Summer Games/ Basketball Tickets

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by throwing a ball through a 10 foot high hoop (the goal) under organized rules. Basketball is one of the most popular and widely viewed sports in the world. While competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport, played on a basketball court, less regulated variations have become exceedingly popular as an outdoor sport among both inner city and rural groups. The world's best-known athletes - Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird - the gold-medal winning US "Dream Team" gave an exhibition of basketball at its best.

Women's basketball joined the Olympic programme in 1976, the gold medals have been divided between the US, the Soviet Union and, after the break-up of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States. After a bronze medal in Atlanta and a Silver medal in Sydney, Australia may have their quest for the podium as well as the traditional powerhouse Brazil.

Through time, basketball has developed to involve common techniques of shooting, passing and dribbling, as well as players' positions, and offensive and defensive structures. While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have developed for casual play. In some countries, basketball is also a popular spectator sport.

Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China from August 9 to August 24, 2008. 2 sets of medals will be awarded in the following events: Basketball Men (12 teams), Basketball Women (12 teams).