Hong Kong SAR, September 14, 2024 –Realeague, a sports holding company dedicated to “Unleash the Potential of Asian Basketball,” announced today that it will invite the G.J. Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa's Tokomanawa Queens to the inaugural APAC Women’s Basketball Challenge from September 27-30 in Haikou, Hainan Province, China. Four elite women’s’ basketball clubs from China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea will gather in Haikou to compete in six thrilling matchups. This marks Realeague’s first basketball competition following its successful launch of the Greater Bay Area International Sports Business Summit in Macau SAR this past February.
In recent years, the global market for women’s professional basketball has grown rapidly, and the Asia-Pacific region has taken on a significant role in this growth. According to the latest world ranking, three of the top 10 women’s national teams are from Asia-Pacific, however, there is still a lack of inter-club competitions among women’s basketball teams in the region. With the APAC Women’s Basketball Challenge, Realeague is focused on making long-term investments in regional women’s basketball events to help raise the overall level even further, contributing to the global growth of women’s sports.
"We are very excited about the prospects for women’s basketball in the Asia-Pacific region," said Jay Li, Founder and CEO of Realeague. "More high-quality international competitions can help elevate the level of play, and this is exactly what our team is committed to. The APAC Women’s Basketball Challenge is a key part to our broader strategy to invest in Asian basketball."
The four participating teams include the 2018-19 WCBA Champions, Guangdong New Century Basketball Club; 23-time Japan Women’s Basketball League Champions, Eneos Sunflowers; 2022 G.J. Gardner Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa Champions, the Tokomanawa Queens; and an up-and-coming team from the Korea Basketball Federation, Seodaemun Women’s Basketball Team. Each of the team rosters include players or staff with Olympic experience, including Seodaemun Head Coach, Park Chan-Sook, who is one of the most legendary players in South Korean women’s basketball history.
"This APAC Women’s Basketball Challenge is more than just a test of skill. It's a journey to understand our true potential as a team.” said Tania Maria Tupu, Head Coach of the Tokomanawa Queens.
“It is an honor to compete on the international stage and represent Japan as the ENEOS Sunflowers. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity and will do our best to compete against high-quality competition.” Said Saori Miyazaki, star player from the Eneos Sunflowers.
“We are especially thankful to the Realeague for help organizing this event with hopes of truly developing the ecosystem of Women's basketball in Asia. As we participate in the very first edition of the competition, we hope to make a great experience out of it and wishing the very best to all other teams as well!” said Park Chan-Sook, Head Coach of Seodaemun and former legendary player in South Korea
“We are very much looking forward to utilizing this competition as an opportunity to not only strengthen the exchange of basketball culture with teams from other regions, but also to train our team against strong opponents,” said Lin Yaosen, Head Coach of Guangdong New Century Basketball Club. “We aim to enhance the visibility and influence of women’s basketball. We also wish for the success of this tournament.”
The APAC Women’s Basketball Challenge also marks the first international basketball event to be held in Hainan Province in recent years. It has received strong support from the Hainan Provincial Government as well as Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province. During the tournament, players from the participating teams will be invited to explore Hainan and participate in cultural activities, promoting Hainan Province’s tourism, culture, and achievements to an international audience.
Just recently, Hainan Province was hit by Super Typhoon Yagi, one of the strongest typhoons in history, causing enormous economic damages. Realeague hopes to boost the morale of the people of Hainan through the APAC Women’s Basketball Challenge and has pledged to donate all ticket proceeds to support the province’s recovery efforts following the typhoon. Ticket sales will officially begin on September 17.
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About Realeague:
Founded 2023 in Hong Kong SAR, Realeague is a sports holding company committed to unlocking the potential of Asian basketball through investments and operations of pan-regional competitions. The core management team consists of senior executives from China, USA, Australia, and Singapore in sports, legal, and finance background.
For media inquiries, please contact media@therealeague.com.
