Creator of the AND1 Mixtape Tour
Co Owner & Founder Waliyy “Main Event” Dixon
A global streetball icon with 1 billion+ fans worldwide, the man who hosted the original AND1 Mix Tape game, and the “Main Event” behind the name.
New documentary, coming soon
Bigger Than the Brand
Everyone told the story of AND1 except the players. Now they tell it themselves. Watch the trailer for the new documentary featuring Waliyy “Main Event” Dixon and the legends who built the Mixtape Tour.
The Main Event
Meet Waliyy Dixon, known to the world as “Main Event,” a towering figure in streetball whose impact reaches far beyond the sport. Born and raised in Linden, New Jersey, he crafted his jaw dropping skills at the city’s 4th Ward Park and quickly rose to high school basketball royalty as an All American phenom. Before he could even drive, he was dominating prestigious New York City streetball tournaments, standing tall against NBA players and streetball legends at just 15 years old.
Choosing Rutgers University over a long list of top college programs, Waliyy showed his loyalty to New Jersey and his deep desire to lift up his community. His college years only grew his reputation and set the stage for a professional journey like no other.
His name is synonymous with the explosive rise of the AND1 Mixtape Tour, the brainchild of his creative vision. In 1999 he hosted the original AND1 Mix Tape game in Linden and helped recruit the streetball players who became the face of the brand. The tour redefined streetball, captured a global audience on ESPN, and helped rocket AND1 into a multi billion dollar brand. It was more than basketball; it was an electrifying spectacle of athleticism and artistry, with Waliyy at its heart.
His ambition stretched far beyond the blacktop. He founded the Blacktop Streetball Association and the League of 52, signaling a new day for streetball. Off the court he speaks at schools and organizes community festivals, teaching young people discipline, respect, education and resilience, and inspiring countless people to strive for greatness.
Named Man of the Year by the Linden Housing Authority, Waliyy has earned recognition and endorsements from more than 20 mayors across the country, New Jersey Governor Murphy, New York City Mayor Adams and the Philadelphia City Council, a testament to his influence on community development and engagement.
From local playground legend to global icon with more than 1 billion fans worldwide and over 1 billion social media views, Waliyy is more than a basketball player; he is a force for positive change on and off the court. Today he is co owner and founder of Main Event & Friends, the Podcast Center that carries his name, and host of The Main Event Podcast, where he sits down with icons, innovators and everyday legends from the blacktop to big business.
Career highlights
Present
Co Owner, Founder & Podcast Host
Main Event & Friends, Woodbridge, NJ
- Co owner and founder of the Podcast Center, which carries his “Main Event” name
- Host of The Main Event Podcast on streetball, hip hop, sports and hustle
2022
Founder, Blacktop Streetball Association & League of 52
Newark, NJ
- Founded the Blacktop Streetball Association and the League of 52
- Assembled original Mixtape Tour players to launch the association
- Kicked off with the free Newark Streetball Festival at City Hall
2009 to present
S.K.Y. Streetball Syndicate
Linden, NJ
- Co founder and Vice President of Player Development
- Coaching and community outreach through basketball
2007
Ball4Real Tour
National streetball tour
- Co created a touring streetball crew with former AND1 players
1999 to 2006
Creator of the AND1 Mixtape Tour
National tour, broadcast on ESPN
- Hosted the first original AND1 Mix Tape game in Linden (1999), Mix Tape Vol. 2
- Helped recruit the streetball players who signed with AND1
- Toured as a player from 2001 to 2006
1995 to 2006
Professional basketball
USBL and NBA training camps
- Atlantic City Seagulls and Long Island Surf
- Training camp with the New Jersey Nets before the 2004 and 2005 seasons
Watch now
See Waliyy in the documentaries
ESPN 30 for 30
The Greatest Mixtape Ever
The story of the AND1 Mixtape and the streetball revolution it sparked, featuring Waliyy “Main Event” Dixon.
Watch on ESPN →Netflix
Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1
The Netflix documentary on how AND1 and its streetball stars took over the culture, with Waliyy among the featured players.
Watch on Netflix →Bookings
Book Waliyy “Main Event” Dixon
Bring an AND1 Mixtape Tour legend to your event. Waliyy appears at games, camps, schools and brand activations, and brings the energy that made him the Main Event.
Available for
- Celebrity appearances and meet and greets
- Streetball games and exhibitions
- Basketball camps and youth clinics
- School and community speaking
- Brand activations and sponsorships
- Podcast and media interviews
- Documentary screenings and panels
Meet the team
Questions we get a lot
Who is Waliyy "Main Event" Dixon?
A streetball legend from Linden, New Jersey, and co owner and founder of Main Event & Friends. He hosted the original AND1 Mix Tape game in 1999, helped recruit the players who became the AND1 Mixtape Tour, and toured with it from 2001 to 2006.
How did he get the name "Main Event"?
From jaw dropping dunks in front of big crowds: a 360 dunk at Rucker Park in the early 1990s, and a famous dunk over a motorcycle at the first official streetball game he hosted in Linden in 1999.
Does Waliyy Dixon have a podcast?
Yes. The Main Event Podcast is recorded at Main Event & Friends in Woodbridge, NJ, with conversations about streetball, hip hop, sports and entrepreneurship.
Book online
Pick a service and choose your time
Reserve with a 50% deposit. Pay the balance the day of, online or in person.
Ready when you are.
Call 908.414.8737, pick a time online, or just walk in. We're open seven days a week inside Woodbridge Center Mall. Enter through Macy's.
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