Harlem Globetrotters Announce One-Hour "Hoops For The Troops Game" Special

Celebration of 75 years of entertaining US military will debut on Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. EST on ESPN2

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Dec 13, 2017, 08:42 ET

ATLANTA, Dec. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of the Harlem Globetrotters' 75^th anniversary celebration of entertaining United States servicemen and women, and military personnel around the globe, the team will showcase its dedication in a one-hour television special to be aired on the ESPN family of networks.

The "Hoops For The Troops Game" will premiere on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. EST on ESPN2, with a special encore airing on Sunday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. EST on ESPN. The special, presented by Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans, will capture the Globetrotters' unique and special relationship with U.S. military personnel.

"ESPN has always been a great supporter of the Globetrotters and our mission to spread goodwill around the world," said Howard Smith, president of the Harlem Globetrotters. "The Globetrotters consider it a privilege to honor U.S. military servicemen and women who make daily sacrifices for our country. Viewers of all ages will get to see what those brave men and women enjoyed up close in Hawaii."

The game, which will be the centerpiece to the one-hour special, will take place at historic Bloch Arena at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam in Hawaii. The arena, which has played host to Elvis Presley and the Pearl Harbor Invitational college basketball event, was one of the few buildings which survived the bombing of the base on Dec. 7, 1941.

As part of the game, the entire audience will be comprised of U.S. military personnel and their families. The event is hosted in conjunction with Navy Entertainment, who partners annually with the Globetrotters to bring joy to military bases overseas each fall.

Viewers will get to see the official return of the Harlem Globetrotters' long-time nemesis – the Washington Generals – following a two-year hiatus. There will also be the national television debut of the "Flying Globies" acrobatic trampoline dunk team, which can be seen during the 2018 "Amazing Feats of Basketball" World Tour. The Globetrotters will also conduct the first-ever underwater ball-handling routine (known as the "Magic Circle") aboard the USS Santa Fe submarine, as well as a shooting game of N-A-V-Y with sailors aboard the deck of the USS Missouri battleship.

A number of Globetrotter stars, including: Showman Ant Atkinson, Thunder Law, Cheese Chisholm, Hammer Harrison, Firefly Fisher, Spider Sharpless, Too Tall Hall, Moose Weeks, TNT Lister, and Ace Jackson will be a part of the special. Additionally, fans can catch the 2018 Globetrotter debuts of rookies Primetime Maberry, Bulldog Mack, and Hot Shot Swanson.

The Harlem Globetrotters® are legendary worldwide, synonymous with one-of-a-kind family entertainment and great basketball skills for the past 91 years. Throughout their history, the Original Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 123 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 nine thrilling decades. Sponsored by Baden Sports, Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned themed entertainment company in the U.S. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, visit the Globetrotters' official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com and follow them on Twitter @Globies.

SOURCE Harlem Globetrotters