The FUBA National Basketball League, one of the biggest sporting events on Uganda’s sports calendar, tips off this Friday, March 11, after a two-year hiatus that was caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.
At a press briefing held at Hotel Africana this morning, the league officials confirmed a continuation of their partnership with Tusker Lite as the season’s major sponsor. Tusker Lite will inject Shs200m in the league.
They also announced that the League’s much anticipated first round will run for three months, from March 11 to May 15, 2022.
FUBA General Secretary Hudson Ssegamwenge described the upcoming league as one that will be worth following.
“We haven’t had a full basketball season since the 2019 finals, which were won by City Oil after beating the UCU Canons. It’s exciting for us as FUBA, the players, partners like Tusker Lite, and all basketball fans across the country for the league to return,” he said.
“We have 13 men’s teams and 13 women’s teams that will play a total of 123 games in the first round of the season. It’s going to be spectacular,” he added.
Ssegamwenge also expressed FUBA’s gratitude to Tusker Lite for standing with the game of basketball by returning as the lead sponsors for the league.
“As FUBA, and on behalf of the Ugandan basketball fraternity, I want to thank Tusker Lite for standing by us and believing in the game, by returning as the lead sponsors. We believe this sponsorship will go a long way in elevating the game of basketball in Uganda and will offer more to the fans that love the game,” he added.
Tusker Lite Brand Manager Elizabeth Mutamuliza described the partnership as a natural connection.
“We are excited to be back in action with a sport that brings friends together to enjoy fun moments, which is what Tusker Lite, is really about as a brand. The sponsorship is our way of reaffirming that we believe in basketball, and want it to grow,” Mutamuliza said.
The Friday games will have KCCA Leopards taking on KIU Rangers in the women’s fixtures, while City Oil will face NAM Blazers at the MTN Arena, Lugogo.
The league is going to be bigger and better following a deal with Next Media Services to broadcast some of this season’s games live on their Sanyuka TV platform.