When 2021 began, there was no telling when the best fans in the world – the lifeblood of Euroleague Basketball – would be able to witness a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague or 7DAYS EuroCup game in person again.
Best of 2021: Fans in arenas again
Article
2 Mins read
As the year ends, the very best thing that can be said about basketball in 2021 is that their magic is back and echoing loudly throughout arenas all over the continent.
From the murmured buzz that starts at tipoff to the joyful noise that erupts with game-deciding shots – and at countless moments in between – the fans have made basketball their own again, as it always should be.
It's true that during much of 2021, competitions could be followed despite empty gyms and fans could cheer their favorite teams in any number of ways from broadcast television to live apps. But nothing was the same at the courts where the games were being played.
The players say it now even when they are playing on the road. The viewers of games on television know, too. Even the referees agree:
The fans make the game. Simple as that.
And when you are talking about European competitions, those fans make a difference, too. They inspire their home teams, for sure, but they also energize the visitors. In so doing, they lift the game to a higher level. At times, they seem to make enough noise that the basketball could literally float on the sound waves.
In numbers greater or more limited, arenas around the continent have welcomed back the people who are the very reason for having basketball leagues of this elite caliber.
Nothing was normal about 2021, but at its end, this much we can celebrate: The greatest fans in the world were back where they belong.
While the pandemic and its impact aren't over yet, here's hoping they can cheer to their heart's desire in 2022.