In this respect, the Hessians from Frankfurt have always been a great role model for playing in the basketball Bundesliga. From 1999, the year they were founded, until today, the Skyliners have received the license without any conditions. Economically, with managing partner Gunnar Wöbke at the helm, there was never anything to complain about.
This spring, only eleven clubs from the group of applicants were granted a license for the 23/24 first division season without any conditions. In terms of sport, however, the Frankfurt team, German champions in 2004, were no longer helped by their financial solidity. The second relegation in a row was one too many: for the first time in the club’s history, the Skyliners, who were not helped by a wild card this time, are only represented in the second league in the ProA; This Sunday (3 p.m. on Sportdeutschland.TV) against co-relegated Bayreuth they are starting on unfamiliar territory and into an uncertain future.
In addition to Giessen, Trier and the financially strong newcomer Koblenz, the Fraport Skyliners are also among the favorites for the two promotion places. But the new coach Denis Wucherer warns: “I know from experience that I can’t promise that it will work in the first year.” When reorganizing for the difficult mission of promotion, the head coach, who is also a sports manager, tried to have a “clear to make a cut. At one point you can be relegated due to bad luck with injuries. There are these epidemic seasons.” However, if you haven’t managed to stay in the class twice, “you’ve done something wrong. Then you have to change and maybe reinvent yourself,” says former national player Wucherer.
Club needs patience
The Frankfurt team feel well positioned in the big positions with the 2.10 meter long Jacob Knauf, the former sports manager Marco Völler, who is concentrating on playing again, and Lorenz Brenneke (both of whom form the captain duo). However, Brenneke had to sit out the past season due to injury. When it comes to second division players with experience, the Skyliners were also able to secure the services of the American Booker Coplin (Düsseldorf) and Knauf (Schwenningen). In Canada, the Hessians found what they were looking for twice with builder Aiden Warnholtz and winger David Muenkat.
The search for a German leading player – in the ProA there must be at least two Germans on the field – has not yet been successfully completed because the “market is very empty”. “Players with a German passport are very sought after,” says managing director Yannick Binas. “A certain creativity will be necessary” when recruiting.
The club also needs patience with four German players who already have a contract. Bruno Albrecht and Bruno Vrcic are suffering from injuries, Justin Onyejiaka is ill and Nolan Adekunle is not fulfilling his contractual obligations with his absence. All in all, says Wucherer, the Skyliners are “still looking for our style. “Our first priority is to put the players in the right positions so that we can make good use of their strengths.” The coach’s words suggest that the beginning can be difficult.
Economically, the Skyliners represent a certain size. “It may be that we have the largest overall budget,” says Binas. “But we won’t have the largest gaming budget.” The managing director refers to the “extremely high costs” at the Frankfurt location. The Skyliners would “even pay a little more rent” for the ball sports hall than in the previous Bundesliga round “due to inflation and energy costs”. Although the city of Frankfurt dealt “fairly” with the Skyliners, “it is a fair rental agreement,” says Binas. “However, the hall has a basic cost. The budget for them, security and catering correspond to the overall budget of one or another club in the ProA.”
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The Frankfurt location is said to be the leader in league two in terms of viewer numbers. The Skyliners are hoping for an average of between 3,000 and 3,500. The overall average in the Bundesliga last season was around 4,300. “We have already sold more season tickets than a year ago in the Bundesliga,” says Binas. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the Skyliners only want to spend one season in the second division. “In terms of mindset, you associate Frankfurt with the Bundesliga. Overall, it’s a premier league location,” says Wucherer.
2023-10-01 09:09:00
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