The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- March 15, 1999

Hoop City to tip off again at men's and women's sites

BY LAURIE BOLLIG
STAFF WRITER

For the second consecutive year, the NCAA will sponsor interactive fan festivals in conjunction with the 1999 Final Four and Women's Final Four.

NCAA Hoop City runs March 25-29 at the Tampa Convention Center, while the women's Hoop City event runs March 25-28 at the San Jose Convention Center.

Will Rudd, NCAA director of special events, said the focus of the 1999 Hoop City events has not changed from the NCAA's original intent in sponsoring the festivals.

"The citizens of the communities that host the basketball championships each year have limited access to tickets to the tournament," Rudd said. "Hoop City becomes the major event in which these people can participate and get caught up in the excitement of championship weekend."

Both events added presenting sponsors in 1999. Pepsi One joins GTE as a co-sponsor for the men's event, while Aquafina is the presenting sponsor of Hoop City in San Jose.

Popular elements return from the 1998 fan festivals -- the slam dunk challenge, longest shot and last-second shot events, a fantasy sportscast and championship merchandise for sale. However, several new features will enhance the 1999 fan festivals.

Hoop City in Tampa will debut the Sony PlayStation touring attraction -- a semi-tractor trailer with 20 video game stations. In addition, Nabisco will sponsor an interactive event that measures a person's "hang time" while attempting a slam dunk. Compaq will provide Hoop City patrons with a basketball-themed screensaver.

YES clinics double

Youth Education through Sports (YES) clinics -- extremely popular at Hoop City in San Antonio -- will double in frequency in Tampa, with 15 clinics over a five-day period. Coaches tentatively scheduled to conduct the clinics include Jerry Green of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Steve Lappas of Villanova University; Kelvin Sampson of the University of Oklahoma; Gene Keady of Purdue University; and Seth Greenberg of host University of South Florida. In addition, GTE academic hall of famers and former University of California, Los Angeles, standouts Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes will assist with the first two YES clinics scheduled for Thursday, March 25.

Other coaches scheduled to appear on the Hershey autograph stage in Tampa include Roy Williams of the University of Kansas; Clem Haskins of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Bill Guthridge of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; and John Chaney of Temple University.

Entertainment featured on the GTE center court stage will highlight Tampa-area talent, including two popular acts from Busch Gardens. Gillette will hold its Three-Point Challenge at Hoop City in Tampa Saturday, March 27. One contestant will have the opportunity to win $1 million if he or she converts a three-point shot. The contest will air live on CBS Sports between semifinal games of the tournament.

Co-presenting sponsor GTE will team up with local media and celebrities to host a skills challenge on opening day that will benefit Tampa Bay Reads, a local literacy program.

New women's events

New elements at Hoop City in San Jose include a Nabisco hang time interactive and a Kodak photo booth. Patrons will be able to have their pictures superimposed on the cover of Sports Illustrated for Women magazine.

The 1999 Kodak All-America team will be announced Thursday, March 25, on Hoop City's center court in San Jose. In addition to this year's team members, a 10-member 25th anniversary team will be announced in recognition of Kodak's lengthy sponsorship of the all-America team. Former UCLA standout and current broadcaster Ann Meyers and Monica Kaufman will emcee the announcements.

Other center court activities in San Jose include 11 YES clinics throughout the four days, performances by a high-impact slam dunk squad, a bicycle stunt team, in-line skaters and local dance teams.

Coaches scheduled to appear on the Hershey autograph stage in San Jose include Muffett McGraw of the University of Notre Dame; Mark French of the University of California, Santa Barbara; and Paul Sandeford of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Current Women's National Basketball Association players also are expected to make appearances at Hoop City.

At both the men's and women's venues, Ocean Spray will host approximately 350 local children on opening day, bringing in a motivational speaker, providing a boxed lunch and allowing the kids the first opportunity to participate on the interactives.

In each locale, Hoop City relies on a volunteer force to run the interactives. Approximately 650 volunteers will participate in Tampa, while San Jose has recruited 350 people to staff Hoop City.

Media participation in Hoop City will include live television broadcasts each day by Fox Sports News and CNN/SI in Tampa. In addition, the Jim Rome Show, One-on-One Sports Radio and ESPN Radio will originate from Hoop City.

Hoop City is a partnership between the NCAA and Host Communications, Inc. Marquis Events International provides production assis-
tance for each event.