“March Madness” is currently radiating through the global sports world.
This weekend “The Big Dance” culminates in the final 4. Held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the NFL team Arizona Cardinals – and in front of over 70,000 fans. Just “Madness”. On all lines.
And in Austria? There’s the ACSL. The Austrian College Sports League. Lawrence Gimeno brought college sports to Austria and his concept is gaining increasing acceptance.
How did this come about? “I was studying in the USA at the University of Kentucky at the time. There was a huge hype around the basketball team and around Anthony Davis (currently under contract with NBA club Los Angeles Lakers; note). But not because of everyone “They’re so crazy about basketball, but because they live the common identity of their colleges. Everyone is ‘Kentucky’. And I really wanted to bring this feeling of belonging to Austria.”
Sold out. The organizers could have sold more than twice as many tickets for the finals.
Photo: © Lukas Zottl
Is that possible in Europe?
The question is now quickly answered: Yes. The ACSL Basketball Finals 2024 took place in the Stadthalle Vienna in mid-March. The event was sold out.
2000 fans created a breathtaking atmosphere – about twice as many tickets could have been sold. And why? “Because we create belonging: It’s about the university, not primarily about the sport. You support your university – and honestly: If you’ve ever played for your university, you know how cool that is. With your student ID you basically belong “You’re right in the middle of it,” says the ACSL founder.
But that’s not all: “A visit to an ACSL game should be like a visit to Disneyland,” says Gimeno, describing his events as an “international game with a festival feel.”
This starts with how you are received and greeted in the hall and continues with merchandise, food concepts, your own community award and after-show parties. The ACSL offers the full program – and is right.
Lawrence Gimeno (center) brought college sports to Austria.
Photo: © Lukas Zottl
Different starting advantage
But what does the ACSL have over the BSL?
The breeding ground: If you take the men’s final as an example, there are a total of almost 120,000 students, pupils and alumni behind the TU Robots and the University of Vienna Emperors.
The clubs in the win2day Basketball Superliga do not have this potential, simply because of their geographical location. “That’s why you have to make ‘Game Day’ more attractive, it needs to have much more of an event character. And you have to strengthen the bond between fans, new fans and the team or players. That brings us back to the feeling of belonging – that makes a huge difference “, explains the Lower Austrian.
But the win2day Basketball Bundesliga also has “an advantage: namely the sporting level. Great plays, great moves – and therefore the better sporting storyline. That in the context of ‘How do I market sport in 2024’ makes an interesting mix with that the BSL can increase its ‘awareness’.”
“‘Grow Together’ – We can only benefit from each other.”
Lawrence Gimeno
There have already been several exchanges between him and those responsible for the win2day Basketball Superliga.
“A joint appearance at major basketball events, national team games, 3×3, an All-Star Game or the ACSL finals, we have all these things in mind – but so far these things have not been possible. But we want to work together and for make a difference for basketball in Austria. For me it’s ‘Grow Together’. The ACSL won’t be able to fill the BSL halls. But if both sides do their job, then we can benefit from it in all directions.”
ACSL as a role model
The win2day Basketball Superliga managing director Albert Handler sees the developments in the ACSL as a role model and impetus for the clubs:
“Lawrence Gimeno and his team are doing a lot right: They manage to create an event that is fun and that attracts people not just because of basketball. The product of basketball no longer just takes place on the court, it is an event that has a lot has to offer more. Some of our clubs have already accepted this approach – but there is still a lot of room for improvement,” says Handler.
He doesn’t see a holistic concept for all twelve clubs, especially since each location is “different”. “At the end of the day, it’s about the clubs investing in the growth of their organization. These things no longer just happen on the side – it also takes ‘man power’.”
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2024-04-06 11:09:16
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