Utsunomiya to host FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final 2019

UTSUNOMIYA (FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2019) - The Japanese city of Utsunomiya will host the final event of FIBA 3x3’s professional season on November 2-3, 2019. 

After organizing a World Tour Masters for the last 3 years, the capital of the Tochigi prefecture will take on the Final in 2019, just one year before 3x3 makes his Olympic debut during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“Our playground inside the Futaarayama Jinja Shrine has become one of the most iconic venues on the entire FIBA 3x3 World Tour,” FIBA 3x3 Managing Director Alex Sanchez said.

“Last year the number of spectators grew to 35,000 fans over the weekend, including a lot of familiar faces who came in previous editions, wearing 3x3-branded t-shirts. We feel like home in Utsunomiya and it gives us enormous pride and confidence to bring the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final here. The support of the city of Utsunomiya and Xross Sports Marketing and the backing of all our Japanese fans have played a key role in 3x3 making it to Tokyo 2020."

This special event will take place in a bigger outdoor venue in front of the Utsunomiya train station and is organized by the city of Utsunomiya and Xross Sports Marketing.

"We are proud and honored that FIBA chose our city to host the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final", Utsunomiya mayor Eiichi Sato said.

"This event will be the highest level of 3x3 basketball in 2019 and will bring to Utsunomiya the stars who will compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. I can't wait for the people from Utsunomiya to get a chance to see the most exciting event in the world."

This will be the second time the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final is hosted in Japan and organized by Xross Sports Marketing after the Tokyo Final back in 2014, when World Tour reigning champs Novi Sad Al Wahda (SRB) won their first of 3 World Tour titles. 

''We are really happy to go back to Utsunomiya again and try something different from the past 3 years", Xross Sports Marketing President Takaaki Nakamura said.

"The final will be the best 3x3 competition in the world and we really appreciate Utsunomiya to host this event again''.

More information about the expanded FIBA 3x3 World Tour - including several brand new locations – will be announced shortly.

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ABOUT FIBA 3x3

Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court. 

It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefited from the launch of a yearly city-based FIBA 3x3 World Tour (www.fiba.basketball/3x3worldtour) and national-team FIBA 3x3 World & Continental Cups. On June 9, 2017, 3x3 was added to the Olympic Program, starting from the Tokyo 2020 Games. 

Nike is the Founding Partner, Wilson the Global Sponsor and Tissot the Official Timekeeper of FIBA 3x3.

FIBA 3x3 events are played on Sport Court floors with Schelde backstops, and the Magic Sky canopy system.

For further information about 3x3, visit FIBA3x3.basketball, FIBA 3x3 accounts on FacebookInstagramSina WeiboTencentTwitter, Youku and YouTube or contact 3x3@fiba.com.

Wilson sponsor logo - WT Utsunomiya Final 2019
  • Tissot sponsor logo - WT Utsunomiya Final 2019