Basketball enthusiasts flocked to Forrest Chase on Thursday afternoon, as the highly anticipated HoopsFest officially got under way.
Basketball enthusiasts flocked to Forrest Chase on Thursday afternoon, as the highly anticipated HoopsFest officially got under way.
Declared by National Basketball League chief executive David Stevenson as the "biggest and best weekend in the sport's history", Western Australians have been provided a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in basketball from all angles during the event, which runs until Sunday.
Aside from NBL opening round and Women’s National Basketball League pre-season matches being held at RAC Arena and the Bendat Basketball Centre, the national under 18 club championship matches are being played at HBF Stadium in Mt Claremont.
West Australian Basketball League clubs involved in the men’s and women’s national tournament include: Binar, Cockburn Cougars, East Perth Eagles, Joondalup Wolves, Kalamunda Eastern Suns, Rio Tinto Perth Wildcats Academy, Lakeside Lightning, Perry Lakes Hawks, Rockingham Flames, Warwick Senators and Willetton Tigers.
HoopsFest, supported by the state government, is expected to result in considerable out-of-state visitation and increased visitor spend, due to the sheer number of NBL and WNBL supporters who have flown over to watch their team play.
Hours out from the 2024-25 NBL opener between Melbourne United and Tasmania JackJumpers – coupled by a WNBL pre-season tournament clash between the Perth Lynx and Sydney Flames – at RAC Arena, fans were given an opportunity to utilise and witness significant sports replay technology at the large fan zone in Forrest Chase.
Developed by Tangarine – the NBL’s internet and telco partner – the ‘360 Dunk Cam’ gave professional and aspiring ballers alike an opportunity to watch themselves shoot and see how they stacked up offensively on the modified hoop and court.
Perth’s professional basketball landscape also begins its new chapter over the next few days.
In June, it was revealed the husband-and-wife partnership of Christian Hauff and Jodi Millhahn had been appointed new owners of the Lynx, in tandem with operational support from Craig Hutchison-based Sports Entertainment Group.
SEG, which bought the Wildcats from the late Jack Bendat for $8.5 million in 2021, confirmed on July 11 that it had accepted an offer from tech entrepreneur Mark Arena – by way of his investment vehicle MT Arena Capital Investment – to purchase the club for $40 million.
Mr Arena presently has a 52.5 per cent stake in the Wildcats, after paying $21 million in August.
Multiple pick-and-call options remain for the new Wildcats majority owner, who can increase his stake to 90 and 100 per cent by June 2026 and 2028, respectively.
In a recent interview with Business News, Mr Arena said he was keen to build on the club’s impressive on and off-field legacies, along with enhancing both its digital presence and game day experience.
The Wildcats open their 2024-25 campaign at home to the South-East Melbourne Phoenix on Friday night at RAC Arena, with tip off at 6.30pm.
