VTB United League President Sergey Kushchenko rated the start of the new WINLINE Basket Cup.
«What is so fascinating about Perm? Its atmosphere. You watch PARMA play—seven or eight players in rotation, almost out of strength, but they pull off a win against a very serious opponent. It’s some kind of basketball magic.
The format of the new tournament itself is, I would say, a little basketball thrill. Together with our partner WINLINE we have created not just a competition, but a whole new show: with a pre-game show, performers, and interactive elements. People took photos at the entrance, near the brand ball—many even thought it was an All-Star Game, rather than WINLINE Basket Cup regular season game.
Yes, the WINLINE Basket Cup has not yet reached its full potential. However, games have already been in Yekaterinburg and Perm, and we are looking forward to the upcoming game in Moscow featuring CSKA and Mega. I am confident that the tournament will make a noise.
I really liked the organization—everything was well thought out: the opening of the games, the design, the show. In Perm, for example, on a normal working day at 19:00., the arena was almost full, and everyone came to see the show. People came to see something new, and we managed to surprise them.
Of course, more information support could be added—not everyone understands how this tournament fits into the schedule yet, but that’s a matter of time. Cities such as Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, Perm and Moscow are ideal, where we can work with our partners to raise the level of basketball organization higher and higher.
We are currently in the short first stage, with the second stage starting after the New Year. I think that by then, attitudes toward the tournament will have changed—everyone will want to make it to the Final Four. This is a pilot project, and it is important to go through it with an understanding of where to go next.
The image of the event is astonishing: the lighting, the decor, the atmosphere. In Perm, for example, they did an amazing renovation and excellent seating—there were 1,500 people sitting alone, the most expensive seats. The club’s ticket revenues increased exponentially.
And this is just the beginning. The tournament is already gaining respect, and we as organizers can see that we are moving in the right direction.
This event showed that Perm is the best city for basketball!