Moncton to Host the First Atlantic Slam 2023-03-31
The City of Moncton, in partnership with On Ice Entertainment Inc. and Events Moncton, will be hosting Atlantic Slam, an NCAA Division 1 College Basketball tournament. The event, to be held Nov. 16-19, will be the NCAA’s first ever appearance in Atlantic Canada.
“Moncton has earned a strong reputation as an event host, having successfully welcomed several international championships and numerous national competitions in recent years,” says Jeff Dunlap, NCAA coach. “Playing at the Avenir Centre will provide college athletes with a top-notch facility in which to showcase their skills while fans will experience top-level basketball played by outstanding athletes, some of whom may go on play in the NBA.”
“A lot of effort has been put into securing a multi-year annual event. The collaboration with the City of Moncton and the Events Moncton committee has been tremendous,” says John Graham, On Ice Entertainment Ltd. “It’s also important to recognize the Big South conference for seeing the value in sanctioning this event. Their keen interest in wanting to grow basketball in a new market will allow Monctonians and visitors to see this level of basketball in the community for the first time.”
“Hosting a variety of events is part of the City’s event attraction strategy. We’ve been on the national and international stage as we welcomed hockey, curling, football, soccer, and track and field. We can now add U.S. college basketball to our list. Our experience, along with committed community volunteers and an incredible venue, makes us an attractive market for these types of tournaments. This is a unique opportunity for our residents to see college-level basketball live,” says Mayor Dawn Arnold.
Tickets for the event will be on sale in September. Further activities surrounding the tournament will be announced at a later date.
Background information
- Atlantic Slam is owned and produced by On Ice Entertainment Ltd. in partnership with The Big South. NCAA basketball coach Jeff Dunlap provides the basketball expertise. On Ice Entertainment Ltd. has a long history of working with NHL and NBA clubs, international soccer teams from the Championship, and La Liga.
- NCAA – The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a non-profit organization that regulates student athletics among 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
- D1 (short for Division 1) programs offer the highest level of competition between the NCAA's three divisions.
- There are currently 363 D1 schools across 49 states in the U.S.
- Big South Conference is sanctioning the event in Moncton
- MTE (Multi-Team Event) Format is part of the NCAA’s pre-season tournament.
Information:
Communications, City of Moncton
communications@moncton.ca