Why Choose Us?
Why Choose Basketball Tours Australia? (BTA)
1. Our boss is an Aussie based in the USA!! We have staff based in both Australia & the USA.
The Owner/Manager of BTA is Australian born and lived in Australia for most of his life until moving to the USA in 2002. Craig Douglass is from Sydney, Australia residing in Cary, NC. Briefly, Craig has coached extensively in Australia at various levels including the CBA (which is a semi-professional league), and he has also been a head coach in the USA collegiate system and has organized 70+ international tours. For more information please visit ABOUT US.
2. Recruiting Opportunities:
Australian basketball provides fantastic recruiting opportunities. There is a great deal of talent in Australia, and through our many contacts BTA strive to assist you in networking thoroughly during your tour. We ensure that the recruiting contacts you make continue to benefit your program long after your tour is over. Also worth noting is our ability to organize dinners, games of golf, and/or other more personal meetings for USA college coaches to rub shoulders with some of Australia's elite coaches (all within NCAA contact regulations).
3. Our staff is experienced:
The staff at BTA is committed to providing every group with the highest quality product and service available. We pride ourselves in providing an Aussie experience that will be remembered long after the scores are forgotten. We are unrivaled in Aussie tours in the areas of organization, customer service, scheduling and attention to detail. For more information please visit OUR PEOPLE.
4. We are an American company with an "Aussie Feel"
We are a licensed, bonded and insured USA based business operating under USA law in the state of North Carolina. Do you want to travel to Australia with an American company and an American guide? Do you want to wire money to an Australian company operating under a different law? We feel that we provide the best of both worlds for basketball tours to Australia through our American based business with Australian leadership.
5. Local Knowledge of staff and tour guides:
Because of our local knowledge in Australia we maximize your opportunities to truly enjoy the country in terms of knowing where all the best attractions, restaurants, golf courses, etc. are located. Our tour guides are Australian-born basketball & travel professionals. We feel that on a day to day basis your group will enjoy the benefits of traveling with an Aussie guide who understands college basketball and thoroughly knows all of the areas that you will be visiting. And let's not forget the authenticity of having a tour guide with that signature Aussie accent!
6. Scheduling:
Through Craig Douglass' experiences in both the Australian and American basketball worlds, BTA understands the importance of scheduling competitive contests. We also offer the ability to "beef-up" your schedule to your desired toughness or provide a less challenging schedule, all depending on your tour objectives/expectations. As a company, it is our goal to avoid any stereotypical "blow-outs" from either side.
Additional advantages of an Aussie tour include:
Personal Growth
Foreign travel presents great cultural and educational opportunities for your team. Some of the truly great memories of playing collegiate basketball come from the cultural exchange experienced during an international tour.
Early Preparation for the next season
As part of traveling overseas, you are able to practice for 10 days prior to departure and can play between 3 to 10 games on your Aussie tour. This gives your team a big head start on the season!
College Credit
We are currently involved with study abroad programs to Australia and can assist you in setting up an opportunity whereby your players can earn up to 3 hours of college credit as part of a class while on the trip. We have experience setting up site visits to compliment academic requirements for many different classes.
Contracts
At any one-time, Australia has between 100 - 150 American players on club teams at 3 different levels of competition. You can give your senior athletes and coaching staff a chance to make contacts that could open the door for post-graduation playing opportunities in Australia for years to come.
Boosters & Fans
We can organize for your fans and boosters to travel with you to Australia. This can be a great way to build and service your current fan base. It can also be a really great opportunity for some of your team's supporters to take a trip to Australia that they otherwise may not ever take. Normally, when we organize for team supporters to travel with you, they travel on the same planes and stay in the same hotels; however, the boosters have their own ground transport, their own tour guide/s and usually a slightly different itinerary. We will work very closely with you on building the boosters itinerary so you can see as much or as little of them as you like. We understand that your team needs some space and its time to grow, but it is nice to have some fans cheering for you during games.
