In 2015, the Red Bull City Legends Basketball Championship – Elite Division Tianjin Division, organized by the Tianjin Social Sports Management Center and Tianjin Haiker Sports Culture Co., Ltd., and sponsored by Beijing Red Bull Beverage Sales Co., Ltd. Tianjin Branch, officially kicked off on June 20. This event is a grassroots basketball tournament open to 300 million basketball enthusiasts across China. Since 2013, the scale of the tournament has continued to expand, and this year it has reached 16 cities nationwide. These cities are divided into four major regions: East, South, West, and North. North Region: Changchun, Shenyang, Tianjin, Beijing; East Region: Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing; West Region: Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu; South Region: Kunming, Xiamen, Changsha, and Dongguan.
The 2015 Red Bull City Legends Basketball Championship is divided into two divisions: Open Division and Elite Division. The Open Division will continue last year’s competition format, where teams only need to register on the official website of Tianjin Haiker Sports Culture Co., Ltd. to participate. The Open Division strictly limits player eligibility—only players who have retired from the CBA or NBL for more than three years are allowed to compete. Additionally, the Open Division sets limits on the number of athletes from the CUBA and CUBS leagues. The Elite Division has further relaxed eligibility criteria compared to last year—any player who did not compete in the 2014–15 CBA or NBL season is eligible. The Elite Division officially began on June 20. This year, the Elite Division introduces a new element: physical tests conducted according to CBA standards. Eight teams that pass the physical tests will go through a series of challenges including city group round-robin matches, semifinals, and finals to fight their way to the national finals. Who will rise above the rest and lift the championship trophy? Let’s wait and see.
The Red Bull City Legends Basketball Championship is a haven for basketball enthusiasts—a high-quality, high-standard competitive platform. In 2015, the tournament will rigorously review player eligibility and employ international and national-level referees to oversee and officiate the matches. Additionally, after each game, CBA-level statistics will be provided for the participating teams. The event will also include mentor training camps to help teams improve their competitive skills. At the finals, the tradition of holding a grand All-Star Game will continue. With the elevated level of play this year, we’re especially excited to see our homegrown stars go head-to-head with basketball “big names”! The overall strength of the Elite Division this year has significantly improved compared to the previous two editions. In the group match between Baotong and Balance, players from both sides engaged in fierce competition, battling intensely as the basketball shot toward the hoops like precise bullets. Drives, three-pointers, dunks—all scoring methods were employed in the effort to defeat the opponent, and the intensity on the court grew thicker. In the end, Baotong secured the group match victory with a crucial final score, further widening their advantage in the group stage. As the players put it: “Our goal this year is to win the Tianjin Division and even make it to the national finals!”
The 2015 season features distinctive elements compared to previous years, with the mid-game free throw segment being a major new addition. Starting from the Elite Division group stage and the Open Division city knockout rounds, during halftime, each team must select 10 players to take one free throw each, with each successful shot earning 1 point. These points will be added to the team’s total score. This new segment not only increases the suspense of the match but also provides players with a way to relieve pressure amid the intense competition.
Additionally, as a highlight of the Red Bull City Legends grassroots basketball championship, the mentor training sessions will offer the most professional guidance to basketball fans. Currently, several basketball stars—including Zhang Yunsong, Meng Da, Li Guang, and Wang Libin—have confirmed their roles as mentors. They will provide special training to the two champion teams from their respective cities. This initiative aims to truly spread basketball culture among the public, allowing every basketball enthusiast to experience the joy brought by the sport and building an effective bridge for communication between amateur and professional players.
The Red Bull City Legends Basketball Championship is currently the largest, highest-standard, most widely participated, and most community-oriented grassroots basketball event in China. It transcends the boundaries of age, region, and industry, creating a platform for basketball enthusiasts to showcase themselves, release their passion, and enjoy the basketball lifestyle. It is our very own league. The 2015 season has been further upgraded and will surely bring more surprises and inspiration to basketball lovers. On the court, players give their all, fighting for every ball; off the court, teammates laugh and chat, completely forgetting the fierce competition. Whenever a player scores an impressive basket, the audience responds with applause and cheers. A team falling behind doesn’t face ridicule from opponents—in fact, they receive encouragement from the bench players of the other side. This is the joy basketball brings us, along with a unique spirit of competition. Beyond the games, we gain even more: the camaraderie among players. Over the past two years, we’ve shown “unwavering love for basketball”; this summer, we look forward to witnessing you “carve your name in the city”!