Preseason games are underway, but before the on-court festivities at Sunday’s Fan Jam could commence, the team hosted its annual Toast to Tipoff event benefitting the Mavs Foundation.
ShiftKey teamed up with the Mavericks for the third consecutive year to support the endeavor, celebrating the season ahead while supporting the Mavs Foundation.
“We love having a partnership with the Mavericks because it’s fun, it’s the NBA, we love the players, those things are all great, but everybody at the Mavericks is about giving back to the community,” said ShiftKey CEO Mike Vitek. “At ShiftKey, we are so connected with the healthcare community here in Dallas, and the entire Mavericks team focuses on making sure that we’re doing everything possible to expand our relationships and actually do good in the community.
“That is the biggest thing for us— being able to do good in the community— and the Mavericks are the best possible example of committing and doing what they say.”
Vitek’s initial connection with the team was sparked by a need to bring his family closer following his son’s brain procedure in 2020, which helped him realize “just how touch and go life can be.”
Basketball was a source of joy even at their lowest points.
With the Mavericks’ outward commitment to the community’s well-being, an opportunity arose for ShiftKey to develop a multi-year relationship with the team while supporting the Foundation’s life-changing work.
This year’s Toast to Tipoff raised $200,000 and counting, all of which will be invested in North Texas communities through Mavs Foundation programs and grants. The Toast to Tipoff auction remains open for online bidding through 10 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 17.
Guests enjoyed a decadent brunch and cocktail bar in the exclusive Angle’s Envy Bourbon Club at American Airlines Center, with special guests Rolando Blackman and Charlie Villanueva, received behind-the-scenes tours of the team’s locker and weight rooms, and met the 2024-25 squad for autographs.
“Toast to Tipoff is incredible,” said Vitek. “The Mavericks have done a wonderful job embedding the people who support the team to make them feel included and connected.
“Walking through the locker room, you see players with smiles on their faces, asking about your family, asking about how you are— it was a wonderful experience. I could not be more proud to be associated and partnered with such a great team.”
Before guests migrated to their courtside seats at Fan Jam, Mavs CEO Cynt Marshall, head coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison lauded the important work of the Mavs Foundation and offered hopeful remarks about the season ahead.
Guests raised a glass to Harrison’s parting words— “Cheers to a great season and the NBA Championship!”
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