Basketball Australia and Cygnett WNBL are excited to join the NBL and West Australian Government today in announcing HoopsFest - a basketball festival set to debut in Perth, Western Australia in September 2024.
Chief Executive Officer, Matt Scriven and Head of WNBL Christy Collier-Hill were joined by WA Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism, the Hon. Rita Saffioti MLA and NBL CEO David Stevenson on the South Perth foreshore to announce the historic initiative.
"HoopsFest is a powerful moment of unity for the game of basketball in Australia. It's fitting that Perth, one of Australia's strongest basketball cities, will set the foundation for this exciting new tradition,” said Matt Scriven, Basketball Australia’s – CEO.
“We continue to garner respect for the culture of our game, the players that come from our pathways and the performance of our representative teams across the world. This initiative will bring all of basketball together in September and reflects our commitment in ensuring that the future empowers all levels of our game.”
The initiative is a historic intersection across multiple levels of the industry and will produce over 150 games over four days across multiple stadiums.
“The Cygnett WNBL is excited to be involved in HoopsFest – Australia’s inaugural national basketball festival being held in the picturesque city of Perth, WA. Bringing together basketball, culture and community, this is a fantastic moment of unity for basketball in Australia,” said Christy Collier-Hill, Head of WNBL.
“HoopsFest will be a groundbreaking moment for our game and offers an exciting and unique experience for our WNBL athletes and clubs. We look forward to lighting up the courts alongside the NBL and U18 Club Championships this September with all eyes turning to Perth.”
“HoopsFest is the first of its kind and is set to be the biggest and best weekend in the sport’s history, and we are thrilled to bring it to life for the first time in Perth,” NBL CEO, David Stevenson, said."HoopsFest will have a significant impact well beyond the court. Attendees will enjoy a variety of entertainment throughout Perth, including an interactive fan zone, community engagements, live music, a new and exciting match-day experience that is different to a regular match, and more. It will be an unforgettable experience and it’s guaranteed to create lifelong memories for all that attend.”
HoopsFest kicks off from Tuesday 17 September with the future of Australian basketball for the U18 Australian Club Championships tournament. 40 teams will battle it out over 140 games at HBF Arena in Joondalup for the crown.From 19 September, the NBL starts with a Championship Series rematch between Melbourne United and Tasmania JackJumpers at RAC Arena – followed by a full round of NBL fixtures.
A Cygnett WNBL Showcase Tournament will occur concurrently - including eight games and the first official appearance of new franchise Geelong United. All WNBL teams will lock in for an action-packed tournament set to be held across RAC Arena and Bendat Basketball Centre.In addition, fans will be able to engage interactive fan zones, the world famous Sneakerland exhibition, as well as music, food and loads of other entertainment.
Pre-registration available now, with pre-sale tickets, at the best rate, to the basketball family on sale from Friday, 31 May and general public tickets on sale from Tuesday, 4 June.
