April 11, 2018
ESPN Events Announces New Early-Season Tournament for 2018
ESPN is adding an early-season college basketball event to its roster this year with the Myrtle Beach Invitational. The new event will take place November 15, 16 and 18, at the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University.
“We are excited to launch the Myrtle Beach Invitational,” said Pete Derzis, ESPN senior vice president of college sports programming and ESPN Events. “After collaborating with Visit Myrtle Beach and the city of Myrtle Beach to move last year’s Puerto Rico Tip-Off to the area due to the effects of Hurricane Maria, we saw first-hand the community’s outstanding facilities and passion for college basketball. Based on that experience, we determined that Myrtle Beach would be an ideal location for college basketball teams and their fans to visit each November.”
The inaugural early-season tournament will feature Cal State Fullerton, Saint Joseph’s, UCF, Valparaiso, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Western Kentucky with an eighth team to be announced at a later date. Several teams saw postseason success this season, with Cal State Fullerton and West Virginia playing the NCAA Men’s Tournament, where the Mountaineers advanced to the Sweet 16, and Western Kentucky appearing in the NIT Semifinals.
“We are excited to host ESPN and eight Division I men’s college basketball programs in November for the inaugural Myrtle Beach Invitational,” said Carla Schuessler, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Chair of the Board. “We are also looking forward to welcoming all the fans to our destination; in addition to the exciting action on the court, the Myrtle Beach area has so much to offer fans from the beautiful beach, to dining and attractions.
For more information on the event, including travel packages, please visit www.myrtlebeachinvite.com.
ESPN Events ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of 31 collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games; FCS opening-weekend game; 14 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 300-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Albuquerque, Birmingham, Boca Raton, Boise, Dallas-Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Montgomery and St. Petersburg, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.
ESPN Events Announces New Early-Season Tournament for 2018
- Inaugural Myrtle Beach Invitational to Take Place November 15, 16 and 18 This Year
ESPN is adding an early-season college basketball event to its roster this year with the Myrtle Beach Invitational. The new event will take place November 15, 16 and 18, at the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University.
“We are excited to launch the Myrtle Beach Invitational,” said Pete Derzis, ESPN senior vice president of college sports programming and ESPN Events. “After collaborating with Visit Myrtle Beach and the city of Myrtle Beach to move last year’s Puerto Rico Tip-Off to the area due to the effects of Hurricane Maria, we saw first-hand the community’s outstanding facilities and passion for college basketball. Based on that experience, we determined that Myrtle Beach would be an ideal location for college basketball teams and their fans to visit each November.”
The inaugural early-season tournament will feature Cal State Fullerton, Saint Joseph’s, UCF, Valparaiso, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Western Kentucky with an eighth team to be announced at a later date. Several teams saw postseason success this season, with Cal State Fullerton and West Virginia playing the NCAA Men’s Tournament, where the Mountaineers advanced to the Sweet 16, and Western Kentucky appearing in the NIT Semifinals.
“We are excited to host ESPN and eight Division I men’s college basketball programs in November for the inaugural Myrtle Beach Invitational,” said Carla Schuessler, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Chair of the Board. “We are also looking forward to welcoming all the fans to our destination; in addition to the exciting action on the court, the Myrtle Beach area has so much to offer fans from the beautiful beach, to dining and attractions.
For more information on the event, including travel packages, please visit www.myrtlebeachinvite.com.
ESPN Events ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of 31 collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games; FCS opening-weekend game; 14 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 300-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Albuquerque, Birmingham, Boca Raton, Boise, Dallas-Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Montgomery and St. Petersburg, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.