FUBA rebrands basketball match as league tips off

 Opening fixtures

Women: UCU Lady Canons vs. JKL Lady Dolphins 6:30pm

Men: City Oilers vs. KIU Titans 8:30pm

Venue: MTN Arena Lugogo

The FUBA basketball league finally tips off on Friday with defending champions City Oilers opening their title defense against the KIU Titans at Lugogo.

It will be the third time the two sides meet this year after clashing in the pre-season invitational tournaments at KIU and UCU.

But it is the ladies champions UCU Lady Canons who take on newly promoted JKL Lady Dolphins in the opening game of the day at 6.30pm.

FUBA has also rebranded the three days on which the league is played with three big nights; the corporate Wednesday, Super Friday and a Family Sunday.

Despite the delay in tipping off this year's action, FUBA has entered new partnerships aimed at making the league more exciting.

FUBA president Ambrose Tashobya told a press conference at Lugogo that the delay was caused because of the restructuring at the lower leagues (D-League and Division1); by creating more conferences to make it more exciting.

He explained that the other reason was caused by the change in the title sponsorship which has gone to another partner that will be unveiled in a fortnight.

"We believe that with the new partners UBC, Pepsi, AAR and hostalite we shall continue to push the brand of basketball, and by the end of the year we shall be at another level," Tashobya noted.

FUBA president Ambrose Tashobya (2nd left) and official Ivan Ntabazi shake hands with UBC's Dennis Mbidde (left) and hostalite's regional manager Dickson Mushabe (right) after a press conference at UOC offices, May 5 2016. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

"We have focused on the NBL and created a corporate Wednesday where top corporates will be invited, a Super Friday which will be treated as a big social night with a lot of entertainment, fun, refreshments and music and Sunday as family day because we want to create an environment for the young ones where they can have fun as well as learn the basics of the game as we also create the stars of tomorrow; starting now.

"We are also going to promote the 3x3 to ensure its develops because FIBA World wants to place the game as the social entertainment of basketball, so we want to ensure that these games are played alongside the league," Tashobya said.

He said eventually the 3x3 will be played even at shopping malls as a way of promoting it.

Chief Commercial Officer UBC Dennis Mbidde said more coverage is going to be accorded to the game as well as some financial assistance to FUBA in future.

"We give value for money when these games are broadcast and we wish teams the best," Mbidde stated.

Other sponsors AAR and hostalite where represented by Augustine Mulhwahale the head of emergency operations and Dickson Mushabe the regional manager of both companies respectively. Pepsi will provide soft drinks while hostalite will host the FUBA website.