Darwin Waterfront Corporation
Australias first official semi-permanent FIBA 3X3 spec basketball court will make its debut at the Darwin Waterfront.
The new facility will be open for 12 months and hold weekly events, national and international competitions and be free for public use most days.
The Darwin Waterfront has collaborated with CLB3X3s Darwin Branch who will manage the court and coordinate the calendar of events.
It has always been our vision to bring 3X3 basketball back to Darwin on a more regular basis since we hosted the massive Darwin leg of the CLB3X3 National Tour in 2016. Three years later and all the hard work and dedication by our team has paid off, driving that vision to become a reality has been very exciting and is a huge step for our brand, Matt Hollard, Founder & General Manager CLB3X3 said.
The Darwin leg of the 2016 CLB3X3 National Tour was one of the biggest, most successful locations for the tour which was held in most capital cities and regional centres across the country. We had over 120 competitors and hundreds of spectators attend the one-day event at the Waterfront.
Darwin has been a pioneer location for 3X3 basketball in Australia, and weve worked hard over the years to build our local relationships with businesses and the community to ensure our presence here is a success.
The new facility will bring national 3X3 events to the Darwin Waterfront and form part of the CLB3X3 Aussie Summer Series along with becoming the home to a newly established Darwin elite team (to be announced), which will compete nationally and internationally.
We also have our sights set on international competitions including attracting teams from countries such as PNG, Philippines and Malaysia, with these discussions well underway.
While the court will bring competition from around the country and the globe, there is a strong focus on local development. CLB3X3 will facilitate weekly 3X3 competitions for local Darwin ballers right through to business personnel with our Corporate Cups and team building sessions.
It would also continue to push Darwin locals to the top of the national federation rankings with increased FIBA points on offer, placing them in the qualification zone for selection to a national team and playing in a global event.
Northern Territorys first born and bred NBL star Timmy Duggan played in the first CLB3X3 event back in 2016 and knows what a facility like this could do for the area, The Waterfront is a prime location on Larrakia Country to provide opportunities for local and visiting tourists to play the sport. I have no doubt this facility will increase physical activity in the city.
The new facility is a welcomed addition to the Darwin Waterfront, growing a diverse offering of activities.
Its fantastic to see the Darwin Waterfront taking up these opportunities and providing yet another active and healthy activity for our local community, Local Member for Port Darwin, Paul Kirby said.
Outside of CLB competition, the court would be open for all to use on a casual basis and be completely accessible for the whole community.
The format is quick with fast 10 minute games, which means more people get a run and it makes for a great spectator sport; perfect for the whole family to enjoy.
The court will be located on the lawns between the Wave Lagoon kiosk and the pool, activating this otherwise under utilised area.
The facility will also enhance our tourism offer, Minister for Tourism and Culture, Lauren Moss said.
This initiative is in line with NT Governments Tourism strategy to enhance visitor experiences, provide more community events and adopt partnerships between industry and government to grow the visitor economy.
3X3 is huge in countries around the world including Asia and Europe. The 3X3 court provides a new activity to attract these markets to the Waterfront to play pick up 3on3 with ranking points being recorded on an international world ranking system.
In addition, this court provides a great opportunity to bring local and remote school kids to the Waterfront to compete in local Darwin 3X3 competitions not previously offered in the Top End. CLBs strong link with their charity partner Red Dust, who have been delivering positive health messages to Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory for more than 20 years will only enhance this.
Works will commence on Monday 12 August 2019 with an official opening planned for Friday 23 August 2019. Local business, The Precinct Tavern, will host a launch party for the new 3X3 arena.
