GOYANG-SI - South Korea's PBA cycle will kick off this year's third event in a newly built PBA-only stadium. The construction of the stronghold has cost some 3 billion Korean won (over two million euros) and is called Goyang Kintex PBA stadium. The arena in the exclusive PBA stadium contains eight match tables, some 300 matches are held over 300 days a year in the Dream Tour, the Challenge Tour and the highest Tour for PBA and LPBA with the top players.
The dedicated stadium was a long-held wish of the PBA. The first Tour to be played there is the 'Hana Card PBA-LPBA Championship', which starts the preliminary rounds today on the 20th of July. So far, the PBA tour has been held in stadiums like the Grand Walkerhill Seoul Hotel, Blue One Resort, High1 Resort and Sono Calm Goyang. The SY Group, a new team in the team competition, has made a special donation of hundreds of millions Korean won for the construction of the new stadium. Moreover, each club participating in the PBA team competition contributes to the stadium's running costs.
The PBA Stadium with its eight tables, including two practice tables, has a grandstand for about 200 spectators. There is also a players' area with dressing room, a press room and a referees' area, among others. The organisers of the cycle speak of the 'Mecca of the PBA' where many broadcasts are produced.
Decorations in the stadium symbolise the PBA, including the logos of sponsors, PBA game rules and the emblems of each team participating in the PBA team competition. In particular, one side of the outer wall features 'PBA graffiti' by Beom-min, a 'graffiti artist' from Korea.
The opening ceremony starts on Saturday, July 22, at 1.50pm Korean time.
The arena in the newly built PBA stadium