In Mobile, Fireworks, BBQ and Basketball

The 4th-of-July weekend will bring more than fireworks and barbecues to the Port City this year! From July 1st-3rd, the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center will serve as the championship site for the first-ever youth basketball tournament held at the convention center. The three-day, AAU-sanctioned, Competitive Youth Basketball League (CYBL) Southern Showcase Series Championships hosted by the Mobile Sports Authority and Visit Mobile, will be open to the public as teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas will shoot for their chance at the title in their respective age divisions.

With boys' and girls' divisions ranging from 4th-grade through 11th-grade, the teams will compete side-by-side on nine Travel Courts laid out in the Mobile Convention Center with play starting on Friday July 1st, 2016 at 4:15 p.m. and continuing through Sunday evening, July 3rd, 2016. Travel Courts, in conjunction with several sports commissions and area tourism organizations, travels the nation with their "Sports Courts" commissioning both basketball and volleyball tournaments alike to cities like Mobile, AL with their Stay-to-Play partnerships, such as with the CYBL.

President and COO of Travel Courts, Aimee Roberts, noted, "We think from the location, overall destination amenities, and sports commission/CVB relationship perspective - Mobile, AL checked all the boxes for this event.  Beyond hosting this inaugural CYBL Southern Championship, we are just extremely excited about the overall partnership opportunity that exists in the community.  We see a long-term relationship with the City and County of Mobile and Mobile Sports Authority to bring more events in the future to the Port City."

CYBL's Basketball Director of Operations, Steve Hughes, also stated, "It's a great pleasure, and even more so an honor, for the CYBL to have the opportunity to host our inaugural championship in one of the greatest and most historic cities in the country as well as the possibility of making this an annual event in the Port City of Mobile, Alabama in coming years! With the support from the AAU National Office, this event is one of three events in the country that will award each division winner a paid entry into either AAU National Championship, AAU Super Showcase, or International Championship, which will be held in Orlando, FL in July! So, on behalf of the CYBL & AAU National Office, we would like to thank the City and County of Mobile, The Mobile Sports Authority, Visit Mobile, and Travel Courts, Inc. for their support!"

 Danny Corte, Executive Director of the Mobile Sports Authority, added, "We are very excited to be bringing a major youth basketball tournament to Mobile. With our new partnership with Travel Courts and the CYBL, as well as with our local partner at Visit Mobile, we believe this tournament has the potential to grow over the years to an even bigger event for our community.  We want to thank Travel Courts and the CYBL for showing the confidence in us to add Mobile to their schedule."

Admission: $10/day for Adults; $5/day for Children.

For team registration and schedule information, please visit  www.cyblusa.com . Registration deadline is June 24th, 2016!

About CYBL: The CYBL, established in August 2015 and based in Tampa, FL, has a vision to bring a National Tournament atmosphere at an affordable rate to all the southern states in the southeast region. The CYBL hosted four youth basketball tournaments in its inaugural season, a season that drew over 450 teams from 6 southern states, which also included the Virgin Islands. For more information on the CBYL, please visit www.cyblusa.com.    

About The Mobile Sports Authority: The Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) is a non-profit sports commission formed in 2008 by the Mobile County Commission. The main mission is to create a positive economic and public relations impact for Mobile County, the City of Mobile, and the region through attracting, hosting, managing and supporting sporting events. MSA is the main point of contact for sports and sports-related activities for the Mobile County area. For more information on MSA, please visit www.mobilesportsauthority.com.