Manitoba Bidding for
FIBA International
Basketball Events
to Come to Winnipeg
By Adam Wedlake, Photos courtesy of Basketball Manitoba
Basketball
Manitoba is
currently in
the bidding
process to be
considered as
a host of two
high profile
international
basketball events to potentially come to
Winnipeg in the summers of 2018 and
/ or 2019. Canada Basketball has an
open bid call to Canadian communities
to potentially host the FIBA Americas
2018 U18 Men’s Championship and
/ or the FIBA 2019 U19 Men’s World
Championship. This past summer,
Manitobans James Wagner and Kirby
Schepp (pictured above in action and
to the right) represented Canada at the
U18 event in Chile.
Basketball Manitoba President Ross
Wedlake commented, “The City of
Winnipeg and Basketball Manitoba
have successfully hosted many national
and international sporting and cultural
events such as the 1999 Pan American
Games, the upcoming Canada Summer
Games of 2017 and the 17U and 15U
National Basketball Championships
in 2010, 2011 and 2016. We have a
traditionally strong volunteer base
along with very capable and dedicated
sport administrators. In addition, our
facilities in Winnipeg would be more
than adequate to host such an event.”
“Winnipeg is proving itself as a
world-class sport tourism destination.
Recent successful events hosted
include the Grey Cup, the Heritage
Classic and the FIFA Women’s World
Cup. New investment in sport facilities
in Winnipeg have helped us bid on
and host an increasing number of
prestigious sporting events,” said
Karen Goossen, executive director of
Tourism Winnipeg. “Hosting these
10 / sportslife
two basketball
championships
would result in a
welcome boost
in visitation at a traditionally slower
period for local hotels. There is no better
time for them to visit with our stellar
new attractions and lively festivals.
Collectively, these championships are
expected to draw approximately 750
participants to Winnipeg and generate
a direct spend upwards of $700,000
on hotel rooms, dining, shopping,
recreation and more.”
The FIBA Americas U18 Men’s
Championship is the first step in the
coming of age of global superstars
such as Andrew Wiggins, Cory Joseph
(both pictured), Kyrie Irving, Kemba
Walker, Tyler Ennis and others. Stars
of tomorrow, born January 1, 2000 or
later will be eligible to play in the 2018
edition. The best (8) teams from across
the Americas will take to the court.
The FIBA 2019 U19 World
Championship is a 9-day period of
intense competition, taking place in
a fun and friendly atmosphere open
to the entire community and enjoying
a high level of visibility thanks to live
broadcasting/webcasting and FIBA’s
digital platforms.
The event recognizes the power of
team spirit, the incredible feeling of
participating in a global competition
at the youth level and the challenge of
facing the very best teams from around
the world in the age category. Aside
from the results and memories of what
takes place on the court, this event
represents a chance to make a very
fruitful investment in getting sports
fans and the general public excited
about basketball and physical activity
while offering an immense opportunity
to achieve a lasting legacy for the
host community and the country.
By bringing together top talent and
national heroes, this event has helped
make the sport of basketball one of the
most popular in the world. Over time,
the reputation and power of this youth
event has solidified it as one of the
marquee youth sporting events in the
world.
The FIBA U19 World Championship
has seen the coming of age of global
superstars such as Cory Joseph
(pictured), Kelly Olynyk, Stephen
Curry, Jonas Valanciunas, Matthew
Dellavedova, Andrew Bogut, Klay
Thompson and Dario Saric. Stars of
tomorrow, born January 1, 2000 or
later will be eligible to play in the 2019
edition with the best 16 teams from
across the world will take to the court.
The tournament consists of teams from
the 5 FIBA Zones: 4 from the Americas,
5 from Europe, 2 from Africa, 3 from
Asia and 1 from Oceania. l