By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
ANTWERP– During the Basketball Champions League Final Four draw competition CEO Patrick Comninos said that holding this season’s Final Four in the city of Antwerp, Belgium is a “bet”.
In a conversation with Eurohoops, Comninos characterized this Final Four as a risk. A welcomed challenge for the organization.
Now, one can say that the “bet” has already been won.
The second semifinal game between Telenet Antwerp Giants and Spanish side Iberostar Tenerife brought 17.289 fans in Sportpaleis Arena. Nearly a full house.
17289 is the third-highest attendance number in BCL games. Game 2 of this season’s quarterfinals between AEK Athens and Brose Bamberg holds the top spot with 18.310 fans. The 2018 Final (AEK – AS Monaco) is second with 17.984.
This attendance of the 2019 second semifinal is quite the number, considering the fact that Antwerp isn’t exactly considered a “traditional” basketball city.
Yet the tournament attracted that many fans. Not only from Antwerp or Belgium in general but also many from Germany (Brose Bamberg), Spain (Iberostar Tenerife) and of course, Italy (Virtus Bologna).
Sportpaleis in Antwerp is PACKED #BasketballCL pic.twitter.com/cEZdwUNlRx
— Eurohoops.net (@Eurohoopsnet) May 3, 2019