MIES (Switzerland) – The FIBA Intercontinental Cup is about to enter a brand new chapter of its lengthy historical past in 2023, as FIBA and Sport Singapore have agreed to a three-year partnership that expands the occasion to additionally contain Asia for the primary time and higher displays the fashionable membership basketball panorama.
The Singapore Sports Hub is destined to turn into the first-ever venue in Asia to host the FIBA Intercontinental Cup as it’ll present the stage for the thirty third version of the occasion, from September 21-24, 2023.
The competitors will therefore return to be staged in September in order that it adapts extra effectively to the home and continental leagues’ calendar and the schedule of worldwide gamers, and to raised accommodate taking part golf equipment.
“This agreement serves both as the realization of a basketball dream that dates back generations as well as a launchpad into the future era of global club basketball. Singapore, as a melting pot of cultures, is perhaps the ideal place to bring that vision to life,” commented FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis.
“The first edition of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 1966 was an inspired event conceived by visionaries. They envisioned a competition that would assist in uniting different cultures through basketball but only dared to dream that one day the event would develop to the point where clubs from all corners of the globe compete in it,” Mr. Zagklis added.
The discipline of contenders is to increase from 4 to 6 groups and within the September occasion in Singapore, a Chinese membership, collectively chosen by FIBA and the Chinese Basketball Association, will be part of 4 groups representing the identical 4 continental leagues as up to now two editions. The sixth participant will likely be introduced by FIBA sooner or later.
Those 4 groups will embody the champions from the 2023 Basketball Africa League (BAL), knowledgeable league that includes the highest 12 membership groups from 12 African international locations operated in partnership between FIBA and the NBA, the champions of Basketball Champions League 2022-23, the champions of Basketball Champions League Americas 2022-23, and NBA G League Ignite, the workforce that was based in 2020 to arrange high prospects for the NBA Draft.
“The FIBA Intercontinental Cup is an important showcase for top club teams from outside the NBA and reflects the strength of professional basketball leagues around the world,” stated NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. “We’re excited that NBA G League Ignite and the champions of the upcoming third season of the Basketball Africa League will be represented at this year’s tournament in Singapore, where we recently opened an office and where there is growing affinity for the game,” Mr. Tatum added.
“Building on the success of the FIBA 3X3 Asia Cup 2022, which will return for another edition this month, we are happy to host the FIBA Intercontinental Cup that will treat fans here to world-class high-impact basketball action. Ranked top five in our annual National Sports Participation Survey, basketball has always been a popular sport among Singaporeans. The FIBA Intercontinental Cup will further enhance the interest and inspire more people, especially the youth to play and watch the sport,” shared Mr. Toh Boon Yi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Sport Singapore.
“Come September 2023, Singapore will once again showcase its capability and innovation to the international sporting community as we welcome athletes, officials and fans from around the world. FIBA Intercontinental Cup will be an important addition to our events portfolio that advances our nation’s sporting, social and economic aspirations,” Mr. Toh added.
“We are delighted to be working with FIBA to host and organize Asia’s first FIBA Intercontinental Cup here in Singapore,” stated Quek Swee Kuan, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Sports Hub. “Hosting the FIBA Intercontinental Cup reaffirms Singapore Sports Hub’s position as a premier destination for sporting events in the Asia Pacific,” he added. “We look forward to welcoming the teams, officials and fans to the Singapore Sports Hub for exciting hoop action this September.”
Spanish membership Lenovo Tenerife are the present trophy holders after profitable the thirty second version of the competitors, wherein they competed because the 2021-22 Basketball Champions League winners. That was the second occasion in a row which featured the champions of continental leagues from 4 completely different world areas.
Real Madrid stays probably the most adorned membership in competitors historical past, having conquered the trophy on 5 events.
Source web site: www.talkbasket.web
