SYDNEY – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Tabcorp (TAB), the official wagering partner of the NBA in Australia, today announced “Gary Payton’s Block Party,” a free fan event celebrating basketball and the NBA on Saturday, March 23 in Sydney.

Headlined by NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton, the block party presented by TAB will take over Magic’s sports bar at Hotel Steyne on Manly Beach and feature a viewing party to watch the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN, fan meet-and-greets and Q&A sessions with Payton, photo opportunities with the Larry O’Brien Trophy, appearances by local personalities, NBA merchandise giveaways, and more.

“Between the success of Australians in the NBA and the national teams’ recent success on the world stage, basketball’s popularity in Australia is at an all-time high,” said Payton.  “I look forward to visiting Australia once again and to meeting the country’s passionate fans at my block party.”

“At TAB, we are proud of our collaboration with the NBA to grow the sport in Australia,” said Kate Waugh, Head of Sponsorships for TAB.  “The TAB App is home to a thriving basketball community, and we can’t wait to bring that community together in-person at Gary Payton’s Block Party in celebration of our shared passion for basketball.”

Nicknamed “The Glove” for his defensive prowess, Payton had a storied NBA career spanning 17 seasons, winning an NBA Championship with the Miami Heat in 2006 and being named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1996, to go along with nine NBA All-Star selections and nine NBA All-Defensive First Team selections.  Payton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

The 2023-24 NBA season is airing live in Australia on ESPN and NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service available via the NBA App.  Fans in Australia can shop for the latest NBA merchandise at NBAStore.com.au, the official online NBA Store in Australia, and at the NBA Stores in Melbourne and Sydney.  For more information about the NBA, fans in Australia can visit The Sporting News Australia, download the NBA App and follow the NBA on Facebook, Instagram and X. 

About Tabcorp
Tabcorp is a world-class diversified gambling entertainment group listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and employing more than 5000 people. Tabcorp’s wagering business, TAB, is Australia’s biggest and best-known multi-channel wagering brand. Sky Channel is Tabcorp’s racing and sport broadcasting arm supplying vision to more than 4,400 TAB venues across Australia.

About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  Built around five professional sports leagues:  the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2023-24 season featured a record 125 international players from 40 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.3 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms.  NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.