“I have some friends and they all love Justin Bieber!”
These may be some of the catchy lyrics sung by Hurricane Chris in his hit song “POPPIN’ MY S***” (from Bieber’s SWAG II album), but they’re also the vibe of THE LEAGUE, the star-studded underground sports phenomenon that locals call “Los Angeles’ best-kept secret.”
Bieber became a regular at VIP, which combined basketball and futsal games with fashion, music and celebrity culture under one roof.
Recently, Page Six won a coveted invitation to the trendy playground, where we were able to see first-hand how Bieber spends his nights with family, friends, and fellow sports fans.
“I’ve seen Justin here many times and each time he brings an incredible energy,” a guest who attended multiple events held at SRGN Studios exclusively told Page Six.
“He’s always smiling and interacting with everyone and just seems like he’s really coming into his own. It’s obvious he’s just having fun and enjoying the atmosphere.”
Many fans know him as “the Justin Bieber of pop stars,” but the multifaceted artist has shared glimpses of his other passions on social media in recent years, including sports and fashion.
He has recently been able to enjoy those hobbies all in one place by joining THE LEAGUE. And in a venue where he can be “just Justin.”
If you look at Bieber’s Instagram, you can see that energy coming through. His feed is full of photos and videos of him sitting courtside, rocking his jersey, and partying with friends at invite-only parties.
One figure in the sports world you’ve likely seen on Bieber’s social media accounts is commissioner and co-founder Ron Abakobe, aka “The Man Behind The League,” who has become one of Bieber’s closest confidants.
His goal in starting this platform was to create a safe place where “CEOs, VIPs, athletes, people from all walks of life” could come together under the same roof.
“THE LEAGUE was designed as a destination for sophisticated structural engineers to play on the same futsal team as Justin Bieber and Vic Mensa,” Abaekobe explained. “Because the culmination of people from all walks of life is just as important as the wins on the scoreboard.”
The Beavers not only participate in various events hosted by Abaekobe, but also have their own basketball and futsal divisions within THE LEAGUE, both under Team SKYLRK.
The name, of course, refers to the fashion and apparel brand of hoodies, beanies, sunglasses, etc. launched by singer “YUKON” in July 2025.
Sometimes Bieber cheers on his team from the sidelines. Also, the atmosphere is much more casual than the NBA and NHL games where All-Star celebrities have attended, and he sometimes wears a suit and stands on the court with the players.
Recently, the Grammy Award winner helped Team SKYLRK defeat Team Ah & Co. 6-1 in a futsal match. During the match, the entire crowd cheered, especially after the singer pulled off a wild trick shot that was caught on camera.
He also scored an impressive 15 points in Team SKYLRK’s recent basketball game vs. Team LRG. All of this came after a two-hour workout with NBA shooting coach Chris Matthews, also known as “Lethal Shooter.”
“Justin Bieber got it!” Matthews raved on Instagram, sharing a clip of the singer giving it his all and getting into the zone during practice. “He’s a living legend who knows how to master his craft. @lilbieber keep doing your thing.”
However, the party doesn’t end when the game ends. As Page Six witnessed firsthand, Bieber usually stays there to hang out and party with the crowd.
We witnessed him dancing and mingling the night away, pumping up the live DJ, and checking out local hospitality vendors on-site.
“Lil Bieber is cool, Bieber is great,” one source chimed in. “He’s just a regular guy. Just a regular guy who likes to play his own music and dance to it.”
The source also talked about what it was like to see Justin take his wife Hailey Bieber to a game earlier this year.
It was a fun “mom and dad night out” for the couple, who are also parents to one-year-old son Jack Bruce.
“What’s so lovely is his relationship with Hailey,” an eyewitness told Us. “If you actually look… (you can see) he loves that girl very much.”
However, Bieber wasn’t the only celebrity to appear at THE LEAGUE. Stars like MGK, Amber Rose, Ty Dolla $ign, Kyle Massey, and Grant Ellis are all getting in on the action.
“You never know who’s going to walk through that door,” a hospitality team member explained. “But the problem is that celebrities don’t even want to be recognized as celebrities[here]. They just walk among the ordinary people in the crowd.”
Abaekobe exclusively told Page Six that it has “always been the vision” for THE LEAGUE for brands, celebrities, tastemakers and the community to all come together.
After playing professional basketball in Spain and Colombia, I wanted to build a career that would allow me to maintain my passion for the sport while leveraging my business and fashion skill sets.
“That’s what basketball is really about, and that’s what THE LEAGUE is all about,” said the athlete, who is also SKYLRK’s team captain. “It’s about bringing all the worlds outside of sports together. That’s what we’ve done and that’s what we’ll continue to build on.”
Four years after its launch, THE LEAGUE is now gaining immense popularity thanks to celebrities like Bieber who have shown fans just how great it is, and Memehouse Productions who streamed the event to a global audience.
Katana Natasha, CEO of K&Co. Media, explained that the team behind the stream is “turning an invite-only moment into a global experience.” “Audiences around the world can listen to and be a part of culture as it happens in real time. It’s an exciting time for global access and even greater connectivity.”
Believers, even if you can’t make it to the party with Justin in person, you can still watch all the action from home on watchtheleague.com. Go #TeamSKYLRK!
