FIBA launches global trophy tour for basketball World Cup

This year marks the 18th edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the largest edition of FIBA’s flagship event with a record 32 teams. With this, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) is launching its World Cup Trophy Tour to engage fans globally.The FIBA Basketball World Cup will run from 31 August to 15 September. This year it will take place across eight cities in China – Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan, Wuhan, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Beijing – for the first time ever.FIBA has partnered with Jack Morton, the global brand experience agency, to create the iconic FIBA Basketball World Cup Trophy Tour, with unique experiences for fans to interact with the authentic FIBA trophy.The tour, presented by Aeroflot, brings the newly designed golden trophy to fans globally in 24 countries across five continents. The Trophy Tour sets off in June making its way to Europe, the US, and Asia.As part of the tour, FIBA will launch a fan activation event which will capture fans cheering for their national team to create the world’s largest digital video montage of cheering fans.The video will put fans at the centre of the celebration and the film. They will have the opportunity to share their cheering videos online afterwards. This fan activation event will tour eight key cities: Milan, Paris, Madrid, New York, Los Angeles, Manila, Tokyo, and Moscow.“The Trophy Tour engages audiences of all ages, bringing them together through a fun and interactive activity and connecting them worldwide to FIBA through one platform. We’re excited to be a part of this game-changing experience for FIBA,” said Natalie Ackerman, EVP of Greater China at Jack Morton.In addition to the Trophy Tour, Jack Morton is designing eight FIBA Basketball World Cup houses across China where fans can celebrate and support their favourite teams.The World Cup houses will be open for two weeks before the tournaments in each of the host cities and will include a mini FIBA showroom, cheering booths, a FIBA history wall and fan lounge, as well as various interactive activities to engage fans.“We’re thrilled to bring this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup to the fans in China where basketball is the number one team sport,” said Frank Leenders, director general of FIBA media and marketing services.“With this truly global Trophy Tour, we want fans to be an integral part of the activation and to feel connected to basketball, wherever they are in the world.”