FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, on Thursday announced that ABEO-owned SCHELDE SPORTS has been appointed as the official supplier of backstop units for FIBA's top level international competitions until 2020, including the first-ever 32-team FIBA Basketball World Cup taking place in China from August 31-September 15, 2019.
The agreement comes following a Request of Proposal made to all FIBA Equipment and Venue Centre partners. It was brokered by FIBA Marketing, an innovative strategic partnership between FIBA and Infront Sports & Media.
On the occasion of FIBA's flagship competition being staged on Chinese soil for the first time ever, SCHELDE SPORTS will supply and maintain the Super SAM 325 - the latest generation of backboard support units - across the 8 host cities for both competition and training courts, thereby showcasing its product to billions of spectators and viewers of the event. It will also supply the same equipment for the Olympic Basketball Tournament taking place in Tokyo in 2020.
A global market leader in basketball backstop unit support systems with a commercial presence in more than 60 countries across 5 continents, specialist team sport brand SCHELDE SPORTS has been developing its own products - which combine perfect design with efficiency and ease of use - since 1892.
It previously enjoyed successful collaborations with FIBA, having provided the backstop units for leading competitions such as FIBA EuroBasket 2015 and the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2014. Furthermore, it has served as the official global backstop supplier for FIBA's 3x3 discipline since 2013 and is in place to do so until 2020.
Through this new agreement, SCHELDE SPORTS - a part of the ABEO Group, one of the global leaders in the sports and leisure equipment sector - once again confirms its status as a go-to supplier of basketball equipment for major international competitions.
ABEO Group CEO Olivier Estèves said: "We are extremely proud to see our expertise recognised once again. This agreement gives the Group increased visibility worldwide, and particularly on the Asian continent. We are happy to guarantee SCHELDE SPORTS involvement in FIBA’s top level international competitions until 2020."
FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann said: "We are excited to team up with SCHELDE SPORTS and having the opportunity to once again call on this trusted FIBA Equipment and Venue Centre partner to provide the very best backstop units for our biggest competitions until 2020."
