Announced yesterday, the two-day event is expected to attract up to 120 teams and bring 2500 people to the city.

Bendigo will host the event for the next two years.

The club championships will follow the under-16, 18 and 20s state titles to be held in Bendigo in February and March, plus the under-14 Gold Star championships in April.

Those events, also to be held again next year, are predicted to bring more than 5000 people to Bendigo.

City of Greater Bendigo major events manager Terry Karamaloudis said the country club championships were another sporting coup for Bendigo.

“Bendigo’s winning submission is a joint effort between the Bendigo Stadium and the City’s Major Events Unit which will see some 2500 people consisting of players, coaches, support and family members arrive in our city,” Mr Karamaloudis said.

“It is great for the sport of basketball and it is great for our local economy.

“The championships add to the long list of successes we have partnered in recently, including the World Snooker Series, Victorian Futsal Championships, Vixens-Adelaide Thunder exhibition match and the Australian Opals-Brazil basketball match.

“The city is working hard to attract sporting and other major events to our region. We have got terrific facilities and infrastructure and we are definitely getting the runs on the board.”

The Bendigo Basketball Association’s eight clubs field close to 200 junior teams who will be able to compete in the championships.

“Importantly, these championships provide a chance for basketballers – who may not be selected to play representative basketball – to play for their club teams against other local club teams across country Victoria,” Bendigo Stadium sports and competitions manager Craig Green said.

“It will be a great spectacle for our locals to be able to participate against teams from Castlemaine, Maryborough, Echuca, Swan Hill and other bigger associations in Geelong, Ballarat and Gippsland.”

This year’s country club championships will be held on October 5 and 6.