More eyes on uni basketball thanks to Stuff partnership

An innovative partnership with Stuff will see inter-university basketball competitions draw a much wider audience than before this weekend.

The partnership between the news organisation and Basketball New Zealand includes livestreaming University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand’s 3x3 basketball championships this weekend.

The arrangement was announced this week, as national tertiary tournaments restart after competitions were abandoned last year thanks to covid-19 lockdowns.

Stuff will broadcast selected games from the ‘Stuff Showcourt’, providing exposure for the event in what is seen as a groundbreaking move for tertiary sport.

Sarah Anderson, UTSNZ director says increasing the visibility and profiling tertiary student achievement creates a real sense of pride and identity within the student community.

“It’s also a way to ensure students, staff and alumni continue to engage with their universities,” she said.

AUT sports coordinator and 3x3 basketball tour manager Kiani Smith says she is “excited to get [the season] away for 2021”.

While there is much work in the admin, trial and registrations, it is always rewarding to see the students excel, she says.

This weekend’s 3x3 inter-university basketball championship is a “stepping-stone” on which students can showcase their skills, she says.

The tertiary tournament will be held at the ASB Sports Arena in Wellington and will involve 16 teams from eight universities.

Kiani says she has seen first-hand how these competitions can lead to opportunities within the national leagues for standout athletes.

“It is an awesome chance for the universities and students to get tertiary sport out there and we can’t wait for our games to be showcased across the country better than they have been before.”

National tertiary events can also open a pathway to compete against other top universities from around the world.

UTSNZ marketing and events manager Tiwai Wilson says the partnership with Stuff is integral to developing tertiary sport and he is excited about the exposure that the platform will bring.