• Supported by Wynn, the “3×3 Greater Bay Area Tour 2024” finals were held in Macau in early October.
• The tour serves as a platform for strengthening sports exchanges in the Greater Bay Area.

The grand finals of the “Wynn Presents – 3×3 Greater Bay Area Tour 2024” took place in early October at the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Tap Seac Square in Macau. Team BIONORD WOLF UNITED and Tongjia Construction emerged victorious in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.

Organized by the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and StarMac Entertainment & Production Limited, and co-organized by the Macau-China Basketball Association and Companhia de Eventos Desportivos Chai Yu, the event was sponsored by Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A. The competition aims to elevate the standard of 3×3 basketball in Macau, foster sports exchanges between cities within the Greater Bay Area and establish Macau as a premier destination for international 3×3 basketball, blending sports with tourism.

The tour began accepting registrations in early September, with the first games held in late September across Greater Bay Area locations including Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hengqin, Guangzhou and Macau. Each city hosted men’s competitions, with a cap of 32 teams per city. The top three teams from each location qualified for the grand finals. The finals, which featured both men’s and women’s divisions, welcomed up to 32 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams, with additional slots available through open recruitment. The total prize pool, including cash and prizes, was valued at over MOP 800,000.

This year, the tournament upgraded to a FIBA 3×3 Quest-level event, with the grand final men’s champion team earning direct entry into the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Macau 2024, scheduled for 19 and 20 October.

On finals day, BIONORD WOLF UNITED defeated Nan Hai Long Shi team in a thrilling men’s match, winning 19-16 to secure the championship. Nan Hai Long Shi finished as runner-up, while the He Ji team triumphed over their opponents 21-20 to claim third place. In the women’s finals, Tongjia Construction beat the Kang Ren team 17-14, with the Wei Si Jia Fu Zhuang team taking third place after a 21-10 win over Li Hong Real Estate.

Wynn stated that with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of Macao SAR, the tour serves as a platform for strengthening sports exchanges in the Greater Bay Area. The event aims to attract more tourists to Macau, providing an opportunity to experience the city’s unique blend of sports culture and urban vitality while celebrating Macau’s progress 25 years after its return to the motherland.

Community engagement and school visits
In addition to the tournament, the organizers invited renowned Chinese streetballer Hao Tianji to Macau for a three-day series of visits to local schools, including Colégio Diocesano de São José 5 and 6 as well as Hou Kong Middle School. Hao engaged with students, sharing his own competition experiences and participating in interactive basketball activities.

Known as the “Helmet Guy” by his fans, Hao holds 48 titles from the “Street King” competitions and earned his nickname for wearing a helmet during matches. With his flashy play style and impressive skills, Hao has gained fame on streetball courts. To promote basketball culture, he was invited to visit these three schools where the atmosphere was electric. The interactive sessions included 3×3 games, 1-on-1 challenges, and personal stories from Hao, which were met with enthusiastic cheers from the students. Notably, Hao previously participated in the “Wynn Cup 3×3 Greater Bay Area Tour” at Hou Kong Middle School in 2022, and he expressed excitement about returning this year.

Furthermore, during the tournament, a carnival was held at Tap Seac Square as part of the “Wynn Presents – 3×3 Greater Bay Area Tour 2024”. The carnival featured busking performances, balloon twisting, basketball experiences, specialty drinks, snacks and desserts, offering locals and tourists a chance to enjoy a vibrant weekend.

Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, said that hosting large-scale and impactful sports events brings significant opportunities to Macau’s sports and tourism sectors. She highlighted that the “3×3 Greater Bay Area Tour” basketball tournament, which has been held for several years, has already become a branded event. The interaction and exchanges between various cities in the Greater Bay Area through the tournament not only attract sports enthusiasts but also appeals to tourism lovers. The “tourism + sports” approach can stimulate the surrounding economy of Macau, encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to get involved, and create numerous opportunities for those working in the sports industry.

Chen mentioned that in addition to the “3×3 Greater Bay Area Tour”, future sponsored events include the Macau Snooker Masters at the end of the year and an international golf tournament at the beginning of next year. Through “tourism + sports”, these events can bring even more opportunities to Macau.

She also expressed her hope that individuals interested in Macau’s sports industry can contribute to the development of the sports sector, enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to benefit from more opportunities. Chen said that by combining sports and tourism, it is hoped Macau can attract more potential international sports tourists.