MILWAUKEE — Over 150 teams across the Midwest region will gather to play in the Hoop It Up 3v3 basketball tournament hosted by the Milwaukee Bucks and in partnership with Big Ticket Sports. Male and females age 8 and up can participate in the tournament, and all the games will be played outside at Deer District and along Juneau Ave.
CEO of Big Ticket Sports George Daniel told WTMJ why they chose Milwaukee to be the only city in the region where they’ll host the tournament.
“Deer District itself is really just the perfect venue… having this kind of entertainment complex in a downtown area. Milwaukee is centrally located and [has] a passionate fanbase. It all clicked. It’s the ideal venue for us,” he said. “[Deer District] is one of the most iconic entertainment venues in the NBA.”
Bucks Senior Vice President of Business Operations Michael Belot said this tournament was previously held annually in Milwaukee.
“If you’re old enough to remember it like me, there’s a good chance you might be past your time to participate, but I guarantee that your kids will love it,” he said. “We’re thrilled to welcome Hoop It Up back to Milwaukee, and it’s 3 on 3 tour to our great lineup of events in Deer District this summer.”
Big Ticket Sports is owned by Kevin Garnett, and this year they are celebrating their 35th anniversary of hosting these tournaments across the United States. The tournaments have been hosted in places such as San Antonio, San Francisco and New York.
Teams must have 3-5 players, pay a $200 team fee, and each player must sign a waiver to play. Each team will play a minimum of 3 games up to 21 points, and the winners of the tournament will receive a $1,000 stipend to travel to Denver, CO for the championship tournament.
Belot told WTMJ what the event’s economic impact will be for the city:
“The attendance and the businesses certainly are going to be busy that day with all the contestants going in and out and eating and drinking… The Trade will get some rooms out of it,” he said. “Part of our goal at Deer District is to make it a 365 destination… not always dependent on Fiserv Forum, but for people when they’re looking for something to do, when they’re coming down here.”
He said this won’t be a big revenue maker for the Bucks, but:
“[This tournament] is going to certainly generate economic activity in the area, which is something that is very important to us,” he said.
The Hoop It Up 3v3 tournament will take place August 16th-18th, and anyone who wants to participate can register here.
