Lightning and Island Garden Go All-In with Fastbreak AI to Power the Future of Amateur Basketball Operations

LONG ISLAND, N.Y., Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightning Basketball, one of the largest and most accomplished AAU basketball programs in the United States, announced today that they have adopted the full Fastbreak AI amateur sports management platform to power its operations across more than 300 teams. Long known as the premier basketball organization on Long Island, Lightning is now setting a national standard for innovation and operational excellence.

"We are always pushing the game forward, and that includes how we run our events," said Jim Fox, the founder of Lightning Basketball and President of Island Garden Basketball. "With Fastbreak AI, we're operating at a different level. AI scheduling means faster, fairer matchups. Our teams are getting better because the matchups are consistently better. With AI-driven scheduling, we're creating stronger competition and more balanced brackets, which is what players and coaches want. Additionally, our events are going fully cashless.

In addition to leading Lightning and Island Garden Basketball, Fox brings deep expertise as Governor and District Boys Basketball Chair of the New York Metropolitan Amateur Athletic Union. He also serves as Special Assistant to the National AAU President, supporting all sports across the organization. With over 800,000 athletes and coaches participating in AAU nationwide, and 20,000 members in New York alone, Fox has been a key figure in shaping the future of grassroots sports.

Lightning Basketball now uses Fastbreak Compete, Fastbreak Tickets, and Fastbreak Travel to streamline every aspect of event operations. The AI-driven schedule engine builds optimized matchups in minutes, factoring in past performance, bracket equity, venue capacity, court availability and eliminates coach conflicts to ensure fair and competitive play.

Ticketing is mobile-first and fully cashless, with no app required. Fans and families receive everything via SMS for easy access and fast entry. With Fastbreak Travel and its Stay to Save program, families and teams get access to top-rated hotels near event venues at the most competitive prices available. And because it all runs through one connected platform, operations are more efficient, and the experience is better for everyone.

"Lightning and Island Garden are two of the most respected programs in AAU basketball, and Jim has been instrumental in building not just an elite organization, but a model for the future," Fastbreak AI CEO John Stewart said. "Island Garden's vision for highly organized league play is setting a new standard for youth sports and Fastbreak is proud to help field that vision by ensuring a top-tier experience for athletes, coaches and families."

"We're proud to support Lightning's mission and to help them deliver top-tier experiences for athletes, coaches and families. We are also totally supportive of Island Garden's vision of creating highly organized league play for young athletes."

As youth sports scale and evolve, Lightning and Island Garden Basketball continue to lead, powered by data, technology, and a relentless commitment to excellence.

About Lightning Basketball

Founded in 1992, Lightning Basketball is one of the nation's premier AAU basketball programs, with more than 300 teams competing across boys' and girls' divisions. Based on Long Island, Lightning has helped thousands of athletes compete at the collegiate and national level, while creating community-driven events that showcase talent and foster development. Learn more at lightningbasketball.net.

About Island Garden

Founded in 1998, Island Garden has been the mecca for youth basketball in the New York area for more than three decades. Leagues, tournaments, clinics, special events and camps are conducted on a year-round basis. We estimate that we impact approximately 150,000 athletes and parents on average over the course of a year. Learn more at www.islandgarden.com.

About Fastbreak AI

Fastbreak AI is the leading sports operations company for professional and amateur sports organizations. Its integrated amateur platform includes AI-powered tools for scheduling, tournament management, sponsorship activation, ticketing, and travel. Fastbreak helps event operators run more efficiently, grow revenue, and elevate the athlete and fan experience. Learn more at www.fastbreak.ai.

SOURCE Fastbreak AI