Gus Macker

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The Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is a nationwide event for players of a variety of age and skill levels. Although every tournament is different, a typical Gus Macker event involves dozens of temporary courts set up in parking lots or closed-off public streets. Tournaments are mid-level to major sports media events and are held virtually every weekend from spring through summer and into the fall.

1 History
2 Objectives
3 Gus Macker Hall of Fame
4 Current Tour
5 References
6 External Links

[edit] History

The following was taken directly from the Gus Macker website:^[1]

THE LEGEND OF GUS

The Original Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament was started in 1974 by Scott and Mitch McNeal (alias Gus Macker) on their parents’ driveway basketball court in Lowell, Michigan. It started with 18 friends playing competitively for $18. The tournament continued to grow and in 1987 moved from Lowell to Belding and took to the road because of a tremendous demand from communities outside of the home base. The “Gus Macker All- World Tour” was greeted with enthusiasm and spectacular news coverage in every area. Over 10,400 players participated in five cities in that first year. Since 1987, the Macker Tournaments has expanded, holding both indoor and outdoor tournament in over 75 cities and with over 200,000 players and 1.7 million spectators enjoying 3-on-3 competition and family fun each year.

The Macker has grown to national prominence, but is still run in a hometown, friendly manner. Teams of various age, size, and talent levels pay a team registration fee for the opportunity to compete against other teams of similar make-up and the chance to win top-quality trophies. By prohibiting alcohol or tobacco-related sponsors, the Macker has maintained the wholesome nature and pure fun of the event which draws players, spectators, and media wherever it is held. It has grown because the simple essence of the event, as originally established in Scott McNeal’s parents’ driveway, is maintained. The concept of Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball is being imitated across the USA but the Macker is still the one-and-only original game that is evolving as the hottest mass participation sport today. The long range success and growth of the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is extremely important to us; therefore we will direct all our best efforts in providing a top-quality tournament. With hands-on experience since 1974, we understand the essentials necessary to organizing and directing a well run tournament for the players, spectators, and sponsors. We will not compromise our ideals while making the Gus Macker a continuing, wholesome phenomenon across the USA.

[edit] Objectives

According to the company ^[1], the six (6) basic objectives that have guided the development of Gus Macker across the country are:

1. A Wholesome, family-oriented event.
2. A tournament designed by players for players
3. A value to sponsors.
4. An outstanding fund-raising event for the local community.
5. A major media sporting event.
6. Entertaining for the spectators.

[edit] Gus Macker Hall of Fame

The Gus Macker Hall of Fame held its original induction ceremony in 1998 in Belding, Michigan, honoring the tournament's most outstanding individuals and teams.

One of the teams honored was Miss Elizabeth's Fan Club of San Diego, California, which has traveled nine times to participate in Macker tournaments in Michigan. These hoopaholics are all over 50 years of age but continue to play basketball as much as they can. They include Bernard Balanay, Jerry Fike, Ralph Mora, and Richard Paff. Five years later, in 2003 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, five more individuals and teams were inducted. It is indeed an honor to be named to the Gus Macker Hall of Fame, as hundreds of thousands of people have participated in the tournaments but only 30 teams and individuals are included in the Hall of Fame.

One of the families that were honored was the Bryans of Lowell, Michigan. Dick, Nola and Lance are longtime personal friends of the McNeal family. Dick and Nola have been behind-the-scenes since the beginning -cooking hotdogs, selling t-shirts, and numerous other tasks. Dick's expertise in the early years was hand-painting the designs on the backboards, while Nola loaded up her Mustang convertible with hot dog buns (sometimes more than was needed). Lance grew up with the tournament and served in many capacities of the tournament. Some of the most notable are entertaining top players at the family pool and single-handedly saving many portable basketball goals during the Great Windstorm of Belding.

[edit] Current Tour

While the Macker is still the largest tournament series in the US, it has seen a recent wave of competitors. These competitors include HoopItUp (Formerly partnered with the NBA), Spokane Hoopfest (The world's largest single 3on3 tournament), and many others. Other tournaments have started to take some market share from Gus Macker, but Macker remains very strong and hosts a large number of tournaments every year.