In an attempt to broaden the team’s support statewide as it seeks state funding for a new arena in downtown Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday announced plans to play a preseason game on Oct. 20 at the Kohl Center in Madison.
The game will be against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It will be the Bucks first preseason game in Madison since 1999.
The Bucks will also hold their first week of training camp in Madison, from Sept. 29 through Oct. 2. The team says it will have a “visible presence” in the community during that week.
“The passion for basketball in Madison is unparalleled, not only throughout the state but across the country,” Bucks general manager John Hammond said. “The Bucks proudly represent the entire state of Wisconsin. We’re beyond excited to bring Bucks basketball to the capital and reconnect with the amazing fans at the Kohl Center.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome the Bucks back to Madison this fall,”” University of Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez said. “I know that basketball fans in our area will enjoy the exhibition game and we’re pleased to have an up-and-coming team like the Bucks in our facilities and around our city.”
Bucks basketball in Madison was a regular occurrence in the early years of the franchise, as the team played 25 regular season games, seven playoff games and five preseason games in the city during the 1960s and 1970s. Milwaukee played another three exhibitions in Madison during the ’80s and two more in the ’90s, but none since the 1999 matchup with Dallas.
