CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Sports Foundation announced Thursday that it's partnering with Jordan Brand to bring four of college basketball's biggest programs to Charlotte for the Jumpman Invitational.
The inaugural event, scheduled for Dec. 20-21, 2022, will feature the men's and women's teams from the four original schools to sign partnerships with Jordan Brand: Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Oklahoma. The Jumpman Invitational will be held three years at Spectrum Center in Uptown Charlotte.
The event will feature two games each night and will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks. Matchups have yet to be determined.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring what we believe will quickly become the marquee college basketball event of the holiday season to the Queen City,” said Danny Morrison, executive director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation. “These are four of the most storied and competitive programs in the game, and we’re looking forward to the interconference play.”
Morrison said Joie Castiglione, athletic director for Oklahoma, came up with the original idea.
“Charlotte has a rich history of hosting high-profile basketball events, including the NBA All-Star Game, NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament games, the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament, the CIAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments and this year’s Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Shootout," said Mayor Vi Lyles. "We look forward to welcoming basketball fans from across the country to enjoy our hospitality and culture, and we’re grateful to the Charlotte Sports Foundation and Jordan Brand for organizing this event that will bring so much recognition and positive economic impact to our city.”