TriCon Events plan for bigger and bolder FIBA 3x3 World Tour events in Montreal

MONTREAL (Canada) - Jo-Annie Charbonneau admits she was instantly captivated by 3x3 and quickly sought to get the World Tour to Montreal.

The co-head of TriCon Events, a sports events management company, first heard about 3x3 at the Smart Cities and Sport Summit in Montreal three years ago. An impassioned speech from FIBA 3x3 head of events Ignacio Soriano sparked her interest immediately.

"After the first video, I was hooked and right after the presentation I called my two partners, Patrice Brunet and Ghislain Mélançon, to tell them about the event," Charbonneau says. "We had been looking to add another event to the portfolio and I thought it was the perfect fit for our team.

"It was an urban discipline that could be played anywhere but, most of all, it was a show. It was entertaining and it was fun to watch for anyone."

The FIBA 3x3 World Tour had ventured to Saskatoon in 2017 but the time was right to visit historical Montreal, the country's second most populous city.  

 

"Following the summit, I started to research the sport and the World Tour," Charbonneau says. "We also began to discuss it with the public authorities who are involved in attracting new events in Montreal -Tourism Montreal and the city of Montreal. Both felt that it was the right type of event they wanted to be involved in.

"We watched games on the FIBA3x3 YouTube Channel and we loved it. 3x3 is fast-paced, entertaining and intense. You can never only watch one game, once you see one, you're hooked for at least 2-3 more."

The dream became a reality when Montreal memorably hosted the Masters and the Women's Series last September. Even though Quebec's infamous weather reared, the events sparked sizable interest for youngsters.

 

“The event was a greater success than we would have hoped for,” Charbonneau says. “3x3 was pretty new in Montreal and the community bought in and got involved immediately.

"We had the opportunity to host 3x3 clinics with 12-15-year-olds who were amazed by their experience. The event was broadcast live on the main sport local channel, RDS, and spectators came in despite the weather we had."

Charbonneau says TriCon Events, which also organizes world renowned triathlon events in Montreal annually, is excited about putting on an even bigger show for 3x3 in the future marked by an enhanced program featuring dance and rap battles.

"We will change venues and bring the event more to downtown Montreal," she says. "With the new venue, I think we will bring the event to a whole other level. We want to turn the event into an urban arts and sports festival."

"We want the event to be a festival that everyone in Montreal marks in their calendar."

FIBA