DETROIT – As Joe Louis Arena completes its transformation from an ice rink to a basketball court, the Horizon League and Olympia Entertainment will hold a wide-array of events and activities at The Joe starting on Wednesday, March 1 for fans to participate in “Motor City Madness,” in conjunction with the Little Caesars Horizon League Basketball Championships from March 3-7 at Joe Louis Arena.
Activities set to be hosted at The Joe include yoga, kickboxing, a wheelchair basketball game featuring local celebrities, a painting class, a youth basketball camp, a Champions Brunch with industry leaders gathering to discuss experiences in athletics, a “School Day” for elementary schools throughout Metro Detroit to take part in a free, educational and fun field trip and much more.
“We’re excited to host several events at Joe Louis Arena to encourage fans and the local Metro Detroit community to partake in ‘Motor City Madness,’” said Jonathan LeCrone, Horizon League Commissioner. “Whether you’re an avid basketball fan or new to Horizon League basketball, we have many unique opportunities for fans to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime setting on the court at The Joe, all while showcasing Horizon League student-athletes as they compete for an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.”
The five-day, 18-game tournament begins on Friday, March 3 and runs through Tuesday, March 7, with the men’s and women’s champions earning automatic berths into the NCAA Basketball Tournament. A full schedule and bracket can be found by visiting motorcitymadness.horizonleague.org/.
MEDIA NOTES: Media outlets wishing to cover any of the events in conjunction with the Horizon League Basketball Championships must RSVP to Alex DiFilippo, Red Wings Communications Professional, at Alex.DiFilippo@Hockeytown.com or 313-471-7531.
“YOGA DAY AT THE JOE”
Olympia Entertainment and the Horizon League will host three “Yoga Day at The Joe” sessions to give fans an opportunity to participate in an exclusive yoga session on the basketball court atop the covered ice at Joe Louis Arena.
For $27 per person, the sessions will be led by certified yoga instructor Courtney Welch and will include four All-Day Horizon League Tournament passes for the four games on Saturday, March 4. Participants will also receive a “Yoga Day” tank top and will be entered in a raffle for a team signed Detroit Red Wings yoga mat.
Three sessions are currently being offered for “Yoga Day at The Joe” with a maximum of 200 participants per session.
• Wednesday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. (Sold-Out)
• Wednesday, March 1 at 7:45 p.m.
• Thursday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. (Sold-Out)
For more information on “Yoga Day at The Joe,” visit www.OlympiaEntertainment.com/Yoga.
“KICKBOXING AT THE JOE”
Olympia Entertainment and the Horizon League will host “Kickboxing at The Joe” on Thursday, March 2 at 8:15 p.m. For $30 per person, participants will receive instruction from Erica Gunaca and Kasandra Schultz from iLoveKickboxing.com in Troy and Toledo, in addition to four All-Day Horizon League Tournament passes for the four games on Saturday, March 4 and a “Kickboxing at The Joe” T-shirt.
All fitness levels are welcome for this exclusive opportunity to kickbox on the basketball court at historic Joe Louis Arena.
For more information on “Kickboxing at The Joe,” visit www.olympiaentertainment.com/events/kickboxing-at-the-joe.
HORIZON LEAGUE BANDS AND SPIRIT SQUADS TO CREATE MOSAICS FOR THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF MICHIGAN
More than 100 members of Horizon League bands and spirit squads will participate in a community event on Saturday, March 4 at 8:00 a.m. in the International Bancard Olympia Club at Joe Louis Arena in advance of the second round games of “Motor City Madness.”
Under the direction of a local artist, the students will work together to create mosaic elements that will hang in the new Children’s Hospital of Michigan patient tower.
The Green Bay men’s basketball team – last season’s “Motor City Madness” champions – also visited the Children’s Hospital of Michigan on January 28, and painted and assembled two new butterfly mosaics for the new critical care patient tower.
For nearly 130 years, the Children’s Hospital of Michigan has been dedicated to providing high quality care to children and adolescents in a caring, efficient and family-centered environment. With more than 40 pediatric medical and surgical specialty services, the hospital draws patients from nearly every Michigan County, 39 additional states, and 22 countries, annually and provides the highest level of pediatric specialty care available for children. The hospital is a national leader in cardiology and heart surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, nephrology, and orthopedics. It is ranked as one of America’s best hospitals for children and sees more children than any hospital in the state.
RIM FOUNDATION CELEBRITY WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL GAME
The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) Foundation All-Star wheelchair basketball team is set to take on a team of local Detroit celebrities in a wheelchair basketball game on Saturday, March 4, immediately following the conclusion of the second women’s game of the day, which tips-off at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets for the game start at $12, which includes admission to all four Horizon League games on Saturday, March 4. A portion of the ticket proceeds benefit the RIM Foundation SportsAbility program, which provides persons with disabilities the opportunity to participate in recreational and competitive sports. Wheelchair-accessible seating is available if needed.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.OlympiaEntertainment.com/CelebGame and use the Promo Code “RIMF.”
“PAINTING AT THE JOE”
In conjunction with the “Farewell Season at The Joe,” Olympia Entertainment and the Horizon League will host a “Painting at The Joe” event on Monday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena, to give fans an opportunity to create their own commemorative painting of the exterior of The Joe. A ticket to paint includes two all-day “Motor City Madness” passes for the four semifinal games on Monday, March 6. The painting class at The Joe will be led by instructors from The Lush Brush in Lincoln Park, Mich.
Tickets for “Painting at The Joe” are $35. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.olympiaentertainment.com/events/group-sales/painting-at-the-joe/.
HORIZON LEAGUE BASKETBALL CAMP
The first Horizon League Basketball Camp for boys and girls ages 8-14 is set to take place on Sunday, March 5, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
For the low cost of $25, participants will enjoy the unique experience of playing basketball on the court at historic Joe Louis Arena, while taking part in various basketball drills and exercises led by former Oakland University standouts, Jonathon Jones (2006-10) and Brandon Cassise (2004-08). Each participant will also receive two tickets to watch all four games of the “Motor City Madness” tournament on Sunday, March 5, in addition to two food vouchers for a slice of pizza or hot dog and a Horizon League T-shirt. Additional tickets and food vouchers are available for purchase.
Along with expanding their skill set on the court, participants will learn the importance of nutrition. Lisa McDowell, dietitian for the Detroit Red Wings and Team USA athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, will lead an interactive discussion with participants about staying healthy and the importance of a balanced diet with fresh fruits and vegetables to keep them at the top of their game.
Mascots from participating universities will also be on hand to take part in the clinic and to provide a fun and educational morning for participants of all skill levels.
For more information about the Horizon League Basketball Camp and to buy tickets, please visit: www.OlympiaEntertainment.com/BballCamp or call 313-471-7049.
CHAMPIONS BRUNCH
Industry leaders will gather to discuss experiences in athletics at a Champions Brunch at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday, March 7, at 10:00 a.m. in the International Bancard Olympia Club prior to the women’s championship game at 12:00 p.m. and the men’s championship game at 7:00 p.m.
The Champions Brunch will begin with a breakfast at 10:00 a.m. followed by a panel focusing on key topics relating to athletic administrators along with former professional and collegiate standouts at 10:30 a.m. The panelists for the event are Cheryl Ford, three-time WNBA Champion and four-time All-Star, Mary Ellen Gillespie, Green Bay Director of Athletics and NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee member and Rick Mahorn, Detroit Pistons NBA champion and current radio analyst. The Champions Brunch will be moderated by Kelley Deyo, former Los Angeles Sparks forward, NCAA national champion and current ESPN College Basketball analyst.
For $25 attendees receive a ticket to the Champions Brunch and a game ticket to the women’s and men’s championship games.
To purchase tickets for the Champions Brunch or for more information, click here.
“MOTOR CITY MADNESS SCHOOL DAY”
More than 500 students have registered for the first “Motor City Madness School Day” set to take place on Tuesday, March 7, in conjunction with the Horizon League women’s basketball championship game at Joe Louis Arena.
All Metro Detroit elementary schools (grades K-5) are eligible to participate in a free, fun and educational field trip at Joe Louis Arena. Participating students will have the opportunity to watch the Horizon League women’s basketball championship game and participate in a pre-game health and fitness presentation.
The festivities for “Motor City Madness School Day” begin at 10:30 a.m. The women’s championship game tips off at 12:00 p.m. and will also air live on ESPNU.
In addition to free tickets to the women’s championship game, all those attending “Motor City Madness School Day” will receive:
• An educational basketball workbook focusing on areas such as math, reading, spelling, health and fitness
• Pre-game health and fitness presentation by the Red Wings School Assembly Program, which visits 115 Michigan schools every year
• First-hand experience watching NCAA Division I women’s student-athletes in action with a trip to the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship on the line for the winner
The field trip is free to all Metro Detroit elementary schools by registering online at www.olympiaentertainment.com/mcmschoolday or by calling 313-471-3282. The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 2.
For more information on the “Motor City Madness School Day,” visit www.olympiaentertainment.com/mcmschoolday.
About the Little Caesars Horizon League Basketball Championships:
The second annual Little Caesars Horizon League Basketball Championships will have 20 teams playing in 18 games over a five-day span in Detroit. The tournament takes place March 3-7 with men’s and women’s games being played each day. All 18 games will appear on the ESPN family of networks, highlighted by the 2017 Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship game on Tuesday, March 7, at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Tickets are now on sale at MotorCityMadness.HorizonLeague.com, the Joe Louis Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster.com.
Additional information on the Horizon League teams, fan activities and the city of Detroit, can be found by visiting MotorCityMadness.HorizonLeague.com.
About the Horizon League:
The Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of 10 member institutions located throughout the Midwest’s major metropolitan cities. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the league and its members strive to be highly competitive athletically while committing to the total development of its student-athletes and creating a lasting impact on campus and in the community.
To learn more about the Horizon League, visit HorizonLeague.com and follow @HorizonLeague on Twitter and Instagram and at Facebook.com/horizonleague.
Tags: Horizon League - Men's Basketball · Horizon League - Women's Basketball
