Last weekend, Murcia's Plaza Circular and the José Barnés Sports Centre became the epicenter of family sport thanks to an event organized by the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, Murcia City Council, Basketball Emotion, and Fútbol Emotion. Nike dressed the professional football, basketball, and e-sports teams, as well as UCAM university students, and to celebrate this, the activities presented were organized.

At the official opening ceremony, María Dolores García, UCAM president, stressed that “this event reflected the spirit of sport passed down by José Luis Mendoza, my husband,” and encouraged families “to participate, step into the balloon, and enjoy the weekend.”

Juan Pablo Mendoza, UCAM's creative director, pointed out that “our vision was to elevate the future of our students and athletes to the top, and for this, I thanked Nike for being with us, in our triumphs and adventures.” Miguel Ángel Noguera, Councillor for Sports, stressed that “it was an important day for Murcia, and we were proud to be able to hold this event in our city for all citizens to enjoy.” David Baeza, Sports Emotion's regional manager for the Levante area, highlighted the importance of the project that was starting, as “for us, the alliance with UCAM marked a very important milestone to accompany the growth of all sports and at all levels.”

Pablo Rosique, UCAM's Director of Sports, emphasized that “our commitment to excellence, both sporting and academic, was always taking steps forward, and that day marked one more.” On behalf of the Regional Government, Fran Sánchez, Director of Sports of the Autonomous Region of Murcia, recalled that “UCAM was worldwide the most important university linked to sport, and we would continue to support all those who believed in sport, as they did.”

The event was also attended by José Guillén, 2nd Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Urban Development and Smart City of the City of Murcia; Sofía López-Briones, Councillor for Youth Talent and Public Spaces; and several of the athletes who wore Nike kits that season, such as Nemanja Radovic and Dylan Ennis from UCAM Murcia CB (basketball), Andreu Guiu and Iker Abellán from UCAM Murcia CF (football), and Luis Pérez 'Koldo', a League of Legends player from UCAM Esports, who received warm applause from the audience.

Hot air ballooning was the big novelty for that weekend.

Under the slogan  ‘Take your future to the top’, the Plaza Circularserved as the stage for numerous sports and recreational activities organized by UCAM and Nike. One of the most eagerly awaited attractions was the chance to fly in the UCAM hot air balloon. The captive flights took place on Friday afternoon and throughout Saturday at the José Barnés Sports Centre.

Participants could also pick up their sports card at the information point, complete three of the event's activities, and obtain the corresponding stamps. Once completed, they entered the draw for various prizes, including a 250 euro voucher for purchases at Fútbol Emotion and Basketball Emotion.

Activities agenda
During the weekend, attendees enjoyed a wide variety of sports and games. The activities started on Friday from 5 pm to 9 pm and continued on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 9 pm. Among the experiences offered were football and basketball courts, virtual reality games, shooting power tests, and sports skills competitions. For the youngest, there were human foosball and baskets on an inflatable court. There were also PlayStation consoles with games such as FIFA and NBA 2K, and Formula 1 simulators.

The event featured specific areas, such as the UCAM Football area, where participants could measure the speed of their shots on the Chutometer (Kickmetre), and the UCAM Basketball area, where they could take part in free throw and 3x3 basketball competitions. In the UCAM Esports area, video game fans had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in League of Legends tournaments and other popular games.

Rest area and surprises
For those who needed a break between activities, the food truck area offered a wide range of food options, and all participants received promotional gifts and could take home souvenirs from that exciting weekend.

The alliance between UCAM and Nike marked the beginning of a collaboration that sought to promote sport and an active life in the Region of Murcia, bringing sport to all audiences in a fun and family atmosphere.