The continent's best basketball and hockey players are heading for Tasmania later this year.
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Major announcements in both sports were made on Tuesday with the NBL Blitz visiting both ends of the state in September and the new-look Hockey One national league playing three games in Hobart in October.
The competitions will involve a galaxy of stars including Tasmanians Adam Gibson, Chris Goulding, Eddie Ockenden and Josh Beltz plus potentially fellow internationals like Andrew Bogut, LaMelo Ball, Karri McMahon and Rachael Lynch.
NBL owner Larry Kestelman, who is leading the push for Tasmania to become the league's tenth side, joined forces with Boomers great Andrew Gaze to confirm that games between all nine NBL teams will be played across Tasmania in the popular pre-season tournament.
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"This is the only time each year that all of our teams come together and we want to get our players as far and wide across the community so Tasmanians of all ages can enjoy all the NBL has to offer," Kestelman said.
Hockey Tasmania chief executive Damian Smith added: "I think Tasmanian sports lovers are in for a real treat with literally the best hockey players in the world playing right here in our backyard."
The Tassie Tigers will start and finish their inaugural Hockey One season at home.
The fixtures see the Tasmanian franchise hosting matchdays in Hobart against Adelaide Fire (on October 5), HC Melbourne (October 27) and Perth Thundersticks (November 2).
Smith said he was expecting sell-out crowds at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre.
"It's fantastic for us to play our first games as the Tassie Tigers in the new national league in front of a massive supportive home crowd," he said. "Eddie Ockenden, Josh Beltz and Jack Welch will lead our men, who will go into the season as one of the favourites, while our women will test themselves against a very strong Adelaide Fire team that boasts a number of world-class Hockeyroos.
"There will truly be something for everyone."
Tigers fixtures
- Round 1: Bye
- Round 2 (from 5pm, Saturday, October 5): v Adelaide Fire, Hobart
- Round 3 (from 1pm, Saturday, October 12): v NSW Pride, Sydney
- Round 4 (from 7pm, Friday, October 18): v Brisbane Blaze, Brisbane
- Round 5 (from 2pm, Sunday, October 20): v Canberra Chill, Canberra
- Round 6 (from 2pm, Sunday, October 27): v HC Melbourne, Hobart
- Round 7 (from 2pm, Saturday, November 2): v Perth Thundersticks, Hobart
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