Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) is excited to be joining forces with the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), in a partnership headlined by BNZ becoming naming rights partner to its Kiwi Hoops junior basketball programme – delivering on a shared goal of helping to grow the sport at the grassroots level and foster the next generation of talent.
BBNZ’s Kiwi Hoops programme – now BNZ Kiwi Hoops – aims to introduce basketball to young Kiwis, helping them to foster a love for the game, develop skills and access pathways for continued development in the sport. Since its launch in 2015, the programme has reached 125,000 children over the last eight years – including a record 26,000 participants in 2022.
BBNZ CEO, Dillon Boucher says that this partnership with BNZ will allow for “transformative growth and expansion” of this vital programme, so it can engage with even more young people across New Zealand.
“By partnering with BNZ, we can expand our reach and impact, providing more opportunities for young Kiwis to engage with basketball,” says Boucher.
“BNZ are committed to helping transform the programme to make it the best experience it can be, to evolve and optimise BNZ Kiwi Hoops so that more kids than ever can participate. So this partnership will not only help us grow the sport at the grassroots level, but also build a strong foundation for the future of basketball in New Zealand by developing the next generation of players.
“We see our BNZ Kiwi Hoops programme as a way of helping young Kiwi basketballers achieve their sporting goals – whether it’s to one day become a Tall Black or Tall Fern, or to realise a career as a professional basketballer with a team like the Breakers – and having BNZ on board only strengthens these pathways and makes them more available to our aspiring athletes.”
This announcement comes on the back of another big announcement today for BNZ, with their new naming rights partnership with the New Zealand Breakers. The country’s top professional basketball team are set to embark on a new chapter as the BNZ Breakers, as unveiled at the Breakers first training session of the new season this morning.
Both of these partnerships come hot on the heels of the bank’s naming rights sponsorship of the BNZ Kāhu team in the Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa, confirmed last month.
BNZ CEO, Dan Huggins says the bank is thrilled to back both BNZ Kiwi Hoops and the BNZ Breakers as it further cements its support for the sport.
“From nurturing young talent in BNZ Kiwi Hoops, to bolstering women’s basketball with the BNZ Kāhu, and now backing the premier professional team, the BNZ Breakers, our support is generational.”
“Through these partnerships, we want to inspire the next generation and provide resources and opportunities that will help grow the sport, promote physical health, and foster a sense of community. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive ripple effects of these partnerships, from the school playground to the professional court.”
Huggins concludes, “At BNZ, we’re committed to growing the social, cultural and financial wellbeing of New Zealanders, and believe in the power of sport to bring people together and inspire positive change. We’re proud to be part of the journey of basketball in New Zealand, and we can’t wait to see where these partnerships take us.”
About Kiwi Hoops
Kiwi Hoops is BBNZ’s official junior basketball programme. It uses basketball activities and games to provide fun and enjoyable learning and participation experiences for young people from 5 to 13 years of age.
Kiwi Hoops is based on modified games and activities that provide fun and success for everyone, designed to meet the needs of young players while keeping the essence of the game.
It provides coaches, teachers, parents, volunteers and administrators with a systematic and consistent approach to the development of players, with structure, focus and format changes at each stage based on the developmental needs of the players.
Find out more at nz.basketball/get-involved/players/kiwi-hoops/
