Source: DRL
The Drone Racing League today teamed up with two-time NBA Champion and 11-time NBA All-Star Chris Bosh ahead of the 2020 DRL Allianz World Championship Season, which starts tomorrow night.
Appointed as Dean of DRL Academy, Bosh will lead the league’s STEM program to inspire the next generation of technologists and digital athletes while “advancing diversity and inclusion in tech and sports,” a DRL press release stated.
Bosh and two-time DRL Allianz world champion pilot Jordan “JET” Temkin will teach kids about the science behind the sport of high-speed drone racing through a newly launched educational content series.
Classmates tuning in can test their skills in the DRL SIM, an immersive drone racing game on Xbox and Steam that teaches players how to build and fly drones through interactive training missions.
“Our sport is for infinite learners – and as parents continue to navigate the new playing field of education, we’re excited to offer dynamic STEM programming to supplement remote learning,” DRL President Rachel Jacobson said.
“Bosh had a championship career in the NBA, and he is bringing that same enthusiasm, intensity and dedication that he showed on the court to our DRL Academy. We look forward to inspiring kids together about science and technology on the fly.”
The partnership is a reunion of sorts for Bosh and Jacobson. Before her appointment as the DRL’s president, Jacobson served as the NBA’s SVP of Global Partnerships. Bosh played 13 seasons for the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat before retiring last year.
Bosh, who studied at Georgia Tech before dominating the game of basketball, brings a passion for technology and sports to the DRL.
“I love engineering and technology and believe every kid should be given access to STEM education,” Bosh said.
“With this year’s school closures, I became Principal Bosh for my five kids at home – and now, I’m thrilled to announce my promotion [to DRL Academy Dean] and help kids around the world learn about science through the fun, high-tech, family-friendly sport of the Drone Racing League,” Bosh said.
The 2020 DRL Allianz World Championship Season kicks off October 21 at 9pm ET on NBCSN, Twitter and Facebook Watch. Earlier this year, the DRL sponsored the winner-take-all championship of the 2020 FanDuel DRL SIM Racing Cup, the fantasy, virtual drone racing series.