The Craziest Basketball Fans in Europe
Europeans are best known for their sporting love of football, but for many fans, especially in the east of the continent, basketball is almost as big. And that means the fans can be a little on the crazy side.
Partizan and Crvena Zvezda
Belgrade has a strong sporting tradition, and this has led the Serbian capital to become the home of two of the biggest basketball teams in the country: Partizan and Crvena Zvezda. Both teams have wildly passionate supporters, and one of the key clashes in 2022 between the two sides was when they met in the Radivoje Korac Cup final. A substantial police presence was on hand in case anything went awry (heaven forbid that should happen at a sporting contest in Europe) and the streets were a lot quieter in Nis than one might expect. Fans were escorted to the stadium by the police from opposite directions. Not only that, but there were firemen in the stadium, ready to react in case a little pyromania should occur.
That might sound like overkill. After all, it was just a sporting event, right? Well, yes and no. If you happen to be visiting Serbia and checking out a clash between these Belgrade basketball teams be careful when you’re refueling. Why? Because gas stations between Nis and the capital were a prime target for inter-fan violence (sometimes fans even waited deliberately to attack rivals when they stopped for gas).
Back in the stadium, flares and fires did start but the firemen were rapid to respond and no injuries occurred. But it’s a rare day in the NBA when fans might need to worry about assault in the gas station and immolation in the arena.
The Atlantic Divide
Often, Americans have a reputation for being extroverted, or even a little loud, compared to Europeans such as the chic French or reticent British. But when it comes to basketball fans quite the reverse is the case, with European fans generally being louder and rowdier than their better-behaved counterparts in the NBA where, for the most part, Mexican waves and occasional banter with players is as far as things go. By contrast, certain parts of Europe support basketball teams in the same way the British and Spanish support soccer clubs, with a sense of patriotic (bordering on tribal) fervor. Loud chants (to which everyone knows the words) can create a cauldron of noise that makes an atmosphere almost reminiscent of the Colosseum. A tidal wave of shrieks, whistles, and heckles means that any player who is put off or disconcerted easily will really, really struggle in Europe. But those who can feed off the crowd’s energy, whether that’s to hear the roaring approval of one’s own fans or to spite the opposition’s supporters, will love the intensity of basketball in Europe.
Betting on basketball is, therefore, big business on both sides of the Atlantic as supporters east and west are keen to back their own side. But during the off-season and for the sake of variety during it many also enjoy taking advantage of the best USA no deposit bonus codes. These are a good way to test new casinos that accept American players, as they make it possible to win real cash without losing any. That might sound too good to be true, but is the case (albeit with an upper limit of usually one to two hundred dollars as a withdrawal cap). No deposit bonuses are great for trying out new games, new sites, or even to find out if casino games are something you like or would prefer not to play.
Fenerbahçe Beko of Istanbul
The first Turkish team to win the EuroLeague was Fenerbahçe (which is part of the major multi-sport club Fenerbahçe SK that includes one of Turkey’s top football clubs). The side has achieved notable success in recent years, including defeating Olympiacos in 2017 to secure the European championship. And with great success comes, as we have seen elsewhere, many fans. Many, many and very noisy fans. There’s an intense rivalry with Galatasaray which dates back to 1955 when Fenerbahçe defeated their adversaries in the first-ever Turkish basketball game broadcast on radio to clinch victory in the Istanbul Basketball League.
In 2022, this rivalry persists and is intense as ever. In the semi-finals of the Turkish Cup, there was an hour-long delay because fans had to vacate the arena after bad behavior. This began with offensive chanting (something far from unique to Fenerbahçe, it must be said). That isn’t so bad, but firecrackers being thrown onto the court is something else. Warnings went unheeded and the fans were forced to stop spectating.
Panathinaikos B.C. and Gate 13
Not to be confused with the associated soccer team of the same name, Panathinaikos is the most successful basketball side in all of Greece and has achieved significant success on the European stage. As with all sporting sides, triumphs attract support and this can include some of the nuttier type. For Panathinaikos B.C. this comes in the form of Gate 13 (a group of ultras). The name was derived a half-century ago when the poorer supporters used to enter via the eponymous gate. Today, the section is still the loudest and proudest section of the stadium, brimming with flags, banners, and chants.
Within the stadium, the level of noise makes quite the impact, heartening the home side and intimidating visitors, and the attending fan numbers are among the highest in the EuroLeague. The volume can be even higher when local rivals Olympiacos are the opposition (they’re runners up to Panathinaikos in terms of Greek basketball success).
Get ready for an assault on your ears and some serious fan passion in basketball in Europe, whose fans can sometimes overegg the cake.
