Tripleheader to Feature Providence, Florida, Temple, Miami, Iona and Princeton
Brooklyn, NY (July 2, 2019) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the field of teams for the inaugural Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational presented by Citi, a premier college basketball showcase held in conjunction with Barclays Center on Tuesday, December 17, 2019. The one-day tripleheader will feature Providence College vs. University of Florida, Temple University vs. University of Miami, and Iona College vs. Princeton University.
“The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to introduce a new college showcase event in one of the greatest basketball cities in the world,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Barclays Center is a beautiful world-class arena and we know the programs participating, and their fans, will have a tremendous experience in New York City – a city many Hall of Famers call home.”
“Basketball has rich heritage in Brooklyn, and it has been our goal since opening Barclays Center to be an aspirational destination for teams all over the country to play,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of BSE Global. “We are thrilled to host the first-ever Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational and to welcome the six participating programs to the borough.”
The Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational is one event in the Hall of Fame’s series of collegiate events, which continues to grow in an effort to celebrate the game outside the museum walls. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to continue its relationship with Learfield IMG College for sponsorship representation of its portfolio of collegiate events.
Tickets for the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational will go on-sale to the general public on Friday, July 12 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center starting Saturday, July 13 at noon. Citi is the official presale credit card of the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational and as such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets on July 10 and 11, 2019. Game times and television broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Quotes from Participating Head Coaches
“We are looking forward to playing Florida in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational on December 17. It is an exciting opportunity to play a quality SEC opponent in New York City. We appreciate the great experiences that our program has had, playing in events produced by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.” – Ed Cooley, Providence
“We have a lot of respect for Providence and Coach Cooley, and this game provides a tremendous opportunity to play a high-level opponent in a marquee non-conference event. Our guys love playing in New York City, and the great Gator Nation presence there makes us feel right at home.” – Mike White, Florida
"We are excited to be a part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational. We always look to challenge our team against high-level competition, so to play Miami in New York City is a great opportunity to showcase our program.” – Aaron McKie, Temple
"We are looking forward to playing on the big stage in one of the country’s premier basketball cities, New York City. This is a great opportunity for Hurricanes’ fans to get an early look at our 2019-20 team against a quality opponent in a world-class facility. We have several experienced players back, but we also have several new and exciting players who will take the floor this season. This will be a tremendous experience for our team and fans!” – Jim Larranaga, Miami
“We’re thrilled to be a part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational at Barclays Center. The Hall of Fame puts on a number of terrific events and the opportunity to play in Brooklyn against a great mid-major program from the metropolitan area gives us an incredible opportunity to showcase the Iona brand of basketball in our backyard.” – Tim Cluess, Iona College
"Playing at Barclays Center is just a very special opportunity. There’s a feel in the arena that is unique, and we are appreciative to be able to provide our student-athletes with the opportunity to be a part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational and a night at Barclays Center." – Mitch Henderson, Princeton
About BSE Global: BSE Global, formerly Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, develops and operates state-of-the-art venues and manages premier sports franchises, delivering dynamic content and experiences for audiences. BSE oversees programming, marketing, sales, and operations for Barclays Center; NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum; and Webster Hall. BSE manages and controls the Brooklyn Nets and its NBA G League team, the Long Island Nets. Barclays Center, which opened on September 28, 2012, offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 15,795 for hockey, and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and Parm Italian Restaurant & 40/40 CLUB by Tanduay Rum. With a focus on emerging businesses, BSE identifies and creates alliances, strategic partnerships and other business opportunities to ensure the success of its assets.
About Citi: Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citibank | YouTube:www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall #BHOFInvitational or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.