Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The new Telekom Baskets Bonn arena

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • The new Telekom Baskets Bonn arena

    INTRODUCTION
    The Telekom Baskets Bonn got promoted to Germany's best league in 1996. They arrived with a bang, having their sensational playoff run only be stopped by awakening giant ALBA Berlin in the finals, the team that was destined to go on to win six consecutive champioship up until 2003. Bonn followed up their amazing debut season with two more final appearances, threatening - but never breaking - the ALBA Berlin reign in that period. In 1999, 9.000 fans (speaking of basketball, it might not be much in Lithuania. But in Germany it is huge) cheered the team, that had just lost a sizzling five game finals series to ALBA Berlin, in the Bonn city centre. A year later, with a possible new arena already the subject of heated discussions, they flexed their muscles, drawing a sellout crowd for a regular season home game staged in the Kölnarena, Cologne, which holds room for 18.600 spectators. Back then, this was an european record for a single basketball game. With their fan base growing fast, the the old fashioned "Hardtberghalle", a school gym that hosted and still hosts the Telekom Baskets home games and creates room for 3.500 supporters, had simply become too small. Still, getting the cities support for building a new arena had been a hard and frustrating task for president Wolfgang Wiedlich and his crew. Politics, politics, politics, selfishness by other way smaller sports clubs (Bonn has a fourth division football club and a volleyball club that everybody has heard of, but nobody really knows whether or not it does indeed excist), and - did I mention it? - politics and of course that fast and highly efficient german bureaucracy, that makes the creation of a simple new passport take twelve and a half years, were the biggest obstacles for the club's much anticipated project. With the cities the support in doubt, the club decided to go for it on its own, something that is unheard of in german basketball history. Despite of the club's golden years being ended in 2005, when they missed the playoffs and had much less money to spend in the years thereafter, Wiedlich and crew did not let their target slip out of their eyes and finally and took decicive steps towards the project in the 2005/06 season. The first earthmover appeared im 10/2006. Ever since, the project has been making visible progress and is dated for April 2008 to be completed. A mild winter has accelarated, but various obstacles have slowed down the pace. Moving into the new arena for the 2008 playoffs, if the team participates, is still targeted, but in slight doubt.

    THE ARENA
    Holding a maximum of 6.000 spectators, the new arena is still compact and tight, which should mix up for a good atmosphere. The costs were estimated to stand at 15.000.000 Euros, but expect it to be rather 16 or 16.5 nowadays. There will be a standing area for fans behind one basket. The rest will be all seats. This is a monofunctional basketball-only arena, something very rare. Of course you can stage a chess tournament on the basketball court, if you feel the need to do so. But that doesn't make it multifunctional. The Telekom Baskets hold all the rights. Expect them to sell the rights for various basketball occasions, such as national team games.

    The whole arena complex consists of following elements:
    • the basketball arena itself
    • a training facility for the youth teams and the pro team
    • a restaurant on top of the arena with a nice view over the city
    • a big entrance foyer that will host business meetings etc.
    • several additional components, such as a fitness club and a doctor's place


    PICTURES





  • #2
    Maybe one could add that it has a whole stand consisting of real standing rooms for the fans including wave-breakers http://www.telekom-baskets-bonn.de/w...innen_1024.htm (possible as it is monofunctional only, just build for basketball purposes). For european cup games these places can be transformed into seats.

    Also, as the club owns the arena, it is much easier to organize all the youth teams at one central point, the BBL team can train whenever they want as there is no evil housekeeper and the club gets all the money they get out of catering etc..
    "It's not about four guys working to get one player open and give the ball to him."- Ettore Messina

    Sanchez, Ginobili, Basile, Kukoc, Sabonis

    Comment


    • #3
      Now that "Deutsche Telekom" has withdrawn from their involvement with the "Tour de France" bicycle team I am wondering if they will put the money that is left over into the basketball department to develope a team that can compete on euroleague level.
      You live with the Freak you die with the Freak!!!

      Comment


      • #4
        Doesn't affect the sponsoring at all, as Cycling or Bayern Munich is sports sponsoring, Telekom Bonn gets the money out of the local sponsoring pool, as the Deutsche Telekom has their headquarters in Bonn. Otherwise I don't think they would engage in basketball at all.
        "It's not about four guys working to get one player open and give the ball to him."- Ettore Messina

        Sanchez, Ginobili, Basile, Kukoc, Sabonis

        Comment


        • #5
          great thread robbe!
          Building an arena on their own is a courageous thing to do, but afterall with all the arena rental expenses most teams are coping with that aren't small at all and potential bigger ticket income such investment could be profitable in a matter of decade or so... still a brave thing to do in basketball.
          the only issue is the euroleague 10.000 capacity, but I guess Bonn could always move to Kolnarena when needed.
          Originally posted by Jon_Koncak
          That's funny shit.I cant believe there are sports fans thinking like it.It's like Federer losing to random Japanese player in round 1 of French Open but tournament director stepping in and saying "hey it was a fluke win who wants to watch a random Japanese guy in next round,Federer qualifies"

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by DanMajerle
            Doesn't affect the sponsoring at all, as Cycling or Bayern Munich is sports sponsoring, Telekom Bonn gets the money out of the local sponsoring pool, as the Deutsche Telekom has their headquarters in Bonn. Otherwise I don't think they would engage in basketball at all.
            If the Baskets would become a top team competing on a high euroleague level it would not be regional thing any more in my opinion.
            The Baskets would get some media coverage in all Germany.
            You live with the Freak you die with the Freak!!!

            Comment


            • #7
              It doesn't seem a very complex construction work.

              Depending on the are surrounding area there could be an expansion if needed.

              By the way, as it was already said the Euroleague requires a 9000 arena and not a 10000.

              Originally posted by parso
              Gomelsky doesn't know @@@@ about basketball
              Originally posted by sseppel
              it's not asking too much for someone to know where the fuck he is.
              Originally posted by UMUT_FB_LAL
              Scola makes me wanna touch myself, no homo

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Joško Poljak Fan
                great thread robbe!
                Building an arena on their own is a courageous thing to do, but afterall with all the arena rental expenses most teams are coping with that aren't small at all and potential bigger ticket income such investment could be profitable in a matter of decade or so... still a brave thing to do in basketball.
                the only issue is the euroleague 10.000 capacity, but I guess Bonn could always move to Kolnarena when needed.
                The Kolnarena is definitely a nice arena, and it is only about 30 minutes away from the Hardtberghalle. Yet there are some obstacles: 1. The Kolnarena schedule is pretty busy, so I'm not sure whether or not it is possible to have the opportunity to host games there every Wednesday or Thursday: 2. Hosting games there, only an audience of about 9.000 spectators makes a gameday profitable for the club. Otherwise, they lose money. Now 9.000 spectators in another city on weekday for a basketball game is a pretty hard thing to accomplish.

                As for the fanbase, things have slowed down a little bit, since the wild days, that saw (for german league standards) big names or upcoming players such as Kaukenas, Capin, Nadjfeji, Rencher, Milisavljevic, Radojevic, Kelecevic and Miller come here are over. Those were the days when every arena would be filled with ease and the club would reserve special trains for away games. Still, I think there is a lot of potential. But a good 07/08 season would definitely help.

                As for targeting Euroleague participation, I think it still is a very long way to go. Telekom is a big organisation, but as was being stated above, the money they give is out of the pool for local sponsorship, and the contract with the organisation depends highly on the clubs results. Those have not been too strong the past 4 season, so the budget has been decreasing ever since. Opposed to what one might think when hearing of the club's name, Telekom Baskets Bonn is a very small, family-like organisation. I think a ULEB-Cup participation is definitely something that is not out of reach though, especially with the shamefully big number of german teams being able to take part in this competion.

                Comment


                • #9
                  As soon as the new arena will be ready I will defenitely watch a Baskets game live.

                  Allthough I am living in a suburb of Cologne I am working in Bonn-Endenich, so there is "some" very very very small identification potential available in my brain for this team.
                  You live with the Freak you die with the Freak!!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    The arena is almost finished:



                    The seats in team colours are currently being set up.
                    "It's not about four guys working to get one player open and give the ball to him."- Ettore Messina

                    Sanchez, Ginobili, Basile, Kukoc, Sabonis

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      It will be decided soon whether or not the Playoffs will be played in the new arena. It looks quite good already. Quite obviously court lines, the area close to the sidelines and some other inside-arena equipment (unneccessary stuff like baskets) is still missing, but all that should be ready until next Thursday. That is not the problem. Problem is mainly the outside area, which still is pretty unfinished. Parking lots have to be there. There is enough parking space at the old arena nearby, but in the end it all comes down to what the cities officials decide. Unfortunately the club hasn't got any more money after this project, so paying off the officials with swiss watches is not an option.

                      Playing in the new arena would maybe cause some adjustment problems for the players, who have to get used to the new enviroment, but very positive impact on fan enthusiasm and, not less important, on the finances.



                      Comment


                      • #12
                        First game in the new arena! Today! BBL Finals Game 2!

                        And you can watch how the arena getting more and more crowded: Webcam

                        Edit: And we're off and running ...
                        Attached Files
                        Last edited by robbe; 06-11-2008, 06:29 PM.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Impressions from Bonn's new club-owned, basketball-only 6.000 arena.

                          Image Collection
                          Attached Files
                          "It's not about four guys working to get one player open and give the ball to him."- Ettore Messina

                          Sanchez, Ginobili, Basile, Kukoc, Sabonis

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X

                          Debug Information