MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee men's basketball team will be making a unique trip across the Atlantic Ocean later this year as part of the 2018-19 season schedule.
Director of Athletics
Amanda Braun announced today that the Panthers will be participating in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2018 Belfast Classic, a college basketball tournament that takes place in Northern Ireland.
"This is a very exciting announcement for our program," Braun said. "We are looking forward to being able to provide our student-athletes with a unique opportunity to travel abroad in this setting. The cultural and educational experiences of playing in an event like this will make memories that will last a lifetime. We look forward to proudly representing Milwaukee Athletics and providing visibility for the University while in Northern Ireland."
The two-day event is scheduled for November 30 and December 1, 2018. Games will be played at The SSE Arena in Belfast. Opponent and times for action on the first day will be announced when made official. The Belfast Classic also features consolation and championship play on the second day. The remainder of the MKE non-conference basketball schedule will be announced at a later date.
"The mission for our young men at Milwaukee is to have a world-class experience on and off the court," head coach
Pat Baldwin said. "This is a tremendous opportunity for them to compete, represent the Panthers globally and enjoy this great student-athlete experience in the beautiful country of Ireland. In addition, it will be a unique fan opportunity for our families and supporters of the program."
Travel packages for fans wanting to make the trip are also now available. Full information can be found on this
LINK HERE.
"The Belfast Classic is a great addition to our non-conference schedule and we are excited to be participating in this event," Braun said. "Outside of taking in some tremendous games on the court, we invite our fans to join the team and discover Northern Ireland with us."
Those travel packages are now available for fans to make the trip across the globe with the Panthers, with options in place for four and six-night stays. The tour features Ireland's capital, Dublin, and Northern Ireland's capital, Belfast, and provides an introduction to two of Europe's friendliest cities. In addition to the basketball action, fans can take in some of the most renowned landmarks and tourist destinations North and South of the border.
The Dublin & Belfast Experience
{6 Night Tour of Ireland ~ November 26-December 2, 2018}
Land Package: $1,575 pp sharing Double/Twin & $2,095 Single
Airfare is additional. Please see special tournament rates below from Aer Lingus
(Depart U.S. Sunday, November 25 for arrival in Ireland Monday, November 26)
Your SIX-night Dublin & Belfast Experience gives you all the components you will need for the week, covering accommodation, transportation, meals, entertainment, sightseeing, and most important, game tickets, while allowing you some free time to do your own exploring. This package includes:
Accommodations:
November 26, 27: Two nights Dublin city hotel
November 28, 29, 30, December 1: Four nights Belfast city center hotel
* Includes Full Irish Breakfast Daily except on day of arrival
Features:
- Guided Dublin City Sightseeing Tour
- Visit to Guinness Storehouse, Dublin
- Day tour to Glendalough, Ireland 6th century Monastic Site
- Guided Belfast City Sightseeing Tour
- Visit to Titanic Belfast – Voted #1 Attraction in the World 2017
- Visit to the Giant's Causeway, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Round-trip Airport Transfer from/to Dublin International Airport
- Private Coach for Sightseeing
- Round-trip Transfers from/to the SSE Arena (Friday & Saturday)
- Game tickets for both games in the Fan Zone
- Three dinners in Belfast, one with entertainment
The Belfast City Stay Experience
{4 Night Tour of Ireland ~ November 28-December 2, 2018}
Land Package: $1,102 pp sharing Double/Twin & $1,419 Single
Airfare is additional. Please see special tournament rates below from Aer Lingus
(Depart U.S. Tuesday, November 27 for arrival in Ireland Wednesday, November 28)
The FOUR-night Belfast City Stay Experience gives you a real taste of Northern Ireland and includes accommodation, transportation, meals, entertainment, sightseeing and most important game tickets. The travel package is:
Accommodations:
November 28, 29, 30, December 1: Four nights Belfast city center hotel
* Includes Full Irish Breakfast Daily except on day of arrival
Features:
- Guided Belfast City Sightseeing Tour
- Visit to Titanic Belfast – Voted #1 Attraction in the World 2017
- Visit to the Giant's Causeway, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Round-trip Airport Transfer from/to Dublin Intl Airport
- Private Coach for Sightseeing
- Round-trip Transfers from/to the SSE Arena (Fri & Sat)
- Game tickets for both games in the Fan Zone
- Three dinners, one with entertainment
Aer Lingus, the flagship carrier airline of Ireland, is getting behind the Belfast Classic by offering special fares for those traveling to the Emerald Isle in November 2018 to support the Milwaukee Panthers!
These exclusive round-trip fares (including fees and taxes – taxes subject to change) offer incredible value for all tournament passengers, and are based on availability so book soon to avoid missing out.
You can fly with Aer Lingus from the following airports:
• John F Kennedy Airport to Dublin Airport- $483
• Newark Liberty Airport to Dublin Airport- $483
• Boston Logan Airport to Dublin Airport- $483
• Washington Dulles Airport to Dublin Airport- $573
• Toronto Intl Airport to Dublin Airport- $503 CAD
• Bradley Intl Airport to Dublin Airport- $483
• Chicago O'Hare Airport to Dublin Airport- $603
• San Francisco International Airport to Dublin Airport- $663
In addition to the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic, a series of ongoing community relations events and initiatives will be held in the Belfast vicinity. Formal announcements surrounding specific events and ticket information will be released at a later date.
About The SSE Arena, Belfast:
The SSE Arena, Belfast is Northern Ireland's premier entertainment venue. The venue opened in December 2000 and to date has welcomed over 9 million visitors. This world-class arena can stage a number of sporting events with an Olympic sized Ice pad and is home of the Stena Line Belfast Giants. Not only providing a multitude of sports, the Arena attracts international stars from the world of pop, rock, hip-hop and classical music and has welcomed stars such Beyoncé, Adele, U2, Rhianna, Lady Gaga, Michael Bublé, Rod Stewart, Black Sabbath and many more. The venue has hosted BBC Sports Personality of the Year and the MTV EMAs. The Arena has seating capacities from 1,500 for an intimate theatre format right up to full capacity format of 10,800. The SSE Arena, Belfast provides an outstanding location for first class corporate hospitality to businesses in Northern Ireland. The Arena has 24 corporate hospitality suites comprising of 20 x 12 seated suites and 4 x 28 seated suites.
