FIBA 3x3 World Tour to celebrate historic 100th Masters at first-ever Amsterdam event
AMSTERDAM (Netherlands) - The FIBA 3x3 World Tour will celebrate its 100th Masters at the first-ever Amsterdam event on October 6-7.
AMSTERDAM (Netherlands) - Eleven years since first making a splash, having journeyed all over the planet and attracting an army of new fans to hoops, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour will celebrate its 100th Masters at the first-ever Amsterdam event on October 6-7.
It will be a double celebration in the world-famous Dutch capital with Amsterdam adding to the list of incredible destinations that have made up the World Tour since 2012.
The brainchild of beloved former FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann, 3x3 was inspired by popular streetball variations as the basketball governing body decided to formalize the three-on-three game in the late 2000s.
After its rules were tinkered and the game trialed in several events worldwide, 3x3 was officially launched at the Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010.
From the beginning, the fast-paced half-court game proved a hit with fans and provided an opportunity to expand the reach of basketball to new frontiers.
Two years after stealing the show at the Youth Olympics, a professional league was launched and dubbed the World Tour as players fought for prize money while establishing credibility for this new urban game.
The first-ever Masters was held in Sao Paulo in July 2012 with the inaugural season comprising six events capped by the final in Miami.
The World Tour has exploded in the years since, highlighted by the mammoth 2023 season comprising a record 17 Masters followed by the World Tour Final in Jeddah.
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Along the way, 3x3 has been granted all-important Olympic status, helping attract more talent and interest for the World Tour from all corners of the world.
While the early years featured mostly Eastern European and North American teams, the World Tour is now represented by countries from all over the map to underline 3x3's continual growth.
It's been a memorable and wild ride over the first 100 Masters, a historic milestone that will be celebrated with gusto in Amsterdam.
We can't wait for the next 100.
FIBA