STREETBALL KOSOVA
KOSOVO STREETBALL ASSOCIATION
MEMBER OF KOSOVO BASKETBALL FEDERATION
HISTORY AND FACTS
Year 2013 marks the 13th edition of the Kosovo Streetball Championship, half court, 3 on 3 basketball a game that is universally popular among both young and middle aged citizens as it can be played in any public area where there is an open spac
e of 15 x 14m. Positive experiences over the past 13 years have shown that Streetball Kosova® can act as a vehicle to bring various communities together, to engage them in a sporting activity that is open to both men and women of all ages, albeit within an urban setting. During the past thirteen years, Streetball Kosova had gathered approx 300,000 spectators, while the numbers of participants grew up year by year. In its inaugural season (June 2000), Streetball Kosova attracted 24 teams while last year’s tournament, the 12th traditional “Streetball Kosova® 2012” officially named as 7th National Streetball Championship, gathered 151 teams competing with more than 600 players, at the same time gathering for the first time, 2 exclusively women teams, 2 mix teams and also six Wheelchair Basketball teams. In general, within past thirteen years, over 1.400 teams with more than 5.000 players have competed or, as our slogan says, they have enjoyed “music, sun and fun” with Streetball Kosova. In June, 2005, upon the invitation of Kosova Basketball Federation, the Streetball Kosova Association became one of its associations in order to help the further promotion of basketball in Kosovo. The fact that Kosovo Streetball Association (KSA) has organized successfully twelve streetball tournaments since 2000, demonstrates its sustainability. Since then, championships were organized in seven major cities of Kosovo – Prishtina, Gjilan, Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Prizren, Peja and Gjakova – in cooperation with Association of Kosovo Municipalities (AKM), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and Kosovo Basketball Federation. Streetball Kosova always aims the youth in both urban and rural areas, Kosovo-wide, regardless of their gender, ethnic background, physical disability, locality and/or place of residence. We always seek the ways to improve the involvement of youth in sport and recreational activities, regardless of their gender or ethnic background, to promote engagement of disabled persons in the sports and social life in Kosovo and, to promote basketball within both urban and rural youth and encourage participation of youth from ethnic minority communities. Indeed, the Streetball Kosova® Tournament has now become the main sporting, cultural and entertaining event, which opens the summer season all over Kosovo. The large number of population, attending the competitions are the most valuable indicators of its success and popularity As a result, it is officially supported and recommended by Kosovo Basketball Federation, Kosovo Olympic Committee and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, in particular. Streetball Kosova targets Kosovan youth regardless of gender, ethnic background, and physical abilities. Teams consist of 4 players per team and players in individual competition such are slam dunk and shoot five. We always aim to involve all non-majority groups – Serbs, Bosnians, Turks, Roma, Egyptians and Ashkalia – in municipalities were championship takes place, in cities of Prishtina, Peja, Gjakova, Prizren, Ferizaj, Gjilan and Mitrovica. The characteristic of Streetball Kosova competition is an extra motivation for women basketball players to participate. We did that by approving the rule that every score made by women players counts double, due to the fact that games at Streetball Kosova are played by mixed teams; therefore, women basketball players are positively “discriminated” (motivated). As a result, we have increased the participation of women basketball players at Streetball Kosova events in the last two editions. Streetball Kosova National Championship competition consists of seven regional qualifying tournaments. Regional champions of Prishtina, Peja, Gjakova, Prizren, Ferizaj, Gjilan and Mitrovica are directly qualified for Final tournament. The eighth team to participate at final tournament is runner-up team from the regional competition that has the largest number of participants. So, eight (8) best teams from all over Kosovo are gathered at Kosovo Streetball National Championship final tournament to decide the annual champion who is then rewarded with a fantastic first place prize “Ultra All Inclusive” vacation in a five star hotel in Turkish Mediterranean Riviera. Also, worth mentioning is that all semi-finalists, runner-ups and winners of regional competitions, are awarded sports equipment. LOCATION
Streetball Kosova events are organized in both traditional outdoor basketball courts and other locations such as city centres or other significant and attractive city sites. This strategy helps in Kosovo streetball promotion; hence, 3x3 street basketball becomes more than a simple sporting event. In other words, Streetball Kosova is a sports, cultural and entertaining event that gathers the large number of spectators and participants, regardless of the age and gender. The travelling of Streetball Kosova caravan throughout Kosovo has become like a traditional festival that marks the opening of summer season in Kosovo.
“Music, sun and fun” with Streetball Kosova is our slogan that depicts in the best possible way the connection between Kosovo citizens who are basketball fans and players with urban culture activities like music concerts or exhibition dance shows. This is proved to be a successful way to, constantly increase the number of participants and fans. Consequently, the increase of spectators is directly increasing the importance of this event and therefore the interest of both print and broadcast media. VISIBILITY
The number of spectators varies from year to year. However, the average of spectators, during the past twelve years, is over 20.000 people per year and incalculable number of TV-spectators, readers and listeners, through both broadcast and print media coverage. National and local TV stations, both terrestrial and satellite broadcasters, radio stations, web portals and national newspapers, have regularly reported on the event. DARDANIA STREETBALL KOSOVA 2013
This year's edition, Dardania Streetball Kosova 2013 has already organized seven regional qualifying tournaments in Peja, Gjakova, Prizren, Ferizaj. Gjilan, Mitrovica and in Prishtina. Finally, this year’s Streetball Kosova Tour Finals will be organized in Peja, on July 13 and will be the first ever Kosovo's Streetball event endorsed by FIBA 3x3 Basketball. In February 2013, Kosovo Streetball Association became a part of World 3x3 Basketball family and has opened a new page in the streetball or 3x3 Basketball history in Kosovo. Furthermore, Streetball Kosova ® - Kosovo Streetball Association is ready to organize an attractive and big 3x3 basketball event in Kosovo and to invite the teams from all over the world. In closing, Streetball Kosova® tournaments have become the main sporting event that opens a summer season, Kosovo-wide.
