Skyliners Frankfurt: waiver of Eurocup

the door to The international game for the Fraport Skyliners wide open. Without sports for the competition qualified, had taken the Euroleague Basketball Frankfurter still on the provisional list of participants for the Eurocup in the coming season. "For me personally, a big dream would come true. I would be really happy,“ had coach Sebastian Gleim said on demand, when the news had become known.

But his employers in the Bundesliga currently has refrained from going with his team in the new game of the year, the second highest in the European competition a lot of traveling. Because, for a fixed start-up commitment by the Skyliners, which could pre-register at the organizer of "" is from the point of view, the uncertainty in times of Corona pandemic, but too big – and not just in terms of the future travel requirements and the question of whether and when viewers are allowed in the hall.

"Our top priority remains that we do not want to restrict our youth. And we don't want to risk the economic Survival of the club. This means that we turn in down a gear and put us on the vital factors of focus,“ said managing Director Gunnar Wöbke. For its decision Gleim shows understanding.

After the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) had aborted in March, the main round due to the Coronavirus, lost each club per home game between 80,000 and 170,000 euros, depending on the numbers of visitors to the sites. About 30 percent of the budget in the clubs the ticket revenue. The Skyliners have regularly had seven home games. "We have not had a high six-figure sum in revenue", said Wöbke on Monday.

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test "in Principle" be set up in Frankfurt, which took place in this month at the final tournament in the BBL, and in Munich in the quarter-finals arrived, "economically very sound. And of course that is our focus, keep it that way. But we do not know now what is in the coming season. Everything will depend on the end of it, it looks like the game operation.“

a Quasi-flying blind

The current Situation is comparable with the "Start of a helicopter in the fog. And all the navigation systems, you lack, which is why it is like a blind flight.“ For Wöbke it would be "the biggest mistake of any of the agreements and make Commitments which you can no longer just turn". It is a question of, "so that you can possible endure this long, this uncertain Phase. All the big companies down hammers all for spending what is only possible. And one is well advised, if one behaves as a small club, so as the big companies, and no crazy things.“

it remains, After all, the Skyliners her name, sponsor will get, which is buffeted by the Corona pandemic is economically strong. Fraport "is our main sponsor," said Wöbke. To attract new sponsors, is in these times the greatest challenge for the Hessen. Potential candidates, you can make no binding statements to the end of the new round. The fact is, that the original start date will not be hold in September.