end of the year, survey shows

WASHINGTON – Two out of five D.C. restaurants say they could close down by the end of the year, according to a recent survey.

By the numbers:

The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington surveyed more than 200 restaurants in January and February.

The survey shows that two in five, or 40%, of full-service casual places said the year likely to close in the coming year.

62% of restaurants surveyed reported lower profits in 2024.

Last year, D.C. saw it’s highest number of restaurant closures – but also the highest number of openings.

Dig deeper:

RAMW tells FOX 5 that as diners choose to stay home amid inflation, keeping up with labor costs is also a big concern.

In July, tipped worker wages in D.C. go up from $10 an hour to $12 an hour.

“Couple years ago Initiative 82 passed, and we’ve seen an increase in labor costs. You put all that together, it’s been an extremely challenging time,” said Eric Heidenberger, part owner of D.C. Restaurant Group, which employees 250 people. “We’ve been around for 45 years, we’ve never seen a stretch like this in our history.”

“I think everyone is concerned,” said Shawn Townsend, President and CEO of RAMW. “These are real issues for everyone, regardless of what category of restaurant you fall in. The margins are already super thin in the restaurant industry, whether you are five-star or a sandwich shop downtown on M Street.”

Townsend said RAMW is working with elected officials to figure out policy changes to support local restaurants.

“We’re not looking for a check or grant – we’re looking for meaningful policy and legislative updates to address some of these concerns,” Townsend said.

Also at issue – federal worker layoffs. The District’s Chief Financial Officer estimates federal job cuts will lead to a $342 million decline in D.C.’s revenue.

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Washington, D.C

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says he supports dismantling Department of Education in D.C. column

Published

2 days ago

March 17, 2025

Press Room

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says he supports dismantling Department of Education in D.C. column

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox supports President Donald Trump’s recent cuts to the Department of Education and said he backs the president’s plan to dismantle the federal department entirely.

He announced his position in an opinion piece published Monday in the Washington Examiner, a conservative news outlet based in Washington, D.C.

“If we’re serious about improving education, it’s time for a thoughtful, commonsense discussion about winding down the department altogether,” Cox wrote. “That’s why it’s encouraging to see President Donald Trump and newly confirmed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon reducing the role of the Department of Education and returning power where it belongs: to states and local communities.”

A spokesperson for Cox did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The piece was published about two weeks after Cox and other GOP state leaders on Feb. 28 announced a series of public education investments, including a $1,400 raise for all public school teachers.

“We see you. We recognize you,” Cox said to public educators at the time.

That raise announcement came after Cox signed a bill into law on Feb. 14 that bans collective bargaining for teachers and other public workers. Utah labor unions have since launched a referendum to repeal the measure; Cox said Feb. 28 that the raises weren’t meant to squash the then-planned effort.

“This is the right thing to do,” Cox said about the pay increase. “If there is a referendum, the people in the state of Utah will get to decide if that’s a good thing or not.”

Why Cox says he supports dismantling the Education Department

In his opinion piece, Cox maintained that public education should be governed solely by the states, even if the lack of national oversight, as some have argued, may cause some states to fall behind.

“That’s how federalism works,” Cox wrote. “Our founders expected states to try different approaches and learn from one another. Innovation happens when states are free to lead, not when Washington imposes one-size-fits-all solutions.”

He argued that Washington, D.C., has overstepped its role and is “telling states how to educate their children.”

One of the primary roles of the Department of Education is to provide federal funding to public schools, especially through Title programs such as Title I. This program gives extra funding to schools with a high number of economically disadvantaged students.

Many Title I schools rely on that funding, because state contributions often inadequately support high-need students.

Cox in his opinion piece argued that the process to receive Title I funds has become too “burdensome” and that states must jump “through expensive, time-consuming hoops” to apply for the funding.

“That’s not to say the goals behind these programs aren’t worthwhile,” he wrote, “But the idea that Utah — or any state — needs Washington bureaucrats overseeing our schools is both outdated and wrong.”

Sarah Reale, a member of the Utah State Board of Education, called the governor’s remarks “ironic.”

While he and others argue that slashing the department will cut bureaucracy and time-consuming funding requirements, she said Cox has “signed dozens of bills into law that, on a state level, have added layers of bureaucracy, removed local flexibility and governance and created additional red tape for [schools] through various state monitoring requirements.”

In his piece, Cox wrote that cutting the Department of Education’s workforce in half is a “promising start” for fixing the problem that is “federal control” over public education.

“Utah has a long track record of investing in education, including supporting low-income schools,” his piece added. “But we could do it with more flexibility, less bureaucracy, and greater accountability to Utah families — not Washington regulators.”

Reale argued that leaving education purely up to the states means there is “no guarantee” that various student populations will be served equally.

“Our most marginalized and disadvantaged students would suffer without those federal guidelines,” Reale argued.

Utah currently maintains its second-to-last position in the nation for funding students, according to the latest rankings released last year, which were based on financial figures from 2021, the most recently available nationally. Utah at the time allocated roughly $9,095 per student, about a third of New York’s $26,571, which took the top spot.

The state’s largest teachers union, the Utah Education Association, did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment on Cox’s column.

“Dismantling the Department of Education may sound bold,” Cox concluded in his piece. “But it’s also common sense. Washington doesn’t have all the answers. It’s time to trust states and local communities to do what they do best.”

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