The Macker is Back for 2023!
The Macker is Back for 2023!
3-on-3 Basketball Tournament Will Return to Olean Next Month
OLEAN - The Macker is on the schedule in Olean! Entries are now being accepted for the Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament, to be played June 2-4 on Delaware Avenue in downtown Olean. The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and its 46 corporate sponsors are co-sponsoring this year’s event.
More than 4,000 registration postcards were mailed out two weeks ago to team captains from tournaments held in Norwich, Hornell, Cicero, Ithaca, Rochester, and Olean last year. An additional 5,000 are being sent this month to schools in Allegany, Chautauqua, McKean and Cattaraugus Counties. Entry deadlines for teams interested in this year’s tournament are Friday, May 12 for applications that are submitted by mail, and Monday, May 15 for internet entries. The entry fee for a four player team is $160.
The three-day festival of basketball begins on Friday, June 2 with a Corporate Cup Basketball Contest and early registration, and continues through the division championships on Sunday, June 4. The tournament is open to players of all ages and experience levels who are computer-matched by age, height and experience so that all participants can be competitive.
“This is our second time hosting in June,” said Meme K. Yanetsko, GOACC COO. “We anticipate an increase over the 120 teams that played last year; we are hoping to hit 190 teams! Regents were held locally in 2022 as well as the first round of spring sports playoffs. With the first weekend in June, those problems shouldn’t affect us as much this year.”
The tournament, based on basketball played in driveways throughout the U.S., will include players who have no experience to those who have played college and semi-professional basketball. Primarily based on age and level of experience, players will be placed in divisions where they will be most evenly matched. Depending on the number of teams placed in a specific division, players and the teams they’re on will be playing for first, second, and third place trophies. Also, teams that finish last in their divisions could receive “Toilet Bowl” trophies.
“For those student athletes that cannot forecast their high school team’s regular schedule/rainouts, we want to remind all that there is a substitution policy,” explained Yanetsko. After the original entry deadlines, teams are allowed to make a maximum of two (2) player substitutions after the following guidelines:
The substitution must be received in the Macker office in Belding, MI no later than 5:00pm (EST) on Wednesday, May 31.
The 'new' player(s) added to the roster must be the same age, same height or shorter, and have the same or less playing experience as the replaced player.
A processing fee of $25.00 is to be paid only by credit card when submitting the substitution form (no other form of payment will be accepted). Please call the Greater Olean Area Chamber office at 716-372-4433 for questions or more information.
In addition to the Chamber’s 46 corporate sponsors, other major support for the event is being provided by Olean Rotary Club, A Jason Clemons Salon, Nick Shembeda Plumbing, Adam Service, and Cayas Canopies. Additionally, the important roles of media sponsorships are being provided by Olean Times Herald, WXMT, WMXO-FM and WPIG-FM.
Every player in the Macker is guaranteed at least three games, so no matter how you fare the first time on the court, you’re not out by any means. Those who do make it on to the championship rounds can look forward to trophy presentations for first through third places. All registered players also receive a t-shirt for participating in the event, which is made possible by area sponsors.
Registration forms are available online at www.macker.com. Offline forms for registration via U.S. mail can be picked up at the GOACC office. For more information on the Gus Macker tournament, referees, sponsorships and volunteer opportunities, please contact the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce at 716-372-4433 or email info@oleanny.com.