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City of Milwaukee, Bucks bid for 2027 or 2028 All-Star Game hosting

The last time that MIlwaukee hosted an All-Star Game was a half century ago.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

After more than four decades, the City of Milwaukee and the Bucks are looking to host an All-Star Game once again.

Per a report by Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the city and the team have placed a bid to host either the 2027 or 2028 All-Star Game, which is widely regarded as the biggest regular season spectacle on the NBA calendar.

Milwaukee and the Bucks placed their bid this early as the league requires a two-year bid. The 2025 edition of the annual spectacle was already awarded to San Francisco and the Golden State Warriors, while the 2026 edition will bewood, California, hosted by Ingle and the Los Angeles Clippers.

It’s been a while

Milwaukee has not hosted an NBA All-Star Game since 1977. The 1977 All-Star Game was held at the MECCA Arena and saw Julius Erving win MVP honors despite his East team losing to the West, 125-124. 

The last major sporting event that the city hosted was the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2002

Failed hosting attempt

The city expressed interest in hosting the 2022 or 2023 All-Star Game when the Fiserv Forum opened in 2018. Cleveland ended up hosting the 2022 All-Star Game showcase, while the 2023 spectacle was hosted by Salt Lake City, Utah.

This year’s NBA All-Star festivities are hosted by Indianapolis in Indiana. Milwaukee is represented by three players in the spectacle, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard appearing as starters for the East All-Stars.

Lillard and Malik Beasley also signed up for a side event as they competed in the three-point shootout. Lillard topped the three-point shootout, marking the second straight year that he won the contest.

A frustrated Giannis Antetokounmpo calls out the team after a pair of embarrassing losses

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.