2019 “Final” held in the city (provided by FIBA 3×3 World Tour Depression Miya Executive Committee)
Utsunomiya City announced that it has decided to hold the “Utsunomiya Opener 2022" Xebio is decided as PRESENTING PARTNER”>FIBA 3×3 World Tour Utsunomiya Opener” (sponsored by the International Basketball Federation), a three-player basketball world tournament that was officially adopted at the Tokyo Olympics. It will be held from May 13th to 15th at Banba Citizen’s Square on the approach to Utsunomiya Niarayama Shrine in the city.
According to the city, the opening round of the world tour will be called the “opener” and will be held as a tournament with the same rating as the final tournament “final” that attracts attention from around the world. Twelve teams, including the top ten teams in the ranking, will participate in the qualifying league and the final tournament. There are also opening ceremonies and awards ceremonies for the previous season.
In 2009, the “final” was held at the same venue. It is said that the FIBA side proposed to hold an opener every year in Utsunomiya because of the evaluation of the tournament management method. Mayor Eiichi Sato said, “We can expect to improve the brand power of the city and economic effects. We would like to make an effort to be called Utsunomiya if it is 3×3 in the competition that attracted attention at the Tokyo Olympics.” (Naoto Ogawa)
