Something close to the Sweet 16 is coming to 麻豆传媒映画in 2017. Or maybe the Elite Eight. Bonus is: you decide.
Promoted as the 麻豆传媒映画Showcase and sponsored by Nike, eight men鈥檚 and eight women鈥檚 NCAA Div. 1 basketball teams will compete in an annual tournament at the 麻豆传媒映画Convention Centre during the U.S. Thanksgiving week beginning Nov. 2017.
The first of its kind in Canada, the tournament will run at the convention centre鈥檚 exhibition space and will accommodate seating for 3,000 spectators plus hardwood, baskets, and video boards.
Basketball is one of the region鈥檚 most popular sports for both spectators and participants though the NBA鈥檚 six-season stint ended after the 2000-01 when the Grizzlies left for Memphis. The NCAA also visited in 2011 for an exhibition game as 9,500 spectators filled Rogers Arena to see Hawaii play regional favourite Gonzaga.
The Canadian Interuniversity Sport Men鈥檚 Final 8 National Basketball Championship will be held at UBC March 17-20, 2016.
The event was announced Wednesday morning by hosts bd Global. The company's president and CEO, Brooks Downing, said 麻豆传媒映画was a 鈥渨orld-class destination for major sporting events,鈥� a reputation established by international events such as the 2010 Olympic Games, the Davis Cup and 2015 FIFA Women鈥檚 World Cup.
鈥淲e are very excited to bring the first regular-season NCAA Division 1 college basketball tournaments ever played in Canada to this extraordinary city,鈥� he said in a prepared statement. 鈥淕iven the destination, combined with our unique site at the 麻豆传媒映画Convention Centre, this annual event will be very successful for years to come.鈥�
The tournament will return each year and is considered a multiple-team event by the NCAA, which allows teams to play in any such tournament only once every four years. A school that participates in 2017 will not be able to return until 2021.
The tournament concept is credited to David Munro, formerly with the 麻豆传媒映画Grizzlies, and Howard Kelsey, a former national team player and Point Grey secondary graduate who also puts on KitsFest each summer at Kitsilano Beach Park. The men will serve as tournament co-directors.
According to Tourism Vancouver, bd Global manages multiple events in the U.S. from South Florida to Las Vegas. The firm will responsible for more than 100 NCAA Div.1 college basketball games this coming year.
鈥淭he beauty of the most common format used for these events is that every team will play multiple games in 麻豆传媒映画as the tournaments will be structured with a winners and consolation bracket,鈥� Downing said. 鈥淎nd since a team can only make a trek here once every four years, we鈥檒l be hitting 64 different U.S. markets every 48 months. That鈥檚 a significant marketing approach that we think will drive future out-of-market tourism for 麻豆传媒映画and the region.鈥�
In a news release, the B.C. minister for sport, Peter Fassbender, said the 麻豆传媒映画Showcase will generate interest in the province and the sport.聽
"Many Canadians grow up dreaming of playing on the national team or playing professionally, and that journey traditionally begins at a major college or univeristy basketbal program," read the statement. "By showcasing some of the best emerging basketball talents in North America, it is expected that this event will increase participation rates in sport throughout the province."
The 16 teams will be announced next year.聽
