Basketball Australia, in conjunction with Basketball Victoria, is organising an attempt on the World Record for people dribbling basketballs simultaneously and we need your help to make it successful.

This will take place on Tuesday 7 April, 12:30pm to 2:30pm in Melbourne’s Federation Square.

Whilst this might seem like just a bit of fun, this record attempt actually forms a core part of

Basketball’s strategy for re-establishing the relevance of our sport commercially in Australia. In

conjunction with this event, BA will also be officially unveiling the sport’s new logo and branding.

The world record attempt will be a tangible public demonstration of the one true strength of basketball – our massive participation levels. The expected media interest the event will generate should help reinforce our sport’s heavy community support and will be a platform from which to target new corporate backing to fund our reform programs.

The 2009 Guinness World Records book records that on 17 May 2007, at the BAA Edinburgh Youth Games at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, UK, 1,289 people dribbled basketballs simultaneously.  Given we currently have 110,000 players in Victoria and this event is open to anyone, this target should be eminently achievable. It is however during school holidays so we will need to have all associations working proactively to help us get the required number of participants there.

We would therefore like all Victorian clubs to organise as many people as possible in their team

colours (they can be players, refs, officials, parents, friends) to attend the attempt and represent your association in your team’s colours. This is an opportunity for people of all abilities to participate so include Wheelchair Athletes, and Athletes with Hearing impairment, athletes with Integration Difficulties, it’s open to all.

All registered participants will receive a certificate after the event as well as a group photo of the record breakers. People will be required to bring a basketball. There will be random prizes and giveaways for the participants on the day. There will also be live entertainment on the day and Opals and Boomers players present for an autograph signing session.

Participants will be required to register online for the event, just visit either www.basketball.net.au or www.basketballvictoria.com and click on the link on the homepage.

All Victorian NBL and WNBL clubs will be sending participants so this will be the first truly united activity for basketball since the unanimous unification vote on 8 November 2008.

We thank you for your backing of this initiative.