Full Court Action: TeamHub and Team Navi Slam Dunk Sponsorship of Japan’s Biggest U-15 Basketball Festival, SHOWDOWN!
TeamHub, a team activity promotion app developed and operated by Link Sports Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and CEO: Shinya Koizumi), and TeamNavi, a search site for sports teams and club activities, are aimed at the U-15 generation. We sponsored the national basketball tournament “SHOWDOWN”.
A tournament started to encourage children during the coronavirus pandemic
SHOWDOWN, a national basketball tournament for the U-15 generation, was held from August 14th to 16th, 2024 at Kamisu Disaster Prevention Arena in Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
This tournament was started with the strong desire of the organizers to provide a glamorous NBA-like stage and encourage children who have lost the opportunity to practice and play basketball due to the effects of the new coronavirus. This year marks the third time the event has been held, and it is finally possible to cheer loudly, and the number of participating teams has increased. The excitement around the tournament continues to grow.
There are lots of gorgeous performances and elaborate projects!
As the lights at the venue were dimmed to signal the beginning of a heated competition, the tournament began with uplifting dance music by DJ YUTO. As red and blue spotlights installed throughout the second floor rotated and illuminated the three courts, MCs Watanabe Gorilla and Takemoto Taxi introduced the teams and announced the names of each player.
The players whose names are called dashingly appear in the center of the court while responding to the enthusiastic cheers from the audience. The venue was filled with excitement even before the match, with players striking poses, shyly exchanging high-fives with other players, and teams appearing in costumes.
Photo provided by: SHOWDOWN
Photo provided by: SHOWDOWNOnce the spectacular performance is over and the match begins, the scene changes to a place of serious competition. This tournament brings together strong teams from all over the country, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south. A total of 60 men’s and women’s teams (32 men’s teams and 28 women’s teams) engaged in fierce competition over three days, with each match featuring high-level play.
There was also an all-star game that brought together the ace players from each team and an MVP award, which was sure to be a wonderful memory for the players during their last summer as junior high school students.
Photo provided by: SHOWDOWNA variety of events that parents and cheering groups can enjoy
The appeal of the tournament goes beyond just the games. In between games, a shoot-off between parents and coaches was held. As representatives selected from both teams competed for the most shots, the DJ’s music and the MC’s chants added to the atmosphere, making the venue even more exciting.
Additionally, booths of supporting companies, a stamp rally, food trucks, etc. were set up outside the venue, creating an atmosphere as if you were attending a B League game. The event was enjoyed not only by the children but also by their parents and supporters.
Photo provided by: SHOWDOWN
Photo provided by: SHOWDOWNI hope that each of the players who participated in this tournament will utilize their past experiences in the next stage and continue to take on challenges as they grow day by day.
At Link Sports, we will continue to strive to deliver even more excitement to everyone who enjoys sports.
About TeamHub
This is a team activity promotion app aimed at amateur sports teams such as junior teams, adult teams, circles, and club activities. It currently supports 107 events and is used by over 400,000 teams in over 20 countries around the world.
In addition to the functions necessary for sports team management, such as intra-team communication, score management (team/individual), attendance confirmation, and equipment management, it also includes functions to enhance team sports activities, such as video posting and viewing. It solves the team management issues that managers experience on a daily basis, making it possible for team sports to continue to be more fun and active.
Link Sports Co., Ltd.
Person in charge: Okamoto/Sugiyama
Mail：marketing@linksports.co.jp
About team navigation
“Team Navi”, a search site for sports teams and club activities, aims to spread and develop amateur sports, support each team and organization, and encourage each sports organization and tournament to deepen cooperation and contribute to each other’s development. We are proceeding with the creation of a system.
We support each team through organizations and competitions, reducing competition costs, and providing samples from companies to help make teams more active.
Link Sports Co., Ltd.
Person in charge: Okabe
mail：teamnavi_info@linksports.co.jp
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Company Profile
Link Sports Co., Ltd. is engaged in application development and media management with a focus on IT and sports. Our mission is to “create moments where everyone can experience sports through IT.” We work hard every day to create a world where people who play sports and those who support them smile more and want to play more sports and get involved in sports.
Company name: Link Sports Co., Ltd.
Head Office: 2F E Space Tower, 3-6 Maruyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0044
Representative Director and CEO: Shinya Koizumi
Establishment date: January 27, 2014
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