Suncheon, the basketball mecca of Jeonnam, is ready for the i-League.
The Korea Basketball Association (KBA) announced the start of the 2024 Basketball i-League (hereinafter referred to as the Basketball i-League) on April 24. The Basketball i-League was first launched in 2022 with 4,776 players from 416 teams in 19 regions. The following year, the Basketball i-League expanded to 22 regions and grew to include more teams (527) and players (5,591).
In its third year in 2024, the Basketball I League will expand to 24 regions, with approximately 570 teams and 5,700 players expected to participate. In addition, four new regions have joined the league, which is expected to build local youth basketball infrastructure. The new regions are Jeonju, Jeonbuk; Gimhae, Gyeongnam; Gyeongsangbuk-do; 홀덤 and Suncheon, Jeonnam.
Suncheon City Basketball Association President Son Kyu-sung said, “I’ve heard a lot of talk about the Basketball I League. We have been considering participating in the Basketball I League since last year, but we lacked the manpower to organize the league,” said Son Kyu-sung, president of the Suncheon Basketball Association.
“Previously, Kim Min-seung, the executive director of the Jeonnam Basketball Association, provided us with information and materials about the Basketball I League project. This year, we decided that we were ready and able to run the league, as we have a gym,” he added.
Since then, the Suncheon City Basketball Association has hosted many amateur and youth tournaments to help Suncheon become the best basketball city in the South.
Son Kyu-sung, president of the Suncheon City Basketball Association, said, “We joined the Basketball I League to build a local youth infrastructure while establishing ourselves as a basketball mecca and basketball center in eastern Jeolla Province. We will provide basketball infrastructure for youth club basketball players in Suncheon, Gwangyang, and Yeosu.”
We are looking forward to the Basketball I League in Suncheon, which has become a basketball mecca in Jeonnam.
In conclusion, Mr. Son said, “The average age of basketball players is high. It is a sport enjoyed by enthusiasts. We want to expose youth players to basketball and make it possible for them to enjoy it as adults.” “We also contacted the Suncheon City Office of Education and asked for their help. In addition to club basketball, we will also recruit middle and high school teams from school sports clubs. Securing a team is the most important and difficult issue, and without a team, we cannot operate, but we are confident, so we joined the Basketball I League.”