Invercargill’s ILT Stadium Southland to host key basketball events

Invercargill’s ILT Stadium Southland is set to host a series of key basketball events with the inaugural 3X3 National Cup for New Zealand’s NBL teams to be staged at the venue.

With 2020 set to mark the arrival of basketball's 3X3 as an Olympic sport, the introduction of the 3X3 National Cup will see the NBL will break for one week during the 2020 season with all teams set to descend on ILT Stadium Southland for the two-night 3X3 event.

Riding the wave of success that has seen the shortened version of the game take off both in New Zealand and around the world, the 3X3 National Cup, to be held on 28th and 29th May next year will see all seven NBL teams attend, along with the Otago Nuggets and Franklin Bulls.

The event will feature two night sessions with SKY Sports set to broadcast all the action.

Welcoming the event, ILT Stadium Southland General Manager, Nigel Skelt stated “we are thrilled to continue our association with NZ Basketball in this exciting new competition, without doubt the opportunity of hosting a destination event for Invercargill is a major draw card and I am sure we will get fantastic support from our fanatical basketball fans.”

A part of ILT Stadium Southland’s 2020 schedule, the home of the NBL’s Southland Sharks will be converted into a 3X3 festival with music and family entertainment set to bring plenty of extra fun and excitement.

NBL General Manager, Justin Nelson added “we’re really excited about the whole concept of 3X3 adding another piece of silverware to the league, especially with the game set to enter the Olympics literally weeks after we hold the inaugural 3X3 National Cup at ILT Stadium Southland.

“It’s such a different form of the game, it’s fast and physical and makes for a lot of fun either in person at the game or sitting back at home watching on television. We’ll have a bit of fun with it and add some extra things.”

ILT Stadium Southland will also host a challenge match between the New Zealand Breakers and the 2018/19 Australian Basketball champions the Perth Wildcats in Invercargill in a regular-season fixture on Sunday 3rd November.

Invercargill had previously hosted pre-season Breakers games, before last year Stadium Southland was granted its first-ever ANBL competition fixture when the Breakers played Melbourne United in November.

That fixture saw both the crowd and the venue attract glowing praise from Breakers General Manager Dillon Boucher.

Image: 3X3 basketball action at ILT Stadium Southland. Courtesy of New Zealand Basketball.