EuroBasket 2021 started on September 1st with some huge games taking places. However, there were also some lows in Day 1 of the competition as Ergin Ataman pointed out.
In Spain’s victory over Bulgaria, a match played at 3:30 p.m. in Tbilisi, the FIBA organization revealed that no more than 500 spectators were in the stadium.
The low turnout was evident even in the hosts’ game vs Belgium and in the contest between Turkey and Montenegro on Thursday for Group A.
Turkish head coach Ergin Ataman touched on the subject in the aftermath of his team’s victory over Montenegro.
“After many years in the EuroLeague, this experience for me, in these types of tournaments… Some players, this atmosphere… I don’t know how you feel with only 100 spectators. It’s very different from the atmosphere you have in every game of the NBA or the EuroLeague”.
“It’s difficult to concentrate. For me, for the players, even for the media. Football is played with this system and in each national team match we see the stadiums full. They are empty here. Why are we here? For what? To enjoy and play basketball. For the people. This sport is a show,” Ataman said via Marca.com.
Turkey endured the comeback of Montenegro and closed the game on an 11-2 run to claim a big victory (72-68). Furkan Korkmaz scored the last five points of the Turks and gave his team the victory.
“It doesn’t give any kind of emotion,” said Ataman. “What is the difference between a U18 championship and the Eurobasket? It looked like a U16 tournament. I felt like I was training a junior team.”
