Wednesday 19 April 2017 10:25, UK
Sky Sports is bringing the worlds of netball and basketball together for a weekend of all-star action in an exciting new format, live from The O2.
In partnership with Matchroom, Sky Sports is bringing two days of British netball and basketball to viewers, with a new format that will have fans of both sports on the edge of their seats.
At The O2 on Saturday 23 September, audiences will be treated to the British Fast5s All-Stars Netball Championship, while on Sunday 24 the men take to the court in the British Basketball All-Stars competition.
The netball tournament will be made up of the top eight teams from this season's Vitality Superleague, competing in a five-a-side (Fast5) style of play. The additions of multiple shot points, rolling substitutions and a double point power play, will add an exciting dimension to the competition. The basketball equivalent will also be made up of eight BBL teams playing in shortened matches in a double elimination format. All the teams on both days will be battling it out to take home £25,000 in prize money.
Barry Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sports, said: "The popularity of basketball and netball is at an all-time high right now. We want to bring this right to the fore with a massive weekend at The O2. By combining the expertise of Matchroom and Sky Sports with those of England Netball, we know that we are embarking on something special."
The addition of these fast paced knock-out tournaments adds to an exciting year of netball and basketball on Sky Sports, which already includes unrivalled coverage from the Vitality Netball Superleague, England international test series, ANZ Championship, Quad Series, Fast5 tournaments and Euroleague basketball.
