Vancouver To Host College Basketball Tourneys Beginning In '17

Vancouver will be the site for two new men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments beginning in November '17. Each men’s and women’s tournament will feature eight teams and will be played Thanksgiving week at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Local tourism authorities made the announcement today in conjunction with bd Global, Brooks Downing’s Kentucky-based event management firm. Downing’s team will manage the event. “Sporting events play an important role in stimulating tourism demand,” said Tourism Vancouver President & CEO Ty Speer. “We see this as a huge opportunity for developing tourism in Vancouver.”

Downing’s bd Global runs basketball tournaments, doubleheaders and one-off games throughout the college basketball season. Downing worked with Vancouver officials David Munro, a former Vancouver Grizzlies exec, and Howard Kelsey, an ex-Team Canada star, to hatch the idea.