On the heels of signing one of the most extraordinary rookie classes in team history, the Harlem Globetrotters will bring their 2012 World Tour to the UCF Arena in Orlando on Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m.
Tickets to see the world’s most famous basketball team will go on sale Monday, Oct. 17. at 1- a.m. Tickets start as low as $18.00 and are available at www.harlemglobetrotters.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the UCF Arena box office or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Information on group and scout tickets can also be found at www.harlemglobetrotters.com.
The outstanding rookies include Paul “Tiny” Sturgess, the world’s tallest pro basketball player at 7’8, Jonte “Too Tall” Hall, the shortest Globetrotter ever at 5’2, and Fatima “TNT” Maddox of Temple University, the team’s first female player since 1993 and ninth female in team history.
The new Globetrotters also feature the top three finishers from the 2011 College Slam Dunk Contest, including the reigning champ Jacob “Hops” Tucker. At 5’10, Tucker sports a 50-inch vertical leap, and his YouTube videos have garnered well over four million views. Tucker joins slam dunk runner-up John “Jet” Williams of UNC-Asheville and semifinalist Darnell “Spider” Wilks of the University of Cincinnati.
The 2012 rookie class has a total of three seven-footers including 7’4 Jermaine “Stretch” Middleton, the third-tallest player in team history, and 7-foot Anthony “Biggie” McClain.
At 7’8, Sturgess becomes the tallest Globetrotter ever after a career at Mountain State University (W.Va.). He is the 19th internationally born player in team history, hailing from Loughborough, England.
“The Globetrotters are excited to welcome a new generation of stars to carry on the storied tradition of the world’s most entertaining basketball team,” said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. “This year’s rookie class features some of the most talented and promising players from across the world.”
Current Globetrotters stars Special K Daley, Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang, Dizzy Grant, Scooter Christensen and many others will team up with the world class rookies for nearly 270 games on the North American portion of the World Tour, bringing the Globetrotter magic to over 230 cities in 46 states, the District of Columbia and five Canadian provinces.
Player rosters in each city will vary and are subject to change.
Sponsored by Howard Johnson Hotels, Greyhound Lines, Spalding, and Russell Athletic, the Original Harlem Globetrotters will celebrate their 86th consecutive year in 2012, continuing a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages. Throughout their history, the Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 120 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans—among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents—over more than eight thrilling decades. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, and to purchase tickets and team merchandise, visit the Globetrotters’ official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com.
The Global Spectrum-managed UCF Arena is home to the UCF Men’s and Women’s basketball programs, as well as concerts, family shows and other attractions for the Central Florida area. Visit www.UCFarena.com for more information on upcoming events.
Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) manages nearly 100 public assembly facilities around the world. Nearly 20-million people attended more than 11,000 events in Global Spectrum venues last year. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Global Spectrum is part of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies. Comcast-Spectacor also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions, Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company, and Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces eight nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC-TV.