Hello, Canada! The NBA All Star Weekend is Coming to Toronto in 2016
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is set to officially award the hosting of the 2016 NBA All Star Weekend to Toronto league within this week.
The Toronto Sun first reported the orobable announcement and said that the NBA’s midseason showcase will tie into the Toronto Raptor’s 20th anniversary season. The franchise joined the pro league in the 1995.
Early in May 2012, Tim Leiweke, the president and chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), was positive in landing a huge and prestigious event such as this one.
“Clearly the 2016 all-star game is a flag in the sand that we planted with the NBA. It is a must-have in my opinion and it will be the centrepiece of how we rebrand this,” said Leiweke.
MLSE properties include the Toronto Raptors (NBA), Toronto Maple Leafs (National Hockey League or NHL), Toronto FC (Major League Soccer or MLS), Air Canada Centre, Rico Coliseum and Maple Leaf Square, among others.
NBA All-Star festivities include the NBA All-Star Game traditionally held on a Sunday, the Slam Dunk Contest and Three Point Contest on Saturday and celebrity games and other side events on Friday.
Except for 1999, the NBA All Star Game was held every year since 1951. Only six NBA cities—Toronto, Brooklyn, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, Portland and Memphis have yet to host an NBA All Star Game.
The NBA is set to announce Wednesday that the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets will serve as co-hosts for the 2015 All-Star festivities. The side events during Friday and Saturday will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, while the main event on Sunday will be at the Madison Square Garden in New York.