Victoria will host CanadaB次元官网网址檚 WomenB次元官网网址檚 National Basketball Team in an international tune-up series shortly before the team vies for Olympic gold.

The Friends of Victoria Basketball Society, in collaboration with the Rifflandia Entertainment Company, is organizing a three-game series between the Canadian and Portugal womenB次元官网网址檚 national teams at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in late June.

The series and a training camp at the University of Victoria will be held about month before the Canadians squad competes at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

RifflandiaB次元官网网址檚 chief operating officer said the Victoria eventB次元官网网址檚 goal will be to break the record for the largest attendance ever at a Senior WomenB次元官网网址檚 National Team home game.

B次元官网网址淲e are thrilled to be supporting the Sr. WomenB次元官网网址檚 National Basketball team by hosting a training camp and exhibition game against Portugal in June of this year,B次元官网网址� RifflandiaB次元官网网址檚 Vanessa Leong said in a statement.

Victoria council on Thursday (April 18) approved using $25,000 from the cityB次元官网网址檚 contingency budget to support the events. Leong said theyB次元官网网址檙e grateful for VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 contribution as it will help B次元官网网址渃elebrate these great Canadian women in their pursuit of gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.B次元官网网址�

City staff expect the attraction to generate economic benefits for the local community as visitors and residents take part in activities inside the basketball venue and beyond.

A recent report from the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission found the city hosting Hockey Day in Canada in January generated almost $4 million in economic activity for the region.

A proposal for the Canada-Portugal series called the Paris Games a once-in-a-generation moment as both the womenB次元官网网址檚 and menB次元官网网址檚 national basketball teams earned a spot. Going into the games ranked fifth in the world means the Canadian women are poised to medal for the first time, the proposal says. It added more work is needed to prepare the group for the level of international competition itB次元官网网址檒l face in Paris.

The proposal, which was prepared for the province, highlights Victoria as a basketball city after it hosted Olympic and World Cup qualifiers, the Toronto RaptorsB次元官网网址� training camp and an exhibition between the Canada and Japan womenB次元官网网址檚 teams in recent years.

The proposal said a $150,000 grant from the province has already been confirmed. Those funds and the cityB次元官网网址檚 $25,000 contribution will underpin the financial viability of the event and ensure basketball fans of all ages and economic brackets can equitably access the games, the proposal said.

An operating agreemment sees a company manage the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on behalf of the city. That agreement sees Victoria receive $2 from each ticket sold for arena events, which helps fund the cityB次元官网网址檚 long-term debt associated with the construction of the arena. The city said a range of ticket prices will aim to account for the seriesB次元官网网址� costs while also ensuring affordability.

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