Foreign player registration portal opens May 4, 2026; matches to be played across SSC (Colombo), R. Premadasa (Colombo), Pallekele (Kandy), and Rangiri Dambulla
LAFAYETTE, Colo., April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- urban-gro, Inc. (Nasdaq: UGRO) ("urban-gro" or the "Company"), operating through Flash Sports & Media, Inc., today noted the official announcement by Sri Lanka Cricket ("SLC") confirming the dates, venues, and player-registration timeline for Lanka Premier League ("LPL") Season 6. The tournament will run from July 10 to August 5, 2026, and is owned by SLC and conducted in partnership with Innovative Production Group FZ, LLC ("IPG"), the event rights holder. The Company participates in the tournament through its subsidiary, IPG under existing commercial arrangements.
Season 6 - By the Numbers
| Tournament window | July 10 - August 5, 2026 (confirmed by Sri Lanka Cricket) |
| Venues | SSC (Colombo), R. Premadasa (Colombo), Pallekele (Kandy), Rangiri Dambulla |
| Foreign player registration | Portal opens May 4, 2026 |
| League ownership | Owned by Sri Lanka Cricket; conducted in partnership with The IPG Group (event rights holder) |
| UGRO involvement | Through subsidiary Innovative Production Group FZ, LLC (IPG) under existing commercial arrangements |
| Tournament Director | Samantha Dodanwela, SLC Executive Committee Member |
Confirmed Venues
Season 6 matches will be played across four Sri Lankan international cricket venues:
- Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) Grounds, Colombo
- R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (PICS), Kandy
- Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS), Dambulla
Samantha Dodanwela, an Executive Committee Member of SLC, will continue to serve as Tournament Director. The online portal for foreign player registration is scheduled to open on May 4, 2026.
Strategic Context for UGRO
Following its combination with Flash Sports & Media, Inc. and the integration of IPG, the Company participates in the LPL as a sports, media, and experiential platform, with commercial exposure to the tournament's media, sponsorship, and on-ground activations through its contractual arrangements with the league. LPL Season 6 represents the first full season in the Company's current operating structure following the IPG integration. Actual revenues from the Company's participation will depend on the specific terms of its contractual arrangements and on overall tournament outcomes, and may differ materially from any industry-level references included in this release.
Industry Context (Third-Party Data)
For general reference only, publicly available third-party reports describe T20 cricket as a high-engagement global format with an estimated fan base of approximately 2.5 billion across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and other markets. IPL media rights, for a mature comparable league, have been publicly reported at over USD 6 billion for a five-year cycle. Third-party industry estimates have referenced local economic impact for prior LPL seasons in the USD 25-30 million range. These figures relate to the broader industry or to other leagues and are not a projection of the Company's financial results, revenues, or economic impact from LPL Season 6, and should not be relied on as such.
Additional Season 6 Developments (Subject to Confirmation)
Separate from the SLC-confirmed schedule above, the league has discussed the following Season 6 elements, each of which remains subject to final registration, contractual arrangements, governing-body and board approvals, and NOCs, and none of which is guaranteed to occur:
- An expected player registration pool in the range of 500 to 600 athletes for the season
- Expected appointment of Chris Gayle as official Brand Ambassador for Season 6
- Participation interest from marquee international players who have historically played in global T20 competitions, including players from Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, the West Indies, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and India
Individual player participation is not confirmed and is subject to final registration, availability, and applicable approvals. References to individual players should not be read as current commitments.
"With the tournament dates and venues now confirmed, the focus turns to player registration opening in May and building out the commercial, broadcast, and on-ground plan for Season 6."
- Anil Mohan, CEO, The IPG Group
Disclaimer
The Company does not own, operate, or control the Lanka Premier League, its franchises, or any governing body. The Company's involvement is limited to its contractual rights and services through Innovative Production Group FZ, LLC and related commercial arrangements. References to league operations, player participation, market size, or economic impact are based on third-party information or industry estimates and are provided solely for general context. The Company's actual revenues, if any, will depend on its specific contractual arrangements and may differ materially from broader industry metrics referenced herein.
About urban-gro, Inc.
Following its recent combination with Flash Sports & Media, Inc. ("Flash") and the integration of Innovative Production Group FZ, LLC, urban-gro, Inc. is a diversified sports, media, and experiential marketing platform focused on the creation, production, and monetization of live events, original content, and branded fan experiences. The Company operates across multiple sports and entertainment verticals, leveraging proprietary intellectual property, strategic partnerships, and experiential activations to engage audiences and deliver value for brands, sponsors, and media partners.
About Lanka Premier League
The Lanka Premier League is a professional T20 cricket tournament bringing together Sri Lankan and international players. The league is owned by Sri Lanka Cricket and operated in partnership with The IPG Group, its official event rights holder. Season 6 will be played from July 10 through August 5, 2026. For additional information, visit: https://srilankacricket.lk
About Twenty20 Cricket
Twenty20 (T20) is a format of cricket in which each team plays a maximum of 20 overs. Introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2003, T20 matches are typically completed in approximately three and a half hours. For more information, visit: http://www.t20worldcup.com
Investor Relations Contact
Investors@flashsm.com
Company Websites
https://flashsportsandmedia.com
https://www.theipggroup.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's expectations, beliefs, or intentions relating to its participation in connection with the Lanka Premier League, the anticipated benefits of its business combination with Flash Sports & Media, Inc., the development and commercialization of sports and media platforms, potential sponsorship, media rights and commercial opportunities, anticipated market size and growth, projected economic impact of the Lanka Premier League, and the Company's ability to generate revenues from its activities. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "seek," "estimate," "potential," or similar expressions.
These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the Company's limited role and lack of control over the operations, scheduling, governance, and commercial activities of the Lanka Premier League and its franchises; the Company's reliance on third-party partners, including Innovative Production Group FZ LLC and other counterparties, to perform under contractual arrangements; uncertainties regarding the participation, availability, or continued involvement of players, ambassadors, or other talent referenced in this press release; the possibility that anticipated sponsorships, media rights arrangements, or other commercial opportunities may not materialize or may be delayed; the extent to which the Company is able to generate revenues, if any, from its involvement in the Lanka Premier League; risks relating to the integration of Flash Sports & Media, Inc. and the Company's ability to realize anticipated synergies; the Company's ability to develop, monetize, and scale its sports, media, and experiential business lines; the timing and success of expansion into new markets; the Company's ability to establish or maintain strategic relationships and commercial arrangements; the extent to which industry developments referenced in this press release translate into opportunities for the Company; general economic, market, and industry conditions; competitive dynamics within the sports and media sectors; international, geopolitical, and regulatory risks associated with global sporting events; and the Company's ability to maintain compliance with applicable listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.
In addition, certain market, industry, and economic data referenced in this press release are based on third-party sources and estimates that the Company believes to be reliable, but the Company has not independently verified such information and makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness.
Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements can be found in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Source: urban-gro, Inc. (Nasdaq: UGRO)
