# FIBA EuroBasket 2013 Bids



## Sawovsky (Oct 7, 2008)

Livno80101 said:


> Croatian possible arenas
> Arena Zagreb 20,000 in Zagreb


? 

Samo pitam


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

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## ReiAyanami (May 14, 2008)

When is the bid?


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## anaiptol (Oct 6, 2007)

My vote goes to Croatia! Their arenas are amazing AND they're a strong basketball nation! What more can be asked for?


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> He probably ment concert capacity.. that is 22k tho.
> 
> 16500 is for basketball. Which is more than enough...


what? on world handball cup there were more than 16k people in final match, and there is big distance between stands and hanball pitch, and basketball pitch is 12 meters shorter and than handball(handball is also 6 meters wider) so at least 3k more people can watch basketball :lol:


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

Official capacity is 16500...

There was no more than 16k people on handball. There was around 15k.


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## lysandros (Oct 11, 2008)

www.sercan.de said:


> to me it looks like 9k (Just look at Max Schmeling Arena)
> The PAOK one looke bigger


about the paok one i always had the same question,for a reason it looks much bigger than it is but the exact capacity is 8142 seats like rei gives it.


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## Sawovsky (Oct 7, 2008)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> Official capacity is 16500...
> 
> There was no more than 16k people on handball. There was around 15k.


15 200, as I can remember?


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

Sawovsky said:


> 15 200, as I can remember?


 For handball. Its bigger for basketball.


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## Sawovsky (Oct 7, 2008)

^^ With adequate adds, it might even be all 18ooo?


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## Mordaunt-S (Nov 27, 2007)

That's too much , it can go up to 17000 , I'd say that's a maximum.


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## cesco_82 (Jun 23, 2006)

italy's gonna bid


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## nautica17 (Dec 26, 2008)

I'd vote for Greece or Croatia. Either are a good bid. I love Croatia's arena's though. They make my mouth water.


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## kristo21 (Feb 17, 2009)

United Kingdom 2013:
London ( the O2, capacity 18.500)
Manchester (MEN Arena, capacity 17,000)
Birmingham (NEC Arena, capacity 12.000_ 
London (Wembley Arena, capacity 10.000)
Liverpool (Echo Arena, capacity 7.000)
Leeds (new arena, capacity 12.500)

It maybe sounds like a joke but they can hold this tournament.


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## nautica17 (Dec 26, 2008)

kristo21 said:


> United Kingdom 2013:
> London ( the O2, capacity 18.500)
> Manchester (MEN Arena, capacity 17,000)
> Birmingham (NEC Arena, capacity 12.000_
> ...


UK would be interesting. I'm sure the British can host events pretty well. :cheers:


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## MS20 (Apr 12, 2009)

Interesting that capacity has to be at least 5,000, considering most of the games at Eurobasket in Poland last month was largely played infront of mostly empty arenas. These aren't the European Football championship we're talking about. They might want to think about restricting that limit, as Croatia looks like it could host it tomorrow.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

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## FredPerry (Aug 22, 2005)

That would be a great opportunity for Rijeka to build a new arena.. Rijeka should be the one of host cities as one of the biggest, most developed and most entertaining cities in Croatia...


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## likasz (Sep 4, 2008)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> Well basketball isn't that popular in Poland as it is in southern Europe. Croatia and Greece would both be great choice in all aspects. Popularity of the sport, infrastructure, media cover of the tournament, fan interest ...




True, basketball isn't so popular in Poland like football or volleyball.Despite of the fact that Poland has one of the best national team in handball I think that basketball is still much more popular than even handball.In this year IHF Handball World Championship was hosted by Croatia where only Croatia's matches and the semifinals were filled in 100%, 2 years ago in Germany situation was much better


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## JYDA (Jul 14, 2008)

I don't think anybody needs to worry about FIBA giving Britain the Eurobasket as a favour to help grow the game. Considering FIBA's dirty tactics of trying to keep Britain's basketball team out of their own Olympic tournament, it's clear FIBA doesn't care about growing the game there at all!


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## kerouac1848 (Jun 9, 2009)

^^LOL.

Tbh I would be amazed if that actually happened. It's pretty much taken as a given here that there will be a men's and women's GB basketball team at 2012, and that is very much the focal point of the BBF's short term strategy (5 years form 2008). Their minimum aim is a QF position. Missing out on wildcard for the 2010 Championship was a bit of a blow, but, tbh, would have been a bonus anyway.

Also, I think it's up to the basketball authorities here (BBF and BBL) to grow the sport, not for FIBA to gift them a tournament when there are other, more deserving hosts for now. They can certainly help though the way FIFA does.


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## bigbossman (Jun 25, 2007)

FIFA help? FIFA are forced to give tournaments to non European nations because they hold the majority (politics), no doubt FIFA would keep the world cup in Europe if they could. The only countries FIFA are _really_ interested in are those that can raise the value of their TV and Sponsorship revenue (where their money comes from). That's why they look at the USA as a juicy piece of meat!

FIBA don't see the UK as lucrative basketball territory, and i'd agree it may get played but I don't think it has a hope in hell. It's in a position where i'd assume football was in the states before the NASL exploded. FIBA needs to see something which well show them that there efforts wouldn't be wasted just like FIFA apparently saw in handing the USA the 1994 world cup. 

And I don't see it, in many ways the NBA does more harm to growing the game in the UK than good.


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## kerouac1848 (Jun 9, 2009)

> FIFA help? FIFA are forced to give tournaments to non European nations because they hold the majority (politics), no doubt FIFA would keep the world cup in Europe if they could. The only countries FIFA are really interested in are those that can raise the value of their TV and Sponsorship revenue (where their money comes from). That's why they look at the USA as a juicy piece of meat!


lol, yh in retrospect perhaps FIFA wasn't a great example! I just mean in some of the assistance they give to smaller nation's FAs, although it really is peanuts. And totally agree about FIFA and money. Apparently, Blatter wrote to the Chinese FA (or equivalent) practically begging them to bid for either the 2018 or 2022 WCs. Clown.



> FIBA don't see the UK as lucrative basketball territory, and i'd agree it may get played but I don't think it has a hope in hell. It's in a position where i'd assume football was in the states before the NASL exploded. FIBA needs to see something which well show them that there efforts wouldn't be wasted just like FIFA apparently saw in handing the USA the 1994 world cup.
> 
> And I don't see it, in many ways the NBA does more harm to growing the game in the UK than good.



What do you mean doesn't have a hope in hell? The Olympic team? Sorry man, a bit confused here! Basketball was bigger in terms of spectatorship during the 90s when I was a teenager then it is now. Then you had the NBA on ITV (NBA Jam i think, on Saturdays) before moving to Channel 4 which produced good programmes. At the same time you had Sky showing BBL games for a number of years and I certainly heard a lot more about the defunct London Towers than whoever is the London team now! Crowds were supposedly bigger too. Something very similar happened in Australia with their league, which is at a lower ebb than during the 90s.

Agree about the NBA; it dominates here on a spectator level. Worryingly, the NBA is probably the BBF's most supportive international partner (they supposedly lobbied for the GB team to get a wildcard place next year), although we all know that is for their own commercial interests. Basketball here has been woefully organised. Until recently, it was developed and controlled by a mish-mash hybrid of the 4 home nation’s bodies, several different leagues of which one was pro and the UK Sports Council, the latter who actually oversaw general development and organised funding. Only recently has there been some kind of central structure and strategy worthy of the name (in a relative sense). You see in football countries like Brazil how important good organisation between authorities is.


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## JYDA (Jul 14, 2008)

kerouac1848 said:


> ^^LOL.
> 
> Tbh I would be amazed if that actually happened. It's pretty much taken as a given here that there will be a men's and women's GB basketball team at 2012, and that is very much the focal point of the BBF's short term strategy (5 years form 2008). Their minimum aim is a QF position. Missing out on wildcard for the 2010 Championship was a bit of a blow, but, tbh, would have been a bonus anyway.


I would be amazed if it happened as well but it's still something to be concerned about. FIBA said the Brits have to qualify for a Eurobasket to be allowed into the Olympics. They achieved that and then FIBA moved the goalposts to vaguely say "you have to show you're competitive". Even after a decent showing in Poland (without some of their best players) the British federation keeps asking FIBA "are we in?" and FIBA is giving nothing but silence. I think the Brits will get a spot in the end but FIBA's actions have been nothing short of disgraceful


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## kerouac1848 (Jun 9, 2009)

Yeah it is a bit of joke to say the least. Not quite sure what they're playing at. I don't think they like the encroachment of the NBA, who are almost using the UK and London as some kind of European launch pad. But they're hardly bothering to counter.
Btw, I was laughing at what you wrote because I found it funny, not because I thought it was a load of crap! (just in case there is a mix-up – never know on here! )


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## bigbossman (Jun 25, 2007)

kerouac1848 said:


> lol, yh in retrospect perhaps FIFA wasn't a great example! I just mean in some of the assistance they give to smaller nation's FAs, although it really is peanuts. And totally agree about FIFA and money. Apparently, Blatter wrote to the Chinese FA (or equivalent) practically begging them to bid for either the 2018 or 2022 WCs. Clown.


it's weird in the 1990s they "tried" to "fight" the money coming into the game, now they are getting fat off it! 



> What do you mean doesn't have a hope in hell? The Olympic team?


I mean the sport getting popular, or popular enough for the newspapers to cover it. They barely cover anything except football.

It's popular in London (with a small p), but I just think it's because a lot of kids think it's cool rather than other factors. By that I mean there the same kids who wear doorags and think Soulja boy is the second coming! Basketball has one thing that football hasn't it's stars are "cooler". I mean who's the coolest footballer, Rio Ferdinand LMAO...



> Sorry man, a bit confused here! Basketball was bigger in terms of spectatorship during the 90s when I was a teenager then it is now.
> 
> Then you had the NBA on ITV (NBA Jam i think, on Saturdays) before moving to Channel 4 which produced good programmes.
> 
> At the same time you had Sky showing BBL games for a number of years and I certainly heard a lot more about the defunct London Towers than whoever is the London team now!


I remember it being big in the early 1990s. I remember the summer youth club I used to go to took us to a London Towers game, think it was at crystal palace, we always used to go to crystal palace. MIght've been the old london arena actually...

I have vague recollection of that I do remember them showing highlights of the NBA finals between the lakers and iversons 76ers... it seems that teh NBA was the NFL of the 1990s. Channel 4 were/are the governments niche channel.

Is there actually a London team now? I seem to recall it even being covered by London Tonight, more in one of their human interest pieces than as serious sport though...



> Crowds were supposedly bigger too. Something very similar happened in Australia with their league, which is at a lower ebb than during the 90s.


I'd assume the innitial euphoria wore off and people lost interest. You could argue the 1990s was a sports boom not just a football boom.



> Agree about the NBA; it dominates here on a spectator level. Worryingly, the NBA is probably the BBF's most supportive international partner (they supposedly lobbied for the GB team to get a wildcard place next year), although we all know that is for their own commercial interests.


And that's why I don't want them over here! I don't like any (team) sport th t puts money before sport.



> Basketball here has been woefully organised. Until recently, it was developed and controlled by a mish-mash hybrid of the 4 home nation’s bodies, several different leagues of which one was pro and the UK Sports Council, the latter who actually oversaw general development and organised funding.


The way I see it is that because European Bball gets no coverage (the token stuff on Eurosport doesn't count) so most people don't know or care about it. They think the NBA is _it_. There is no connection with European stuff and thus no academy or developmental system that we have in other sports and that's the important factor. Kids who have "skills" have to go to the states at a young age (16) and then lose their accents. Luol Deng is the perfect example for me he'd be more of a poster boy if he'd retained his south London swagger (if he ever had it).

The other thing that hinders it for me is the countries that are good at it... I mean our natural rivals Germany, France, Australia are generally not Basketball super powers (although france has grown). I don't mean to be rude but beating Lithuania, Greece or Serbia at Basketball just doesn't capture peoples imaginations. Although beating New Zealand at rugby does hmmm.



> Only recently has there been some kind of central structure and strategy worthy of the name (in a relative sense). You see in football countries like Brazil how important good organisation between authorities is.


It's because they have sports clubs though, they used the football teams to grow other sports. Like would Basketball be as big in spain if Barca and Real Madrid hadn't sponsored it, same in greece etc. Maybe if more teams took Everton's lead and branched into other sports it would grow. But then again aren't sports supposed to competiting....


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## JYDA (Jul 14, 2008)

bigbossman said:


> The other thing that hinders it for me is the countries that are good at it... I mean our natural rivals *Germany, France, Australia* are generally not Basketball super powers (although france has grown). I don't mean to be rude but beating Lithuania, Greece or Serbia at Basketball just doesn't capture peoples imaginations. Although beating New Zealand at rugby does hmmm.


But those countries are good at it. They're all top 15 in the world and all have had some very high finishes at major tournaments in the last few years. Aside from the US, the top 20 teams in the world can all beat each other on any given day.

Lithuania, Greece and Serbia might not be that attractive but what about other good teams like Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Spain and Russia?


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## kerouac1848 (Jun 9, 2009)

> I mean the sport getting popular, or popular enough for the newspapers to cover it. They barely cover anything except football.
> 
> It's popular in London (with a small p), but I just think it's because a lot of kids think it's cool rather than other factors. By that I mean there the same kids who wear doorags and think Soulja boy is the second coming! Basketball has one thing that football hasn't it's stars are "cooler". I mean who's the coolest footballer, Rio Ferdinand LMAO...


Right, but I think the sport's bodies are looking at sports like athletics or swimming, for example, in terms of coverage, with perhaps something like Rugby League as the eventual goal (in terms of media interest)
It would be pointless even thinking about competing with football. In fact, it would make more sense working with football by getting PL stars to watch GB games, or doing tie ups with clubs. Btw, I think you underestimate interest at participant level. At my school, it was easily the second most popular sport to play after football, despite the place being in Hertfordshire and 90% white and 75% middle class. I use to live near Kennington Park, close to Camberwell, and basketball and football were the only facilities that were always played when I walked past (there was also tennis courts and some other stuff)


> I remember it being big in the early 1990s. I remember the summer youth club I used to go to took us to a London Towers game, think it was at crystal palace, we always used to go to crystal palace. MIght've been the old london arena actually...
> 
> I have vague recollection of that I do remember them showing highlights of the NBA finals between the lakers and iversons 76ers... it seems that teh NBA was the NFL of the 1990s. Channel 4 were/are the governments niche channel.
> 
> Is there actually a London team now? I seem to recall it even being covered by London Tonight, more in one of their human interest pieces than as serious sport though...


The Towers were based at Wembley Arena for a bit, so local to me for a period. I saw one of their games. Maybe about 1500 people there. Tbh, I don't think the NBA has spent anything like the money on marketing the game here like the NFL has until very recently with the games at the 02,etc. This is the third time the NFL has tried to 'crack' the European market and I think they're wasting their time. My uncle use to play like semi-pro or something back in the late 80s in front of crowds of up 10,000 on big games (prob exaggerating! lol) and about a year ago he said the game had more interest back then. The problem is there is little to no grassroots, with the exception of a few uni boys having a laugh. Personally, I find the game incredible dull and slow and when a bunch of us tried watching the Superbowl a few years back we switch off after about 45 mins. A London franchise would still make money though and I guess that is their aim, not growing the sport.


> I'd assume the innitial euphoria wore off and people lost interest. You could argue the 1990s was a sports boom not just a football boom.


Hmm, possibly, although I read that the ITV Digital collapse had a big impact because teams naturally budgeted themselves against future earnings (they paid £21 million, surprisingly. To put into context they were only getting £1 million at sky, and Cricket got around £60 million during 1998 for a 4 year deal). We saw in a strong sport like football what happened, so a small, growing league was bound to be doomed. I don't know what would have happened, but I remember reading about the Towers plan to build a 5,000 seater arena and entertainment complex in Brent X (can only find a 2002 article from the independent, but I def remember pics in a Wembley local). All this must have been based on the guarantee of that TV contract, but they had big plans.



> And that's why I don't want them over here! I don't like any (team) sport th t puts money before sport.


You know my feelings about this - mutual!



> The way I see it is that because European Bball gets no coverage (the token stuff on Eurosport doesn't count) so most people don't know or care about it. They think the NBA is it. There is no connection with European stuff and thus no academy or developmental system that we have in other sports and that's the important factor. Kids who have "skills" have to go to the states at a young age (16) and then lose their accents. Luol Deng is the perfect example for me he'd be more of a poster boy if he'd retained his south London swagger (if he ever had it).
> 
> The other thing that hinders it for me is the countries that are good at it... I mean our natural rivals Germany, France, Australia are generally not Basketball super powers (although france has grown). I don't mean to be rude but beating Lithuania, Greece or Serbia at Basketball just doesn't capture peoples imaginations. Although beating New Zealand at rugby does hmmm.


Yeah I agree. The approach they are taking now of focuings on the GB team and using that as the focal point makes a lot of sense. I guess you could call it the '3rd model' of building a sport; using a unique outlet (mostly likely a national team, or possibly an event) to milk as much interest and resources for the sport as a whole (the other two are the slow building grassroots model or the pump-loads-of-cash-hope-it-grows model). This basically is what cricket and Tennis do in the UK. No one gives a damn about County cricket beyond over 50s and I'd bet that the money that comes in for England dwarfs the rest. Tennis has the same with Wimbledon. Pretty much their whole revenue model is about getting as much from those 2 weeks (TV coverage, tickets, merchandise, etc) and than funnelling it down. I would bet at least 70% of the LTA's revenue is directly or indirectly linked to Wimbledon. The BBF and co are basically trying to do the same with the GB team, hoping that big NBA stars (or star) that people recognise will get bums on seats and the media interested. With the Olympics they know they'll get their 'golden' media moment. They’ll probably play the US this summer and I think they’ll see that as media opportunity. Will it work? I dunno, but it’s the right thing to do in the short term whilst they try and grow the BBL again (which I think is dependent on having a successful GB team now)



> It's because they have sports clubs though, they used the football teams to grow other sports. Like would Basketball be as big in spain if Barca and Real Madrid hadn't sponsored it, same in greece etc. Maybe if more teams took Everton's lead and branched into other sports it would grow. But then again aren't sports supposed to competiting....


Exactly. They support an institution, so the basketball team is just another, smaller, face of Real or Barca. I wouldn't want to see it here, but would love to see link ups with football, for example getting English PL players down GB games to boost media interest (see the NBA games earlier this year with Henry and co). Basketball is competition with sports like Ice Hockey, RL, etc. Football is just too far ingrained for it to even worry about domestic competition tbh. It’s a monster!


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## bigbossman (Jun 25, 2007)

JYDA said:


> But those countries are good at it. They're all top 15 in the world and all have had some very high finishes at major tournaments in the last few years. Aside from the US, the top 20 teams in the world can all beat each other on any given day.
> 
> Lithuania, Greece and Serbia might not be that attractive but what about other good teams like Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Spain and Russia?


None of them are the best though, and none of them put there heart and soul into the sport (not to mentioen the height thing).

The only moderately important countries in Europe that put their heart and soul into baskeball are Lithuania, Greece and Serbia and the fact that in the case of Greece and Serbia they put even more heart and soul into football and are only as good as they are (upper mid ranks), suggests that beating them in Basketball isn't worth much (especially given they are "powers" in that sport). 

Beating Germany in football and France in Rugby and Football means a lot because it's the belief that it means something, you're beating the whole of Germany/France. That's why you hear the songs "two world wars and one world cup" whenever we play Germany...

Cricket seems to survive on the ashes (beating Australia) and to a lesser extent India. And rugbys popularity is based upon the 6 nations and South Affirca. I genuinely believe people in England believe your Australias and New Zealands are far bigger than they are.

It's basically about beating our rivals at what we perceived to be their most popular sport. The USA is another natural enemy but what are the odds on us ever beating them at one of _their_ sports? If that happens and it's not a fluke then maybe.


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## bigbossman (Jun 25, 2007)

kerouac1848 said:


> Right, but I think the sport's bodies are looking at sports like athletics or swimming, for example, in terms of coverage, with perhaps something like Rugby League as the eventual goal (in terms of media interest)


So basically you mean get sky sports on side so they can show highlights on sky sports news, which is free to air?



> It would be pointless even thinking about competing with football. In fact, it would make more sense working with football by getting PL stars to watch GB games, or doing tie ups with clubs.


Can u see that though? football owes nothing to no one and i'd doubt it would help any other sport. Personally I think it should help itself before helping others!



> Btw, I think you underestimate interest at participant level. At my school, it was easily the second most popular sport to play after football, despite the place being in Hertfordshire and 90% white and 75% middle class. I use to live near Kennington Park, close to Camberwell, and basketball and football were the only facilities that were always played when I walked past (there was also tennis courts and some other stuff)


No I agree it's very popular, maybe it annoys me whenever I see kids on the bus with a basketball instead a football (although it's probably just I notice it more than it happens a lot). Maybe it's my fear that football will lose the working class if it's not careful. It's probably no doubt all irrational fear... but I just have this fear football is gonna kill itself.

I remember at school I enjoyed playing it. But it was usually enjoyed playing it in PE, every break and lunch it was football football football. Most saturdays we were down at "goals soccer centre" playing football. My school had and moderate black population (got larger every year, around 50% now) but basketball despite being more popular than say rugby or cricket was just another sport.



> The Towers were based at Wembley Arena for a bit, so local to me for a period. I saw one of their games. Maybe about 1500 people there.


Should've been called the London Wanderers!



> Tbh, I don't think the NBA has spent anything like the money on marketing the game here like the NFL has until very recently with the games at the 02,etc. This is the third time the NFL has tried to 'crack' the European market and I think they're wasting their time. My uncle use to play like semi-pro or something back in the late 80s in front of crowds of up 10,000 on big games (prob exaggerating! lol) and about a year ago he said the game had more interest back then. The problem is there is little to no grassroots, with the exception of a few uni boys having a laugh.


Yeah it was played at my uni, they played in the BUSA league. They all use to walk around campus in their american football gear flanked by their ugly overweight cheerleaders. Totally surreal.

I think the NFL is deluded they literally think it's such an irresistable sport that once the rest of the world sees the "product" they see they'll immediately fall in love. But no chance, firstly legally TV companies can't put in as many TV commercials as they can in the states (EU law) so half the time is spent listening to guys talking!!



> Personally, I find the game incredible dull and slow and when a bunch of us tried watching the Superbowl a few years back we switch off after about 45 mins.


I enjoy the sport (not as much as a lot of others though), but when my university house had a super bowl party one of my housemates invited her brother. And they all fell asleep only me and my other housemate watched the game, says it all really.



> A London franchise would still make money though and I guess that is their aim, not growing the sport.


Exactly! That's the difference between the american sporting outlook and the European!



> Hmm, possibly, although I read that the ITV Digital collapse had a big impact because teams naturally budgeted themselves against future earnings (they paid £21 million, surprisingly. To put into context they were only getting £1 million at sky, and Cricket got around £60 million during 1998 for a 4 year deal). We saw in a strong sport like football what happened, so a small, growing league was bound to be doomed.


Didn't realise ITV digital were that involved. But the thing is Basketball has to prove to TV companies that it's worth investing in, just like every sport that isn't considered a national treasure. 

I think when Sky collapses (c. 10 years) because of streaming it will have a knock on effect similar.



> I don't know what would have happened, but I remember reading about the Towers plan to build a 5,000 seater arena and entertainment complex in Brent X (can only find a 2002 article from the independent, but I def remember pics in a Wembley local). All this must have been based on the guarantee of that TV contract, but they had big plans.


Interesting, but having one succesful franchise does not make a league... Obviously the Towers would've been part of wider plans rather than the catalyst for those plans.



> You know my feelings about this - mutual!


Unfortunately, It's about the non believers though!



> Yeah I agree. The approach they are taking now of focuings on the GB team and using that as the focal point makes a lot of sense. I guess you could call it the '3rd model' of building a sport; using a unique outlet (mostly likely a national team, or possibly an event) to milk as much interest and resources for the sport as a whole (the other two are the slow building grassroots model or the pump-loads-of-cash-hope-it-grows model).
> 
> This basically is what cricket and Tennis do in the UK. No one gives a damn about County cricket beyond over 50s and I'd bet that the money that comes in for England dwarfs the rest. Tennis has the same with Wimbledon. Pretty much their whole revenue model is about getting as much from those 2 weeks (TV coverage, tickets, merchandise, etc) and than funnelling it down. I would bet at least 70% of the LTA's revenue is directly or indirectly linked to Wimbledon.


Surely you need the foundations underneath for the '3rd model' to work? 

TV is a the biggest threat to growing a sport in the modern world, in the past people who had been hooked to a sport through say the success of a national team would've gone to the grass roots to get their fix now they've got the NBA beamed into their living room. I think it works in Cricket and Tennis because the framework already existed. 

It's in many ways like Baseball and it's minor league system using the MLB to fund the low levels of the sport which help to develop the talent that will eventually play in MLB.

If you look at the traditional national team dominated sports, rugby and cricket. Both are now seeing a massive rennaisance of the club game which one day could grow past it's international counterpart. It would take years for that to happen in basketball. Or are you saying that the club game should just be to produce players for the national team, but not worry about generating revenue itself?



> The BBF and co are basically trying to do the same with the GB team, hoping that big NBA stars (or star) that people recognise will get bums on seats and the media interested.


But do people recognise Luol Deng? Or Ben Gordon, did people even know John Amaechi existed? 

I dunno out of sight out of mind.

For the sport to grow here we need to produce a 6'-6'2" white pretty boy point guard with the pop star girl friend. (The David Beckham of Basketball)



> With the Olympics they know they'll get their 'golden' media moment.


Will they though? Surely we have to be drawn in a group with the USA to get any coverage, just like China were. Otherwise the media will just focus on our medal hopes, and if I am not mistaken doesn't the start of the premier league coincide with the olympics or will it be pushed back that year?



> They’ll probably play the US this summer and I think they’ll see that as media opportunity. Will it work? I dunno, but it’s the right thing to do in the short term whilst they try and grow the BBL again (which I think is dependent on having a successful GB team now)


tbf the only way the BBL will grow off of the national team is if the players from the national team play in the BBL. Otherwise it won't work. They need the sky sports monopoly on side too!



> Exactly. They support an institution, so the basketball team is just another, smaller, face of Real or Barca. I wouldn't want to see it here, but would love to see link ups with football, for example getting English PL players down GB games to boost media interest (see the NBA games earlier this year with Henry and co).


Me neither, although I don't know how intertwined the clubs are as the other sports teams tend to have sponsored names as well. 

I just don't see what benefit it is to football to link with Bball? The onus is basketball for me.



> Basketball is competition with sports like Ice Hockey, RL, etc. Football is just too far ingrained for it to even worry about domestic competition tbh. It’s a monster!


Yeah I agree but I don't really want it to have it's niche in my area if you know what I mean. The other sports are equipment and space intensive, basketball isn't...


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## kerouac1848 (Jun 9, 2009)

> So basically you mean get sky sports on side so they can show highlights on sky sports news, which is free to air?


Yeah that is one thing, but I was thinking more about the BBC. I mean, they have a duty to use their resources beyond just audience busting programmes. That's why you get even more minor sports than basketball getting decent airtime, such as skiing, gymnastics, swimming, etc. 



> Can u see that though? football owes nothing to no one and i'd doubt it would help any other sport. Personally I think it should help itself before helping others!


Well, if they see a gain in it! Tbh, its up to basketball to approach football rather than the other way round. Ball is in their court, so-to-speak.



> No I agree it's very popular, maybe it annoys me whenever I see kids on the bus with a basketball instead a football (although it's probably just I notice it more than it happens a lot). Maybe it's my fear that football will lose the working class if it's not careful. It's probably no doubt all irrational fear... but I just have this fear football is gonna kill itself.
> 
> I remember at school I enjoyed playing it. But it was usually enjoyed playing it in PE, every break and lunch it was football football football. Most saturdays we were down at "goals soccer centre" playing football. My school had and moderate black population (got larger every year, around 50% now) but basketball despite being more popular than say rugby or cricket was just another sport.


Lol. Well, there are alot of people who think football will kinda eat itself and even hopes it does. When the whole bullshit 39 game thing came out alot of guys just said enough is enough and I think the PL was really surprised at the huge negative backlash it got. My worry is the foreign owners who will just treat it like US sports. What the Glazers have done to Man Utd really is disgusting when you look into it, increasing prices so high that demand and supply equate, as well as the Compulsory Automatic Cup Scheme.


> Should've been called the London Wanderers!


:lol::lol::lol::lol:



> Yeah it was played at my uni, they played in the BUSA league. They all use to walk around campus in their american football gear flanked by their ugly overweight cheerleaders. Totally surreal.
> 
> I think the NFL is deluded they literally think it's such an irresistable sport that once the rest of the world sees the "product" they see they'll immediately fall in love. But no chance, firstly legally TV companies can't put in as many TV commercials as they can in the states (EU law) so half the time is spent listening to guys talking!!
> 
> ...


LOL. Never saw that! A really good friend of my got involved, but really it was just an opportunity for him to get fitter and expand his social circle.

I guess its better than NFL Europe; what a flop that was! Tbf, I think I would enjoy playing it as I liked rugby at school, but it is just too drawn out to watch. A game that should take a little more than an hour ends up taking 3 and a half!


> Didn't realise ITV digital were that involved. But the thing is Basketball has to prove to TV companies that it's worth investing in, just like every sport that isn't considered a national treasure.
> 
> I think when Sky collapses (c. 10 years) because of streaming it will have a knock on effect similar.
> 
> Interesting, but having one successful franchise does not make a league... Obviously the Towers would've been part of wider plans rather than the catalyst for those plans.


Yeah, neither did I. I dug out an old article from the Independent and it says that between 40,000 - 150,000 watched the BBL when it was on SS during the latter 90s. Considering that at the time only the biggest football matches would get close to 2 million tops on SS, I reckon that it was on bar with an average RL game. Apparently, the BBL had figures of 3-1 above audience for ice hockey, which was going through its own boom at the time.

The big problem was a classic sports one: a lack of teams owning their own home. If you're renting around, then any financial knock will probably blow you over. Look at County cricket, a lot of the clubs get less than 1,000 people for many games, yet because they own the stadiums the effect is less severe. What probably should have happened is that if the whole ITV thing was coolio, the league should have consolidated and stabilised during this decade after high (relative) growth in the 90s, using the period to fix up homes for the teams, possible league expansion and then modest growth towards the latter period.



> Surely you need the foundations underneath for the '3rd model' to work?
> 
> TV is a the biggest threat to growing a sport in the modern world, in the past people who had been hooked to a sport through say the success of a national team would've gone to the grass roots to get their fix now they've got the NBA beamed into their living room. I think it works in Cricket and Tennis because the framework already existed.
> 
> ...


Yeah I agree. I guess its a three way structure with the grassroots (schools, clubs, etc) at the bottom, league in the middle and national team at the top. The BBF deals with the first and last one, so their focus will be skewed towards them. I guess the foundations would be the large body of people who play the sport at grassroots level?

You're right about RU, although it will have to change its schedule a lot (too many clashes with football and playing club rugby during Intl. matches isn't helpful). Can't see it with cricket, County Champs is dead in my view. People only care about the Ashes here, there is a huge drop off after that. The only way i could see the domestic game going up is if they completely overhaul it to a 20twenty format and base the teams in our major cities, not counties, and get the Asian community involved before they are lost to football like Caribbean descendents (speaking with my own family as experience here)



> But do people recognise Luol Deng? Or Ben Gordon, did people even know John Amaechi existed?
> 
> I dunno out of sight out of mind.
> 
> For the sport to grow here we need to produce a 6'-6'2" white pretty boy point guard with the pop star girl friend. (The David Beckham of Basketball)


:lol:.True, although I saw a picture of Deng in a sports shop once. I read that the NBA themselves want to turn him into some kind of British 'Jordan'. Oh dear.


> Will they though? Surely we have to be drawn in a group with the USA to get any coverage, just like China were. Otherwise the media will just focus on our medal hopes, and if I am not mistaken doesn't the start of the premier league coincide with the olympics or will it be pushed back that year?


Well I dunno. You get those people who just follow the Olympics cos tis the Olympics (It is still so big here. I was working in the US during Athens and it was much more low key there) plus patriots who support anything British. It will probably needs coverage before then though via the next Eurobasket (assuming qualification) and some high profile friendly games . It is during August so you might be right, but if it is during the first 2 weeks than it probably won't.



> tbf the only way the BBL will grow off of the national team is if the players from the national team play in the BBL. Otherwise it won't work. They need the sky sports monopoly on side too!


In the longer term yes. But France and German have all their NT guys in the NBA as well so. I guess were looking at basketball reaching that level over the next ten years; still minor but with media coverage and a league with legs.



> Me neither, although I don't know how intertwined the clubs are as the other sports teams tend to have sponsored names as well.
> 
> I just don't see what benefit it is to football to link with Bball? The onus is basketball for me.


True



> Yeah I agree but I don't really want it to have it's niche in my area if you know what I mean. The other sports are equipment and space intensive, basketball isn't...


lol, yh but it still won't up stake football. I think.


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## kerouac1848 (Jun 9, 2009)

On another note, I just read about this here and here

Seems like it is backed by former NBA players, a bunch of sport and marketing guys and American money (has one of its offices in NYC). Never heard about it before.


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## bigbossman (Jun 25, 2007)

kerouac1848 said:


> Yeah that is one thing, but I was thinking more about the BBC. I mean, they have a duty to use their resources beyond just audience busting programmes. That's why you get even more minor sports than basketball getting decent airtime, such as skiing, gymnastics, swimming, etc.


But it's usually after the success of a brit though isn't it. Until last years olympics I rarely remember seeing swimming on the BBC. NOw we're good at it, it's on whenever their is a big meet. I remember the same thing happened with Rowing after 2000!



> Well, if they see a gain in it! Tbh, its up to basketball to approach football rather than the other way round. Ball is in their court, so-to-speak.


Exactly



> Lol. Well, there are alot of people who think football will kinda eat itself and even hopes it does. When the whole bullshit 39 game thing came out alot of guys just said enough is enough and I think the PL was really surprised at the huge negative backlash it got. My worry is the foreign owners who will just treat it like US sports. What the Glazers have done to Man Utd really is disgusting when you look into it, increasing prices so high that demand and supply equate, as well as the Compulsory Automatic Cup Scheme.


Agree totally, that 39th game isn't dead apparently. Richard Scudamore is like football's antichrist!



> LOL. Never saw that! A really good friend of my got involved, but really it was just an opportunity for him to get fitter and expand his social circle.


Tbf I just went out that's an easy way get drunk and appear in random facebook pictures (when it wasn't an open website) and have lots of random friend requests, then bump into random people you apparently met the nght before on campus. Always an adventure!



> I guess its better than NFL Europe; what a flop that was! Tbf, I think I would enjoy playing it as I liked rugby at school, but it is just too drawn out to watch. A game that should take a little more than an hour ends up taking 3 and a half!


It's weird because I never did enjoy rugby at school because I didn;t understand it. They always used to put me out on the wing because i'm fast. But I reckon with todays knowledge of the game Icoulda been decent.

I reckon the same with you I'd enjoy playing American football only if I saw the ball every down though. None of this sitting around bollocks



> Yeah, neither did I. I dug out an old article from the Independent and it says that between 40,000 - 150,000 watched the BBL when it was on SS during the latter 90s. Considering that at the time only the biggest football matches would get close to 2 million tops on SS, I reckon that it was on bar with an average RL game. Apparently, the BBL had figures of 3-1 above audience for ice hockey, which was going through its own boom at the time.


I dunno, football figures never take into account people watching it in bars, and i'd assume rugby figures too. And also rugby league is a sport very popular in the places hwere it is but they have a low population which counters that.



> The big problem was a classic sports one: a lack of teams owning their own home. If you're renting around, then any financial knock will probably blow you over. Look at County cricket, a lot of the clubs get less than 1,000 people for many games, yet because they own the stadiums the effect is less severe. What probably should have happened is that if the whole ITV thing was coolio, the league should have consolidated and stabilised during this decade after high (relative) growth in the 90s, using the period to fix up homes for the teams, possible league expansion and then modest growth towards the latter period.


Yeah but what happens when it's time to expand? Expanding an arena is a lot harder than a stadium! 

I just think it would've maybe done a rugby league in the towns where it's popular, but Rugby league still is dominated by football even in places like Wigan where although people don't support Wigan Athletic they support one of the manchester, Liverpool or bolton clubs.



> Yeah I agree. I guess its a three way structure with the grassroots (schools, clubs, etc) at the bottom, league in the middle and national team at the top. The BBF deals with the first and last one, so their focus will be skewed towards them. I guess the foundations would be the large body of people who play the sport at grassroots level?


It's about turning participation into spectators though, that's the problem.



> You're right about RU, although it will have to change its schedule a lot (too many clashes with football and playing club rugby during Intl. matches isn't helpful). Can't see it with cricket, County Champs is dead in my view. People only care about the Ashes here, there is a huge drop off after that. The only way i could see the domestic game going up is if they completely overhaul it to a 20twenty format and base the teams in our major cities, not counties, and get the Asian community involved before they are lost to football like Caribbean descendents (speaking with my own family as experience here)


I've played football with some immense asian footballers, but there families wont let them play the game seriously. Within a few generations they'll be lost to cricket too.

20/20 is all cricket has left imho, to draw the fans back.




> :lol:.True, although I saw a picture of Deng in a sports shop once. I read that the NBA themselves want to turn him into some kind of British 'Jordan'. Oh dear.


haha I know there is some deng stuff on BBCs basketball page. 



> Well I dunno. You get those people who just follow the Olympics cos tis the Olympics (It is still so big here. I was working in the US during Athens and it was much more low key there) plus patriots who support anything British. It will probably needs coverage before then though via the next Eurobasket (assuming qualification) and some high profile friendly games . It is during August so you might be right, but if it is during the first 2 weeks than it probably won't.


Will it though, ESPNs coverage of this Eurobasket was unbelievably low key. I think BBC will focus heavily on our medal prospect sports so they are household names by 2012 and Basketball will need to feed on the crumbs.



> In the longer term yes. But France and German have all their NT guys in the NBA as well so. I guess were looking at basketball reaching that level over the next ten years; still minor but with media coverage and a league with legs.


To me the only way is as you say partnerships because that's how it's worked elsewhere, but football will never help anyone else. 



> lol, yh but it still won't up stake football. I think.


I hope so

It only takes one estate to fall like a dominho then the other dominhos come tumbling. I sound like the americans who justified the vietnam war based upon the dominho effect.


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## cesco_82 (Jun 23, 2006)

news?


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

FIBA have announced that six countries have made their bid for Mens EuroBasket 2013. Those are:

Germany
Czech Republic
Italy
Slovenia
Croatia
Bosnia Herzegovina

Also, there are bidders for Womens EuroBasket same year:

Slovakia
France
Serbia
Belarus

more on fiba.coml

If it was my decision, I would give my vote to Bosnia Herzegovina, as they never hosted, since independent country, any major senior sporting event, but I think that BiH can make that EuroBasket editon one of the best ever. Also, if Bosnia fails, I would like to see EB in Croatia.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

BIH? Apart from Zenica they don't have one single hall that could host it. Široki is too small, Zetra is simply bad, Skenderija is... well... beyond bad. 

Mostal hall is another story which won't change anytime soon due to the fact that half finished hall is on "no mans land" between east and west Mostar. 

Croatia and Slovenia still didn't abandon mutual bid idea and i think that such bid might win it. Apart from Germany no one comes even close with standard, size and quality of arenas like those that would be in such bid.


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

I think that 5k is minimum, and in *Siroki Brijeg* arena has about 5k. *Zetra *could be renovated, little bit expaned, also as *Skenderija *(which holds 7k people and is sufficient)

there is also *Borik *in *Banja Luka*, about 3k










which can and will be expanded (money is no problem, biggest mobster in Bosnia is "The Boss" of Republic of Srpska (where Banja Luka is and he, if he wanted it, can make bigger and larger arena)

and also *Zenica*, great new arena... 

I think those arenas are enough for such an event as Eurobasket is (I dont think that bigger and better arenas were used in SCG in 2005)


but I wouldn be unhappy if Croatia wins it (as I am Croat born in Bosnia)... and yes, toughest opponent is Germany


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## Plevc (Apr 19, 2010)

I know in this days the distances are getting less important, but still with candidacy including Ljubljana (2 arenas), Maribor, Koper, Celje and possibly Novo mesto, there would be a driving distance of approx. 2 hours between 2 arenas at most.

I also think, that it's perfect for EuroBasket to have arenas wit a capacity of approx. 5-6k for group matches, and two bigger arenas (in Slovenian case Ljubljana with 8k and 12k). I guess FIBA prefers a full smaller arena to an empty bigger arena.


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## ReiAyanami (May 14, 2008)

And Greece looses yet another big sporting event. Even after more than a decade has pasted and Athens alone can host a Eurobasket, not only without the need of a new hall, but without the need of any upgrades what so ever.


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## Plevc (Apr 19, 2010)

First of all I think that bringing a sporting event to a single city isn't the aim of any federation (olympic games excluded), secondly I think that Greece is already organising a mass of big sporting events and I don't find it great if there are 3 countries exchanging big events. Let's face it, if that was the aim of FIBA, then all Eurobaskets could be organised exclusively in Spain, France, Greece, Germany...Let's add Italy. 
That goes for Olympic games, FIFA WC, UEFA EURO as well.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

Livno80101 said:


> I think that 5k is minimum, and in *Siroki Brijeg* arena has about 5k. *Zetra *could be renovated, little bit expaned, also as *Skenderija *(which holds 7k people and is sufficient)


Were you ever in those Arenas? Zetra cannot be expanded and it already was renovated. But its simply bad for any sport that's not on ice. Why do you think that Bosnia plays their games in Skenderija basically all the time? Skenderija is outdated and its not even close to Dom Sportova in Zagreb.. yet alone to some halls that would actually be in Croatian bid. 



> there is also *Borik *in *Banja Luka*, about 3k


 Borik? Be serious.. its already expanded up to the maximum and there's absolutely nothing you can do there to expand it even more. 




> I think those arenas are enough for such an event as Eurobasket is (I dont think that bigger and better arenas were used in SCG in 2005)


 SCG Arenas were FAR better, modern and bigger. BiH bid doesn't have main arena.. like SCG had with huge Belgrade Arena. 

Only hope for BiH is to build some 15k+ arena and cohost with some neighbor.


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

OK... since you know everything, I wont be bothering to point something so clear...


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

Livno80101 said:


> OK... since you know* everything*, I wont be bothering to point something so clear...


What would that everything be? Facts that halls in BiH are outdated, too small and simply not good enough for tournament of this size? Oh well.. what do i know. I'm sure that all other bidders are considering abandoning their bids after they've seen BiH bid. 

I see that you have problems with someone stating the obvious, so let's move on.


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> What would that everything be? Facts that halls in BiH are outdated, too small and simply not good enough for tournament of this size? Oh well.. what do i know. I'm sure that all other bidders are considering abandoning their bids after they've seen BiH bid.
> 
> I see that you have problems with someone stating the obvious, so let's move on.


ok


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## Capital78 (Jan 23, 2008)

Germany and Croatia surely have the best infrastructure. Slovenia is competitive only with new Stožice arena in Ljubljana (12.500) and partly with Zlatorog arena in Celje (6000). But if Slovenia and Croatia have joined bid, we can host Eurobasket for sure.


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## renco (Dec 5, 2005)

I agree.Would be a better solution.


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## MiguelWawa (Sep 9, 2008)

Slovenia&Croatia seems very nice but tell me guys - what about this constant reconstructions of motorways in Slovenia? The traffic there easilly turns into a horror...


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## tom666 (Jan 29, 2010)

... like everywhere else in Europe


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## nickg (Sep 20, 2009)

Sylver said:


> Greece, Croatia, or Slovenia are the only countries that actually deserve to host it.


the question does not concern about which country deserves it most, rather which bid is the best one, to be righteous!this must be clear to everybody here!


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## northern italian (Sep 12, 2002)

What about Italy ? we are waiting a top basketball event since the 1991 Euros :bash:

It's a shame for a country where basketball is the 2nd sport and has always been one of the top leagues in the world ... 

We have yet lost the 2014 worlds for nothing against Spain hno:


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## MiguelWawa (Sep 9, 2008)

tom666 said:


> ... like everywhere else in Europe


No, not really. Slovenia as a gate to Adriatic hardly accomodates current traffic.


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## PepMan (Feb 7, 2009)

Can Manila bid here? Manila's sports arenas have been repaired recently.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

PepMan said:


> Can Manila bid here? Manila's sports arenas have been repaired recently.


Read the title..


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## drokg (May 1, 2010)

> I think those arenas are enough for such an event as Eurobasket is (I dont think that bigger and better arenas were used in SCG in 2005)


I hope you watch NLB league,or something like that. 

Our arenas are not the best,they must get better,but halls and arenas are far ahead of BiH. 

Beside Belgrade Arena (~20k),Spens (~11k),Millenium (~4k) which are in very good condition,i have to put out newly built Smederevo hall(3.5k) and Crystal hall in Zrenjanin (~4k) . 










Beside these,4k Jezero in Kragujevac which is very nice and other two: Cair (6.5k) and Pionir (6.5k) which are ready for renovation. Or to be precise,in Nis the new Emparor Constantin Arena (~9k) will replace Cair.

So,tell me how can either of BiH halls come close? Only one i like is that hall in Siroki,which i saw when Radnicki played Siroki in NLB. 

Others... Just like Spicy told.

As far as who will get to host... Croatia. My pick.


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## Greece (Jul 10, 2010)

I read somewhere that Greece will bid. I think it will be something like this:
Athens-Olympic Sports Hall-18,700
Athens-Helliniko Indoor Arena-14,500
Piraeus-Peace & Friendship Stadium-13,000
Thessaloniki-PAOK Arena-8,142
Larissa-Larissa Neapolis Arena-5,500
Heraklion-Heraklion Arena-5,222

Also, what will be the capacity of the new arena in Volos that will be used for the Med Games?


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## ReiAyanami (May 14, 2008)

Who told you this? BTW, you username could be less conspicuous.....


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## Greece (Jul 10, 2010)

I couldn't think of a new username and the one I wanted was already taken. I saw this on the forums for greeksoccer.com


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## ReiAyanami (May 14, 2008)

The "news" are from an obscure article in FIBA's site from 2009. I wouldn't count on that much.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

Greece won't bid and Greece didn't bid. Is it so hard to read this thread a bit?


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## Greece (Jul 10, 2010)

I read the whole thread acually. I just didn't know if there was a deadline or something. I was so confident that Greece would bid, but all Greeks in charge of sports federations have a fear of bidding it seems, when it's just stupid that we have great venues that are never used.


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

Slovenian possible venues:

Ljubljana: 

Športni park Stožice (12550): will be completed in August 2010



















Arena Zlatorog (6500)



















Dvorana Tivoli (8000) will be expended



















Jesenice (6500) will be reconstructed in 2011



















Dvorana Tabor (3800) will be accommodate to 4500 spectators










Dvorana Bonifika (3000) will be accommodate to 5000 spectators



















Maybe will be build a new hall in Ptuj for the 5000 spectators.


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## Capital78 (Jan 23, 2008)

toliet drama

Zlatorog arena in Celje has 5154 seats, and it's impossible to increase it up to 6500. 5500 is maximum if they add seats behind the goals.

Jesenice are not in plan to organise the Championship although they will have a renovated hall.

Tabor in Maribor is probably too small. The minimum capacity should be 5000 seats, so they need extra 2000 seats. Where can they put them??? The same problem has Koper.


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

It's possible venues!


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## pop1982 (Jul 3, 2009)

Capital78 said:


> toliet drama
> 
> Zlatorog arena in Celje has *5154 seats*, and it's impossible to increase it up to 6500. 5500 is maximum if they add seats behind the goals.
> 
> ...


For handball,but for basketball is some 1000-1500+.


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## likasz (Sep 4, 2008)

Is it true that 24 NTs will particapate in the event??

Not too many?


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

new basketball hall in Stožice 12 550 visitors.


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

likasz said:


> Is it true that 24 NTs will particapate in the event??
> 
> Not too many?


Yes, that is confirmed.

Frankly, I dont know what type of virus hit UEFA and FIBAEurope. Even in more spread sport - football - it is exaggeration. And I dont know what will that Cup look like. 

And for basketball... oh my Gosh. There is barely 16 good teams in Europe, and watching teams like Portugal and Bosnia and Italy:lol: is just bad for further development of that great and beautiful game. Only good thing would be having EuroBaskets in 4 year period - if stays every 2 years - that would suck big time.


So, 24 teams cup - Bosnia fails as host - as it is just too many. 

Also Slovenia. 

Other countries are capable to organize it, as they already had big cups hosted, in other sports. 

Croatia is my favourite - never hosted it, and have maybe best facilities in Eastern Europe. And maybe it would make great thing if they and Slovenia go into organization together.


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

I don't thik so. Slovenia got allready 3 good arenas. One is in reconstructing. We need 6 arenas for 5000 people. Two arenas can accomodate on 5000 and one arena we will build if we'll get Eurobasket 2013.


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## JYDA (Jul 14, 2008)

Livno80101 said:


> Yes, that is confirmed.
> 
> Frankly, I dont know what type of virus hit UEFA and FIBAEurope. Even in more spread sport - football - it is exaggeration. And I dont know what will that Cup look like.
> 
> And for basketball... oh my Gosh. There is barely 16 good teams in Europe, and watching teams like Portugal and Bosnia and* Italy*:lol: is just bad for further development of that great and beautiful game. Only good thing would be having EuroBaskets in 4 year period - if stays every 2 years - that would suck big time.


Is this sarcasm? Italy won Eurobasket 1999 and Bronze in 2003. They have many good players.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

JYDA said:


> Is this sarcasm? Italy won Eurobasket 1999 and Bronze in 2003. They have many good players.


Not to mention that their league is one of the strongest in the world..


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

Livno80101 said:


> Croatia is my favourite - never hosted it, and have maybe best facilities in Eastern Europe. And maybe it would make great thing if they and Slovenia go into organization together.


We will see, if we won't have good chance, than we'll organize EB2013 together.


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

JYDA said:


> Is this sarcasm? Italy won Eurobasket 1999 and Bronze in 2003. They have many good players.


Yes, I am sarcastic a bit.

But they are struggling in EB2011 Qualifiers, struggle vs Finland (Finland, dude) and teams like that, their national team is low, very low, seems they are going to miss second EB in a row, and that was the reason for my sarcastic comment.

But, anyways, I am convinced they are ruining European basketball with this ridiculous format change.

And, man from Iceland is in charge of European basketball. :bow:


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## JYDA (Jul 14, 2008)

livno,

I look at it the other way. I think Italy's struggles are more a representation of increasing depth in European basketball. A lot of 2nd rate basketball countries have made big improvements. Just look at Great Britain and Belgium. The Eurobasket qualifiers have been very competitive. This wasn't the case in the past.


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## likasz (Sep 4, 2008)

^^I think it's the result that in every team can play one naturalized player.GB without Deng will not be so good.

Italy is in 100% Italian and no black players


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## JYDA (Jul 14, 2008)

likasz said:


> ^^I think it's the result that in every team can play one naturalized player.GB without Deng will not be so good.
> 
> Italy is in 100% Italian and no black players


Deng's a bad example. Deng grew up in London. He's not a mercenary. He's playing for GB because he wants to. He even supported the team at Eurobasket in person last year despite being unable to play due to injury. He's not like some of the other guys who are playing for countries they have zero ties to in exchange for a passport to help their european pro career. If you're talking about Taurean Greene of Belgium and Henry Domercant of Bosnia then fair enough.

As for your last comment, does a player have to be white to be Italian??? Is Mario Balotelli not Italian? Is Sofoklis Schortsianitis not Greek? Is the whole French basketball team not French???? These are national teams not ethnic teams.


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## likasz (Sep 4, 2008)

> Deng's a bad example. Deng grew up in London. He's not a mercenary. He's playing for GB because he wants to. He even supported the team at Eurobasket in person last year despite being unable to play due to injury. He's not like some of the other guys who are playing for countries they have zero ties to in exchange for a passport to help their european pro career. If you're talking about Taurean Greene of Belgium and Henry Domercant of Bosnia then fair enough.


Okay, maybe it was not a good example but if I'm not wrong Manute Bol played for Sudanese NT. 



> As for your last comment, does a player have to be white to be Italian??? Is Mario Balotelli not Italian? Is Sofoklis Schortsianitis not Greek? Is the whole French basketball team not French???? These are national teams not ethnic teams.


I hope you do not think I'm a racist

Sofo is Greek, Boris Diaw is French and Mario Balotelli is Italian - no doubts.But most black players who play in poorer European NTs are mercenaries.Black people are usually better in basketball than whites because they are more athletic.


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## miran92 (Jul 27, 2009)

Top story of the day...only Slovenia and Italy have officially declared their bids for Eurobasket 2013.


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

And Italy didn't qualified to eurobasket 2011. If Slovenia will go to quarter final in world championshim in Turkey, will be EB 2013 ours.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

toilet drama said:


> And Italy didn't qualified to eurobasket 2011. If Slovenia will go to quarter final in world championshim in Turkey, will be EB 2013 ours.


Results don't have anything to do with this..


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

Who knows?


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

toilet drama said:


> Who knows?


FIBA?


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## toilet drama (Jul 13, 2010)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> FIBA?


No you don't understand  Who knows what FIBA loking for. Mybe for our great spectators, or how is playing national team. This is for slovenia definitly big +


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## miran92 (Jul 27, 2009)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> Results don't have anything to do with this..


Sadly, It's true.


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## White_horse (Jun 26, 2008)

likasz said:


> Is it true that 24 NTs will particapate in the event??
> 
> Not too many?


24 teams will participate next year already, it was agreed by FIBA and Lithuanian basketball federation.


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

Sad that Croatia decided not to bid, as we have great infrastructure. hno:

Hope Slovenia can get it.


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## MiguelWawa (Sep 9, 2008)

^^ Yeah, me to. FIBA should notice the constant progress of Slovenian national team + its really centric location allowing the supporters from many neighbouring countries to easily come there. But they should build at least one more new arena like the one in Ljubljana.


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## Kuvvaci (Jan 1, 2005)

wich countries are candidate for the tournement? Only slovenia?


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## nikolina_fan (Aug 21, 2010)

Kuvvaci said:


> wich countries are candidate for the tournement? Only slovenia?


Italy and Slovenia. 

Others, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Germany gave up.


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## Kuvvaci (Jan 1, 2005)

slovenia seems to have better arenas than Italy? when will we learn the result?


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## likasz (Sep 4, 2008)

What's the minimum capacity for an arena to host the final match?


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## Kuvvaci (Jan 1, 2005)

as I know 12,500. but I am not sure.


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## Kuvvaci (Jan 1, 2005)

Final arena of Eurobasket 2009 in Poland has 11,500 capacity, Spodek in Katowice.


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## okulaja (Oct 7, 2010)

Slovenia or Italy?


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## okulaja (Oct 7, 2010)

okulaja said:


> Slovenia or Italy?


http://www.facebook.com/pages/EuroBasket-2013-Slovenia-Bid/256741352098


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## Will737 (Jun 12, 2010)

Qatr should bid.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

Will737 said:


> Qatr should bid.


Why?



okulaja said:


> Slovenia or Italy?


Slovenia of course. Far better infrastructure.


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## Will737 (Jun 12, 2010)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> Why?


9 vote alreddy confimed :lol:


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

Will737 said:


> 9 vote alreddy confimed :lol:


Ah :lol:

Why do you guys still bother with those Qatari guys?  Can't wait till all this Fifa World Cup is over so that this subforum can return to some normality


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## Will737 (Jun 12, 2010)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> Ah :lol:
> 
> Why do you guys still bother with those Qatari guys?  Can't wait till all this Fifa World Cup is over so that this subforum can return to some normality


Please, they'll be saying the result was rigged and based on race.


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## okulaja (Oct 7, 2010)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> Why?
> 
> 
> 
> Slovenia of course. Far better infrastructure.


but slovenia is small country. what the city could take the championship?


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

okulaja said:


> but slovenia is small country. what the city could take the championship?


So what if its small? Its venues and infrastructure is what matters and Italian arenas/halls don't come even near Slovenian ones.


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## Livno80101 (Mar 15, 2009)

Italy will get this. I dont like them, but their influence is just too big, and they must do something to stop huge fall of their national team.


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## MiguelWawa (Sep 9, 2008)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> So what if its small? Its venues and infrastructure is what matters and Italian arenas/halls don't come even near Slovenian ones.


I also support Slovenia here but this is simply not true. Italy presented offer consisting of cities located in northern part of the county, one of the best developped part of Europe. Designated for the second round and final phase Torino and Milano has great arenas, great hotels and much more to offer for the visiting supporters. Of course it would be more expensive for everyone to spend one or two weeks in Italy than in Slovenia and as usual probably nobody would notice the tournament itself unless the host team plays well. I predict totally different story in Slovenia.


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## SpicyMcHaggis (Oct 7, 2008)

MiguelWawa said:


> I also support Slovenia here but this is simply not true. Italy presented offer consisting of cities located in northern part of the county, one of the best developped part of Europe. Designated for the second round and final phase Torino and Milano has great arenas, great hotels and much more to offer for the visiting supporters. Of course it would be more expensive for everyone to spend one or two weeks in Italy than in Slovenia and as usual probably nobody would notice the tournament itself unless the host team plays well. I predict totally different story in Slovenia.


Slovenian Arenas are pretty much all brand new and on higher level than Italian. Slovenia has developed tourism industry and hotels are everywhere. 

Not to mention that it would be main event in the country for that period and that it would be central point of.. everything. In Italy it would just.. blend in. I guarantee you that there wouldn't be Eurobasket feeling all over Italy like there would be in Slovenia. Also, Slovenia is close to everyone in Europe.. so no worried about getting the halls filled. Italians can't even have full halls on their own games and you expect them to go to other people's games? 

Be real.. i like Italian bid as well.. just as i like their country, cities and basketball. But Slovenian bid is simply better and that's all that matters at the end.


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## MiguelWawa (Sep 9, 2008)

SpicyMcHaggis said:


> Slovenian Arenas are pretty much all brand new and on higher level than Italian. Slovenia has developed tourism industry and hotels are everywhere.


This is big a misunderstanding with both Slovenia and Croatia. You guys just think that your tourism industry is well developed. Maybe for most of the folks from my country - because it's not that far and it's not very expensive, the weather is great and so is the sea. But when it comes to quality of services you got a long way ahead of you if you would like to compare one day yourselves with Spain, Greece, France or even Italy. Not to mention the traffic issues on Slovenian hihgway(s)...



> Not to mention that it would be main event in the country for that period and that it would be central point of.. everything. In Italy it would just.. blend in. I guarantee you that there wouldn't be Eurobasket feeling all over Italy like there would be in Slovenia. Also, Slovenia is close to everyone in Europe.. so no worried about getting the halls filled. Italians can't even have full halls on their own games and you expect them to go to other people's games?


Well, and what in your opinion I meant when I wrote "I predict totally different story in Slovenia."? 




> Be real.. i like Italian bid as well.. just as i like their country, cities and basketball. But Slovenian bid is simply better and that's all that matters at the end.


Well, this is like your opinion.  For instance I've been in 2009 to European Athletics Indoor Champs in Torino and I really would like to see one day another major sport event in this very city.


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## miran92 (Jul 27, 2009)

There is some info that Italy is withdrawing from the bidding process.
Links:
-http://translate.google.com/transla...alia-vicina-a-ritirare-la-propria-candidatura

-http://translate.google.com/transla...__stiamo_per_rinunciare_ad_ospitare_euro_2013

-http://translate.google.com/transla...0/10/12/1208440-palla_centro.shtml?refresh_ce

-http://translate.google.com/transla...Sezioni/basket/201010articoli/29805girata.asp


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## Big Cat (Dec 1, 2008)

What can I say, Italy is downgrading on all fronts...


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## okulaja (Oct 7, 2010)

Big Cat said:


> What can I say, Italy is downgrading on all fronts...


1. 2012 - 2016 Candidature for UEFA Euro Championship(win Ukraine & Poland; France) hno:
2. 2013 EuroBasket (probably Slovenia) hno:
3. Torino city withrew for 2010 Euroleague Final Four hno:
4. World Volleyball championship 2010 
5. 2020 Roma Olympic Games(maybe) :lol:


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## MiguelWawa (Sep 9, 2008)

Big Cat said:


> What can I say, Italy is downgrading on all fronts...


It seems so. If they can't even guarantee 6M euros for FIBA in case they win...


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## likasz (Sep 4, 2008)

Berlusconi does not like basketball?

6M is not a big money for him;-)


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## Mr.Underground (Jan 15, 2007)

okulaja said:


> 1. 2012 - 2016 Candidature for UEFA Euro Championship(win Ukraine & Poland; France) hno:
> 2. 2013 EuroBasket (probably Slovenia) hno:
> 3. Torino city withrew for 2010 Euroleague Final Four hno:
> 4. World Volleyball championship 2010
> 5. 2020 Roma Olympic Games(maybe) :lol:


But Milan is the host city of Expo, after Shangai 2010...MILAN 2015.


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## miran92 (Jul 27, 2009)

It's official! Italy withdraws its candidature!

http://www.fip.it/News.asp?IDNews=3015

Google translate : http://translate.google.com/transla...l=en&u=http://www.fip.it/News.asp?IDNews=3015


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## okulaja (Oct 7, 2010)

congratulations Slovenia


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## Architexture (Jan 24, 2008)

*SLOVENIA MORE THAN READY*

-Ljubljana the capital of Slovenia is the Unesco World Capital of the Book this year http://www.visitljubljana.si/en/experiences/world-book-capital/
-Maribor(second largest city) is the european city of culture 2012 http://www.maribor2012.info/en/
-Maribor is hosting the winter Universiade 2013 * http://www.maribor2013.eu/en/

...investments in infrastructure for these projects with the Sports park in Ljubljana amounts by plans to more than 460 mio euros....

and there is no doubt there will be an excellent Eurobasketball 2013 organization. It will not be the first nor the last championship of the kind Slovenia will be hosting...so chill out...


an example is the new Sports park in Northern Ljubljana...


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## Architexture (Jan 24, 2008)

MiguelWawa said:


> This is big a misunderstanding with both Slovenia and Croatia. You guys just think that your tourism industry is well developed. Maybe for most of the folks from my country - because it's not that far and it's not very expensive, the weather is great and so is the sea. But when it comes to quality of services you got a long way ahead of you if you would like to compare one day yourselves with Spain, Greece, France or even Italy. Not to mention the traffic issues on Slovenian hihgway(s)...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*what traffic issues are you talking about...because I lived in Slovenia and Italy and I hope you don't want to say that the infrastructure in Italy is better because that would be a joke... in the summer when we were going from Milan to the croatian coast though of course there will be jams... because italians have feragosto...and everybody goes on vacation at the same time...how smart is that...


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## likasz (Sep 4, 2008)

So probably Slovenia will play all its matches at Stozice Arena, right?

Congratulations to Slovenia.


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## Architexture (Jan 24, 2008)

likasz said:


> So probably Slovenia will play all its matches at Stozice Arena, right?
> 
> Congratulations to Slovenia.


Stazice Arena would be only one of the sites... there will be at least 6 other Arenas with capacity bigger than 5000 seats available till 2013 ...

- Ljubljana: new Tivoli
- Maribor: reconstructed Tabor Arena
- Celje: Arena Zlatorog
- Koper: enlarged Bonifika
- Jesenice: enlarged Podmezakla
- Novo Mesto


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## Capital78 (Jan 23, 2008)

Now, I really hope Slovenia will get this Eurobasket 2013. Ljubljana (12.500) and Celje (6.000) are ready. Other arenas still have to be improved or built.


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## Capital78 (Jan 23, 2008)

Architexture
Jesenice are not in plan to host games. Although they could give renovated Podmežakla.

The planned venues are:
Ljubljana (new Stožice and probably renovated Tivoli), 
Maribor (renovated Tabor), 
Celje (Zlatorog), 
Ptuj (new arena), 
Novo mesto (new arena).


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