The imminent Mashramani Street-ball Championship is expected to be a thrilling display of talent, as Sparta Boss, Gold is Money, Bent Street, and Back Circle have confirmed their participation in the event slated for February 18 at the National Park in Georgetown.
Participating teams will be locked in battle for over $1 million in prize money at the one-night event, according to organiser Edison Jefford.
Jefford further broke down the prize money allocation: the winners will cash out $500, 000, while the second, third, and fourth-placed teams will walk away with $250,000, $150,000, and $100,000, respectively.
He also informed us that the tournament has drawn 16 of the best teams in and around the capital city. Aside from the usual suspects, other teams that are confirmed for the tournament are Stabroek Ballers, Team Cruel, Sophia, Five O, Family, and North East La Penitence, among others.
Quizzed on the number of teams invited for the one-day event, the organiser said that because of his admiration for the street-style format, teams have been calling him asking for an opportunity to participate in the tournament.
“Ideally, I wanted to play eight of the best teams, but because of the demand by other teams to be included, I was left with no choice but to increase the number of participants to sixteen. It was a difficult call; these were teams that supported all my tournaments in the past, and I felt obligated to include them with strict emphasis on punctuality,” Jefford stated.
The event he recalled was usually staged over six nights previously, but due to the rising cost of hosting such tournaments, he was forced to make the adjustment and fuse everything into one night of adrenaline-charged action.
According to the seasoned organiser, the shortened format is the new direction sports are taking, pointing to the exciting Twenty20 cricket as a prime example to underscore his point.
“I have an opportunity to create an atmosphere allied with the Mashramani celebrations that is adorned with colour, pomp, and ceremony, and fans can be assured that that is what I will deliver along with the on-field intense fireworks,” he added.
The date for the launch of the tournament will be announced shortly.
