In the last few years there have been many proposals for 2 existing clubs to merge into a new club so that the financial stability of the one to be intergrated with the large fanbase of the other, in order for a new, healthy, and promising club to emerge.
Initally it was Peristeri to be merged with the financially sound Panellinios. Then when this proposal failed, it was Near East to be merged with Peristeri, a proposal that also failed. Another recent proposal was for struggling Makedonikos Kozani to merge with also struggling and recently relegated Iraklis, and move back to Thessaloniki. This scenario also seems too unlikely to materialise (fortunately IMO). Now after the recent promotion of Olympiada Patras, there have been suggestions that they should merge with Apollon Patras as the city of Patras will not be able to sustain at a high level two teams. A similar proposal has been around for quite awhile about the two teams of Larissa, namely Olympia and Gymnastikos, both of which are currently in A1.
However none of the above proposals ever worked out. Why this is the case I don't know. A number of reasons sound plausible, one of which is the desire for years of history behind a club not be lost by the incorporation into a brand new club. Today however I read that Gymnastikos Larissas is about to merge with Athlitiki Enosi Larissas, which is the basketball branch of the big football club of the town (AEL), and which has been moving between the 4th and the amateur divisions for years. This will make Gymnastikos the official basketball branch of AEL and hopefully offer them the backing of the enormous fanbase of AEL (who will identify more with the new club than with the, albeit local but not AEL-ian, Gymnastikos). Will this happen this time? I don't know. Will it work out as an idea? Hopefully. I really look forward to see a maroon-clad Larissean team with the rearing horse on the chest, taking on the rest of the A1 teams.
Initally it was Peristeri to be merged with the financially sound Panellinios. Then when this proposal failed, it was Near East to be merged with Peristeri, a proposal that also failed. Another recent proposal was for struggling Makedonikos Kozani to merge with also struggling and recently relegated Iraklis, and move back to Thessaloniki. This scenario also seems too unlikely to materialise (fortunately IMO). Now after the recent promotion of Olympiada Patras, there have been suggestions that they should merge with Apollon Patras as the city of Patras will not be able to sustain at a high level two teams. A similar proposal has been around for quite awhile about the two teams of Larissa, namely Olympia and Gymnastikos, both of which are currently in A1.
However none of the above proposals ever worked out. Why this is the case I don't know. A number of reasons sound plausible, one of which is the desire for years of history behind a club not be lost by the incorporation into a brand new club. Today however I read that Gymnastikos Larissas is about to merge with Athlitiki Enosi Larissas, which is the basketball branch of the big football club of the town (AEL), and which has been moving between the 4th and the amateur divisions for years. This will make Gymnastikos the official basketball branch of AEL and hopefully offer them the backing of the enormous fanbase of AEL (who will identify more with the new club than with the, albeit local but not AEL-ian, Gymnastikos). Will this happen this time? I don't know. Will it work out as an idea? Hopefully. I really look forward to see a maroon-clad Larissean team with the rearing horse on the chest, taking on the rest of the A1 teams.
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