Firms’ big ideas for young professionals win $225,000

The premise isn’t all that ground-breaking: Young adults like sports, beer and food. But for Play NOLA, it was a winning concept — to the tune of $200,000. The social sports and entertainment league is the winner of a business competition hosted by 504ward and The Idea Village seeking products or services to retain the 23- to 35-year-old demographic in the New Orleans region. Entrepreneurs Ishaneka Williams and Lavonzell Nicholson will get $100,000 in cash and $100,000 in services and resources donated by the local business community to launch Play NOLA. They envision open-registration leagues that include adult kickball, basketball, volleyball and “beer bash” golf, in which participants drink after every hole. The pair have consulted with City Park and Audubon Park about using public fields and plan to launch the leagues this fall. Launch Pad, a service for start-up entrepreneurs, took second place, winning $25,000. The competition drew 140 applications from 14 states. Winners were chosen by a panel of six judges and 150 audience members, who voted via text messaging.