Mastercard launches Rising Stars, a program built around the passion for basketball, with three main components: encouraging performance through an annual competition for junior teams in the region, making the sport more accessible by developing 10 basketball courts in Bucharest and other cities, and supporting new talents from disadvantaged communities by offering sports scholarships. This initiative expands Mastercard’s strategy of sport-related activities in Romania, promoting a passion for sports, the excitement of the game, and performance, according to Business Review.
“Mastercard Rising Stars is a long-term initiative built on the belief that sport has the power to inspire, unite communities, and create real opportunities for future generations of champions. Aligned with Mastercard’s mission to connect people with their passions, this program brings together long-standing partners with complementary expertise to offer an integrated project that supports basketball at all levels – from infrastructure development and making the sport more accessible, to identifying and supporting young talents. Mastercard Rising Stars creates an ecosystem where the passion for sport can become a real opportunity for the future,” said Cosmin Vladimirescu, General Manager of Mastercard Romania and Croatia.
Together, driven by passion for basketball, for the younger generations
The Mastercard Rising Stars competition, organized in partnership with the Romanian Basketball Federation and Sports Festival, will take place from June 16th to 18th at BT Arena. After a successful debut last year, the tournament returns to Cluj-Napoca and will bring together the national men’s and women’s U17 and U18 basketball teams from Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Slovenia. The draw for group formation (A, B, C) will take place during the technical meeting on June 15th. The preliminary matches will be held on June 16th and 17th, and the competition will conclude on June 18th with the final and the award ceremony. The winning teams in both the men’s and women’s categories will each be rewarded with 5,000 euros. The competition schedule will be available on www.frbaschet.ro.
“Mastercard Rising Stars has quickly become a landmark event in the Southeast European region, offering young athletes not only the chance to engage in high-level international competition, but also the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of basketball experts and enthusiasts. This is a key project for the future of Romanian basketball and for strengthening sports relations within the region. We aim for this competition to become a lasting platform for discovering new talent, promoting the spirit of fair play, and creating new role models for youth in the Balkans. Moreover, the partnership with Sports Festival, the largest multi-sport event in Romania, gives the tournament a spectacular setting and exceptional visibility, reinforcing basketball’s rightful place in the spotlight of major national sports events,” said Emilia-Carmen Tocală, President of the Romanian Basketball Federation.
Beyond the opportunity for a sports career, basketball brings significant benefits for both physical and emotional health, as well as for the development of social skills. Practicing this sport cultivates essential lifelong values such as discipline, responsibility, perseverance, and collaboration. Mastercard Rising Stars – Basketball until midnight aims to promote basketball as an activity accessible to everyone, regardless of age – whether as a form of recreation, quality time spent with family and friends, a hobby, or part of the physical education curriculum. Thus, Mastercard, in partnership with the Romanian Basketball Federation, will set up 10 basketball courts in three districts of Bucharest, as well as in the cities of Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Sibiu, Timișoara, Oradea, Tulcea and Craiova, which will be made available free of charge for the benefit of local communities.
Because every shot at the basket can be the first step towards performance, Mastercard Rising Stars – A Better Future aims to discover and support children with potential, preparing them for selection in the U18 national team and a future in basketball. At five of the locations where courts have been developed, the Romanian Basketball Federation will organize scouting sessions for children aged 10 to 14, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Five of them will benefit from annual scholarships worth 6,000 euros each, as well as mentorship provided by Save the Children.
“Sport is essential to a child’s development, not only physically, but also socially and emotionally, as it fosters team spirit and teaches that the game and its rules are what matter most. We are excited about Mastercard’s initiative and the collaboration with the Romanian Basketball Federation. Together, we can guide children toward a healthy lifestyle and support their balanced development,” said Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President of Save the Children Romania.
Through strong partnerships and constant commitment, the Mastercard Rising Stars program aims to make a real impact in the lives of future generations, offering them opportunities to follow their passion and build their future.
Mastercard is a leading global technology company in the payments industry, headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States. Established in 1966, the company has revolutionised the way transactions are processed, connecting consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments worldwide. Its primary focus is on enabling secure, simple, and accessible payment solutions.
Mastercard operates as a payment network processor, partnering with financial institutions to issue Mastercard-branded credit, debit, and prepaid cards. The company generates revenue through fees charged to issuers based on the gross dollar volume of transactions processed on its network.
In addition to its core services, Mastercard is committed to innovation, offering advanced payment technologies such as contactless payments, digital wallets, and biometric authentication. It also actively promotes financial inclusion, aiming to empower underserved communities by providing access to digital payment systems.
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