Marking a new chapter for the sport, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa started their multi-year partnership across Africa by launching the Junior NBA League.
The launch took place at St Peter’s College in Sandton and marked the first major corporate partnership for the NBA in Africa. More than 1 000 people attended the launch.
NBA vice-president and managing director for Africa, Amadou Gallo Fall said, “We are thrilled to have this partnership with Ford, which is the first of its kind. This partnership marks the start of exciting times to come and both basketball fans and other consumers can look forward to winning some exciting prizes.”
The Junior NBA League will feature 30 youth teams which will be named after the 30 official NBA teams in the United States, to compete for the Junior NBA Johannesburg Championship.
Spokesperson for the NBA Kaunda Chama said, “[The league] will be focused on leveraging the excitement of the NBA and inspiring more girls and boys to participate in basketball through a positive experience.”
As part of this partnership, Ford will also host activities around the NBA’s signature events including the NBA Finals and Basketball without Borders Africa. The NBA and Ford will also introduce the Junior NBA programme to new sub-Saharan African markets beginning in the 2016/17 season.
Neale Hill, director of sales and services for Ford South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “We are glad to be in this partnership with NBA which allows us to invest in the communities in which we operate. This investment in the Junior NBA League allows us to give a platform for these young players to express themselves through sport.”
Details: 011 549 5182.
Read more:
Hyde Park High pupils dazzle at matric dance
Brescia House pupils dance to nationals