Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and Red Bull International Co. have announced that the Red Bull Basketball Half Court Championship will be launched from 15th April to 18th May 2023 in various locations of UAE, and the final stage of the Championship will take place at Al-Satwa Park in Dubai.
The two winning male & female teams will qualify to the 3 × 3 Basketball World Cup Finals, to be held next Sept. in Serbia.
The Championship’s details were announced in a press conference, convened at DSC’s premises, and addressed by Mr. Ali Omar Al-Baloushi, Director of Sports Events Dept. in DSC / Shabab Al-Ahli’s basketball star Nick Meinrath of America / Qais Omar, UAE National Team & Shabab Al-Ahli’s basketball star and the Championship’s Ambassador / Tariq Aboud, Head of the Organizing Committee.
Mr. Ali Omar welcomed the two basketball stars & congratulated them as their team has qualified to the Gulf Championship’s semi-final. He also welcomed the Red Bull Co.; the leading entity in the field of the support & organization of sports events.
He stated: “The 1st edition of this Championship was held with participation of 120 teams, composed of 480 players of various ages & multi-nationalities who competed in five different stages. The Red Bull 3 × 3 Basketball Championship is considered as an eminent addition, since it provides unique opportunity for talented youth to participate in tough competitions & to qualify to the World Cup Finals in Serbia”.
He added: “The 3 × 3 basketball sport is witnessing remarkable development. DSC is pleased to renew its cooperation with the Red Bull Co. for the second successive year to organize this Championship, which will take place in several cities of the UAE. The opening & final matches of the Championship will be held in Dubai. We invite all fans to enjoy watching exciting basketball matches during this competition”.
Qais Omar thanked DSC toward its support to sports clubs & academies and athletes in general, referring that DSC is keen to boost technical levels of athletes and to support them to attain success. He remarked: “I have been participating in this Championship since its earlier editions, and I had qualified to the Finals in America. We are proud as this outstanding Championship has been launched & developed in the UAE. The current edition of the Championship is expected to attain remarkable success, since the 3 × 3 basketball has become one of the most famous sports and it attracts athletes of various ages & different technical levels. I believe that the Championship will witness participation of professional players”.
Nick Meinrath mentioned: “The 3 × 3 basketball has been launched in America since the 1990s, but it was not sponsored by major patron like Red Bull. I am so pleased toward the wide spread of this sport in UAE & the entire world. It is a unique event since it provides opportunities for players of various ages, multi-nationalities and different technical & physical levels to participate in such distinctive competitions and to travel to various countries in the world to compete in the Finals”.
Mr. Tariq Aboud, the Managing Director of Sportsmania Co., referred: “The Red Bull Basketball Half Court Championship attracts prominent players of multi-nationalities. The current edition of the Championship is expected to be held with participation of 130 teams of both genders, who will compete in six categories. Participation is free of charge for players of all categories & different levels, whose ages are 18 years old & above. The Championship is organized as per the rules & regulations applicable in the International Basketball Federation”.
He added: “Participants will be classified into six categories. The Championships are scheduled weekly on Saturday & Sunday. In Dubai, the qualifiers stage will take place at Champs stadiums in Dubai Festival City and Damac Hills 2. The other qualifiers stages will be held in the other UAE’s cities. Three teams will qualify from each Emirate to compete in the final stage, which is scheduled at Al-Satwa Park. The two winning male & female teams will qualify to the 3 × 3 Basketball World Cup Finals, to be held next Sept. in Serbia. The matches will be telecasted lively and the results will be announced immediately through social media channels of Red Bull Co. & Sportsmania Co.“