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THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCES NEW YORK CITY’S RUCKER PARK TO SERVE AS EIGHTH REGIONAL SITE
THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCES NEW YORK CITY’S RUCKER PARK TO SERVE AS EIGHTH REGIONAL SITE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jake Pavorsky
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THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCES NEW YORK CITY’S RUCKER PARK TO SERVE AS EIGHTH REGIONAL SITE
Chick-Fil-A Tri-State and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to serve as partners for the Rucker Park Regional
NEW YORK CITY, May 19, 2022 – The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the million dollar, winner-take-all event televised live on ESPN, today announced that New York City’s famed Rucker Park will serve as the event’s eighth regional location for the 2022 tournament. Games will be played at Rucker Park’s Greg Marius Court from July 16-20 and will be open to the public. The Rucker Park Regional will serve as TBT’s first outdoor basketball event in the tournament’s nine-year history.
Chick-Fil-A Tri State will serve as the presenting partner of the Rucker Park Regional. The event will also be supported by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and their grassroots community partner, NBA 2K.
“We’re excited to bring TBT’s brand of high stakes, open-to-all basketball to the most storied court in the world,” said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “We’d like to thank Entertainers 155 Rucker Park, the National Association of Each One Teach One, Inc., and The Doe Fund. Without their support, it would never happen. It’s a great day for basketball.”
"We are very excited for this partnership and to support The Basketball Tournament coming to the newly renovated Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park,” said NBPA President and New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum. “This tournament promotes and celebrates the game of basketball in a truly unique fashion and this is a natural collaboration for the NBPA and our players."
“We are so grateful to be the presenting partner of The Basketball Tournament’s Rucker Park Regional,” said Chick-fil-A Tri State Operator Roosevelt Board. “We are excited about the selection of New York’s Iconic Rucker Park given its rich history and importance to the game of basketball. So many of the game’s greats have played at Rucker, making the venue a perfect fit for The Basketball Tournament. We look forward to the event and are honored to continue supporting the New York City community.”
TBT’s Rucker Park Regional will feature activations from both Chick-fil-A Tri-State and the NBPA. The event will also be supported by TBT partners Puma, Zelle, and E&J Brandy.
As part of the NBPA’s continued commitment to Rucker Park and the greater NYC basketball community, which began with a historic refurbishment of Greg Marius Court in 2021, the NBPA will support grassroots basketball around TBT by hosting a series of youth basketball training clinics with their partners NBA 2K and Legends. The clinics for local boys and girls will take place during the Rucker Park Regional, and feature NBA players as guest instructors. The NBPA and NBA 2K will also run a video gaming lounge experience that will be open to the community during the Rucker Park Regional.
“One of our goals with the refurbishment was to promote a space that continues to foster community development,” said Chris Jean, Senior Director, Grassroots Basketball and Business Development for THINK450, the innovation and business arm of the NBPA. “By implementing on-going grassroots programming in collaboration with TBT, our partners, and most importantly, the local Harlem community, we feel like we are fulfilling our mission by creating something that will have a positive impact for everyone involved.”
Eight teams will compete in the Rucker Park Regional over the course of July 16-20. Rucker Park joins the City of Charleston, University of Dayton, University of New Mexico, City of Omaha, City of Syracuse, Wichita State University, and Xavier University as host locations for TBT 2022, which will feature sixty four teams facing off in the single-elimination bracket.
The winner of the Rucker Park Regional will play into the quarterfinal round at the University of Dayton on July 29-30. Wichita State will also host a quarterfinals game between the winner of the Wichita Regional and the Omaha Regional. TBT’s semifinals and championship game will be hosted at the University of Dayton on July 31 and August 2, respectively.
TBT is an open-application event, and teams interested in competing in the Rucker Park Regional can apply through TheTournament.com until June 15.
For more information on TBT, how to enter a team, and the Rucker Park Regional, visit thetournament.com.
About The Basketball Tournament
The original home of the Elam Ending®, The Basketball Tournament has grown from a unique idea among friends to one of the most exciting and engaging events on the summer sports calendar, with national exposure on ESPN, social media buzz and regional championships across the country - culminating in a winner-take-all $1 million game. Every year it attracts some of the best players in the world. For more information on TBT’s eighth season, visit www.thetournament.com
About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a restaurant company known for the Original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich and signature hospitality. Represented by more than 170,000 Team Members, Operators and Staff, Chick-fil-A restaurants serve guests freshly prepared food at more than 2,700 restaurants in 47 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada. The family-owned and privately held restaurant company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy and is committed to serving the local communities in which its franchised restaurants operate.
Known for its leadership and growth opportunities, in 2022 Chick-fil-A was named a Best Employer in America by Forbes and a top company for career opportunities for Black employees by Glassdoor. The company was also awarded the Employee’s Choice by Glassdoor honoring top CEOs and was named a Culture 500 Culture Champion in 2020. A leader in customer service, Chick-fil-A was named QSR magazine’s Drive-Thru Restaurant of the Year in 2021. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com and @ChickfilANews.
About the NBPA
The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.
The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including through the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, and counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.
Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.
About NBA 2K
Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment for video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile devices, with product availability including physical retail and digital download. The Company is home to many talented development studios, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber, and HB Studios. 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports, and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA® 2K; renowned BioShock®, Borderlands®, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization® and XCOM® brands; popular WWE® 2K and WWE® SuperCard franchises; as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR® 2K. Additional information about 2K and its products may be found at 2k.com and on the Company’s official social media channels.
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