Industry-leading companies sponsoring FIBA EuroBasket 2025

Having convinced FIBA that it is up to the task, Cyprus will be hosting the biggest basketball event in Europe in August 2025.

This is a venture that will test the country’s structures and infrastructures, to a large extent proving Cypriot endurance in the field of European sporting events.

This is a strong move for the country and an opportunity to show how well it can respond today and in the future, attempting, in front of demanding fans and strict judges, to give its best in a ‘bet’ with an immediate financial benefit of €12 million, and which it is expected to attract up to 10,000 visitors from abroad.

Andreas Mouzourides, president of the Cyprus Basketball Federation (CBF) and Mark Klerides, head of the EuroBasket 2025 organising committee recently provided an analysis of the grand event.

The idea of CBF bidding for the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) biggest continental event, EuroBasket, had been around for years. With the 2015 change in the way it was held and four countries now sharing the event, smaller states - among them Cyprus - could now have the opportunity to bid to host a group.

"Having significant experience of smaller-scale sports events, we decided in 2021 that we were ready to take the big step," says Mouzourides, and briefly describes how "we prepared the nomination file meeting the high requirements of FIBA ​​and in full cooperation with the Government, the Cyprus Sports Organisation (CSO) and the Cyprus Olympic Committee (COC) we convinced FIBA ​​of our readiness.

Thus, in March 2022, we were granted the responsibility of the organisation". The other three countries that will host groups during the event in 2025 are Finland, Latvia and Poland.

(L-R) Mark Klerides and Andreas Mouzourides

This is a great undertaking. How have we begun to prepare for it?

Mark Klerides: EuroBasket 2025 will be by far the biggest sporting event ever hosted in Cyprus. However, we are ready to show that despite the small size of our country in terms of population, we are capable of accomplishing even the most difficult challenge.

After winning the assignment, we then created the organising committee, which operates independently of CBF and is established as a company with its own board of directors. The priority of CBF is the continuation of the upward trend of basketball in Cyprus.

Finding sponsors, securing schedules, constant contact and cooperation with FIBA, the state and sports bodies are some of the actions that are taken every day on the way to the event.

What tactics are being followed in the organisational part?

MK: The organisational structure that has been put into operation consists of several committees, which have their role and competence.

Each of them has been constituted through an evaluation process, in order to include people who are distinguished professionals in their field, and have the experiences and knowledge to ensure that all aspects of the organisation will be covered primarily with professionalism and absolute consistency.

What benefits is Cyprus expected to receive as an organising country?

MK: In the sports section, our team will have the opportunity to participate for the first time in the final phase of a pan-European championship, as Cyprus is one of the host countries. This is true for all team sports. For our country, the economic benefits from EuroBasket and the visibility it will have will be enormous.

It is the second most important basketball event in the world after the world cup. Millions of sports fans will watch the games that will be played in Limassol on television and social media.

Do we have sample numbers from previous EuroBaskets?

MK: At the 2022 EuroBasket, the impressions on social media amounted to 4.2 billion and 303 million people watched content of the event. In this particular year, when the event was hosted by five cities - Milan, Prague, Tbilisi, Cologne and Berlin - FIBA ​​conducted a study and concluded that, on average, the image of each of them as a tourist destination improved by 64%. We therefore expect indirect financial benefits over the years for Limassol and Cyprus in general.

And what are the immediate benefits?

MK: In an average scenario we expect around 8,000 to 10,000 fans to come from abroad, who will stay in hotels and other accommodations, visit restaurants and other catering facilities.

They will enjoy the city's nightlife and attractions, spend money on tourism services, transport and others such as retail and health.

The direct economic benefit of the event to the local economy on match days is estimated to exceed €12 million. The indirect economic benefit of the event, you realise, is huge and difficult to measure.

How can the business world of Cyprus be part of this great celebration of sports?

MK: EuroBasket 2025 is a national affair for our island, that's why we need everyone by our side. We already have the Government and the sports organisations as partners, while the partnership with private individuals is considered very important.

FIBA allows up to eight sponsor/partner positions in two tiers, which will enjoy tier exclusivity, as no two sponsors will be commercial competitors.

Through the specific partner program, the companies that choose to do so are given the opportunity to be presented at a local and international level through the media and social media.

Is there interest from companies in participating in the sponsor/partner program?

MK: There is interest, some positions have been booked and we are in contact for the rest. We believe that the list of partners will soon be completed and we will announce the first companies with which an agreement has been reached.

They are all at the top in their field. One, in fact, has associated its name with some of the most historic football teams in the world and for the first time has chosen such a powerful stance in basketball sponsorship.

What does the organisational challenge of the event include?

Andreas Mouzourides: Due to the nature of the event, a team of professionals will work in many sectors and areas, such as the venue and the training grounds as well as accommodation. At the same time, a large number of partner companies and volunteers will help in various areas.

The CSP is responsible for the preparation of our national team. The organising committee is responsible for following the requirements of the organisation manual to the letter. FIBA has CBF as the final organiser of the event.

Such an organisation entails significant costs. What is the amount of your budget?

MK: Based on the EY study and the plan we presented to the Government, the total organisational cost amounts to approximately €6 million. This is an amount that each organising country is obliged to cover from state or private funds sponsorships, as well as from ticket and souvenir revenue. About half of the total costs will be paid to FIBA ​​for the right to host the event.

Where will the other half go?

MK: The rest will be used in fields such as accommodation and food for national teams, referees, FIBA ​​staff and officials. Also, on transport, printers, security personnel and television broadcasting. There will also be promotions before and during the event and side events to promote EuroBasket and the sponsors.

It is noted that an overwhelming percentage of all this money will remain in the local economy.

The income from EuroBasket is for FIBA ​​Europe the main source of funding for the development of basketball in Europe. The fact that the federation has trusted Cyprus, the country with the smallest population that has ever organised EuroBasket, is of great importance for our country.

Since the heart of sport will beat in Cyprus in August 2025, what is the main challenge we are focusing on?

AM: First of all, we want everything to go well, so that we can all feel proud that we succeeded. The most important challenge is to be ready organisationally, in order to carry out the event in terms of operation, security, hosting of athletes and officials.

The stadium in Limassol has to go through a major facelift and time is pressing. It will take cooperation from everyone to achieve this.

Could you be more specific?

MK: I must point out that from the day we took over, we had three years until the event, instead of four as usual, as a result of the corona virus pandemic, which shortened the distance between the last and the next EuroBasket to three years instead of four years.

Therefore, it will not be possible to add some elements that we wanted to the field. The competent state agencies did not want any risk of delay, so the decision was made to remove these elements from the final renovation plan. The bidding process is already underway and will soon be in the evaluation and award phase.

From there, our goal and that of FIBA ​​is to have full stadiums, not only in the matches of the national teams of Cyprus and Greece, for which we are sure that the tickets will be sold out when they are released, but also in the others.

How can we be sure that everything is going well and that the result will do us justice?

MK: We have the know-how for smaller European events. The organisation's manuals have the same logic, but the requirements are clearly greater.

We have experienced staff in the organising committee and the federation and enjoy significant support from the state, local sports bodies and FIBA.

How are we doing with the schedules?

MK: We are on a very good track in terms of time and far ahead, in fact, in some matters. However, we are not yet as ready as we would like, due to the stadium affecting many organisational issues.

In general, all our indoor courts are in need of modernisation. For example, Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center which will host the FIBA ​​EuroBasket 2025 group is 20 years old.

It is the second largest and most recently built closed building in Cyprus, but the most modern infrastructure it has in terms of technology is a landline telephone line!

So how are we modernising Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center?

M.K.: We should proceed with the necessary requirements concerning, among other things, internet, television and internal networks. The state has taken on the task of refurbishing the stadium to bring it up to standard as international organisers raise the bar ever higher.

Our country, after investing in this renovation, will be able to use Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center for other future events, which will give impetus to the development of sports as well as other fields of activity.

There were various rumors about the choice of the stadium that will host the event. How do you respond as CBF?

AM: No other indoor stadium in Cyprus can host such an event due to its size, fan seats, required auxiliary spaces, FIBA ​​specifications and number of hospitality beds available in the city.

Regarding the complaints of representatives of other sports, who will be deprived of the stadium for a period, I believe that solutions can be found for a few months in cooperation with the CSO. Let us not forget that the renovation of the stadium will remain as a legacy for the country, citizens and sports.

With one year to go until the event, what are the immediate next steps?

MK: The priority is the organisational matters, with an emphasis on the preparation of the stadium, the completion of agreements with hotels and other partners for transport, wider hospitality and catering. We are also starting the procedures regarding the distribution of tickets, while a very important pending matter is the closing of the sponsorship group with our partners.

• The profile of the organisation

Local Organising Committee: CBF EuroBasket 2025

Board of Directors and committee members:

• Andreas Mouzourides, president of the Cyprus Basketball Federation
• Mark Klerides, chairman of the organising committee
• Stelios Demetriou, member and chairman of the finance committee
• Kypros Ioannides, member and chairman of the legal committee
• Irine Loucaides, member and president of the sustainability committee, in which Dr Xenia Loizidou, Michalis Iereides, Stalo Demosthenous and Dr. Nicoletta Kythreotou are participating
• Markos P. Klerides, member and chairman of the media committee
• Melina Tsigaridou, member and president of the marketing and commercial affairs committee, while new members will be added
• Lena Panagiotou, member and chairperson of the personnel committee
• Dr. Nikos Kartakoullis, member and chairman of the volunteer committee
• Leontios Tselepos, member and chairman of the events committee

Other members

• Kalli Hatziiosif
• Panos Prodromitis
• Michael Loizides
• Demetris Grivas
• Elias Andronikou
• Isabella Tymviou

Main responsible party:

• Cyprus Basketball Federation (CBF)

FACTS AND NUMBERS

• €6 million the total organisational cost
• 5 match dates over a 9-day duration
• 3 games per day will be played, one after the other
• 40% of the costs of the event will be covered by the state and 60% from the organising committee's own income, which will come mainly from tickets and sponsors/partners
• 7,000-7,500 per match will be the seats available for the public 15 matches will be played in total
• 6 national teams will compete
• 8 sponsor/partner positions
• 25 people will form the core team of the project

(Source: INBusiness Magazine)