2023 Maui Invitational Moved to Island of Oʻahu
Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of the University of Hawai‘i will host
Posted On: September 15, 2023 By :The 2023 Maui Invitational will shift to the island of Oʻahu while its traditional home court, the Lahaina Civic Center, continues to serve as a critical hub for Maui wildfire recovery efforts.
The 2023 tournament will take place at the Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa from November 20–22. All eight teams from the original field are participating, including five that are in the top 10 of ESPN’s early preseason poll: Kansas, Purdue, Gonzaga, Tennessee and Marquette.
All previously purchased tickets will be honored and located in similar seats in the Stan Sheriff Center. Additional tickets will go on sale in early October. Fans who have purchased tournament travel packages will be offered comparable travel packages with beach hotels in Honolulu.
“While we have to move this year’s tournament off of Maui, we are determined to celebrate and honor the culture and traditions that make this event so special,” said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperSports Live, the operator of the Maui Invitational. “Throughout this process, we’ve seen the spirit of ‘ohana in action. Thank you to Governor Josh Green, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and Mayor Richard Bissen as well as the staff at Chaminade University of Honolulu and University of Hawai‘i at Manoa for working tirelessly with us to keep this year’s tournament in Hawai‘i.”
This will be the third time in the last four years the Maui Invitational doesn’t take place in its usual venue. During the pandemic, the 2020 event was held at Asheville Civic Center in Asheville, North Carolina, while the 2021 event was at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
“We are disappointed that we could not make the Lahaina Civic Center available for the Maui Invitational this year, but we are thankful the tournament is staying in Hawai‘i,” Bissen said. “We appreciate everything the Maui Invitational is doing to help Maui and its residents.”
The Maui Invitational launched the Hoops for ‘Ohana online auction last week in partnership with Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. All the proceeds will go directly to wildfire relief and recovery efforts. Fans can bid on unique items donated by past Maui Invitational basketball programs and tournament partners.
“The Maui Invitational is a great event that celebrates all of Hawai‘i,” Green said. “We look forward to welcoming players, staff and fans to Oʻahu and using the tournament and its international TV audience as a way to bring attention to, and raise funds for, Maui recovery efforts.”
The eight teams in this year’s field – Tennessee, Syracuse, Purdue, Gonzaga, Kansas, Chaminade, UCLA and Marquette – boast a combined 263 NCAA Tournament appearances and 17 NCAA Tournament Championships.
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