3X3.EXE Premier is giving basketball fans an early taste of their exciting three-a-side product with a lead-in tournament, ‘3X3.EXE Premier powered by Innovation League’.
The world’s first 3X3 professional league has partnered with Japan Sports Agency and Sports Tech Tokyo to organise the one-day event in Tokyo, Japan on 14 March. A venue is yet to be confirmed due to COVID restrictions.
With crowds unable to fill the stands at this tournament, organisers are setting up the hardware for the SpoLive app to take fan interaction to another level.
The next-generation virtual spectator platform will broadcast the event almost simultaneously as it runs and allows for fans to send cheers. Wherever any fan is in the world, their support will be projected to the players in real time.
The tournament will be made up of the four winners from last year’s 3X3.EXE PREMIER JAPAN 2020 Cup – UTSUNOMIYA.EXE, SIMON.EXE, BEEFMAN.EXE and TOKYO CRAYON.EXE – with the format seeing them go straight to semi-finals.
New Zealand first participated in the 3X3.EXE Premier in 2019, with six teams in the North Island and South Island conferences. Five teams travelled to the Finals in Tokyo that same year, where SWISH.EXE placed third overall.
Basketball New Zealand 3X3 Manager David Huxford says he is excited about the developments taking place in Japan.
“2020 was a tough year for international sport and saw the cancellation of the New Zealand conferences for 3X3.EXE Premier.
“The team at Xross Sports Marketing have risen to the challenge and sought innovative solutions to deliver a fantastic event leading into the main 3X3.EXE Premier League.”
Kiwis who tune in will have to wait another two months to watch their own athletes go head-to-head, with the New Zealand 3X3.EXE Premier League set to return mid-year.
Schedule/Teams – LIVE streaming platform: SpoLive/eJungle
- 16:10-16:30 NZT | 1st game (UTSUNOMIYA BREX.EXE vs SIMON.EXE)
- 16:30-16:50 NZT | 2nd game (BEEFMAN.EXE vs TOKYO CRAYON.EXE)
- 17:10-17:30 NZT | 3rd game (3rd place playoff)
- 17:40-18:00 NZT | 4th match (Final)
