Champions Fiebich Blasts German Basketball Federation for Lackluster EM Promotion
Fiebich insists on intensified initiatives from the association - Fiebich advocates for enhanced dedication from the Association.
Veteran WNBA star Leonie Fiebich is speaking out, criticizing the German Basketball Federation for a lack of promotional effort ahead of the Women's Basketball European Championship (EM) group stage, starting this week in Hamburg. "Bringing these tournaments to Germany is fantastic, but the EM isn't being marketed well enough," Fiebich told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. With the entire World Cup set to take place in Berlin in 2026, Fiebich believes more could have been done to accommodate a larger audience in Hamburg.
The action unfolds at the Inselpark Arena, a versatile sports hall accommodating around 2,400 spectators. Featuring basketball infrastructure, the venue is the home court of the Hamburg Towers, a top-tier basketball team. While it was built for the International Garden Show 2013 and later converted into a sports hall, it reportedly cost around €14 million, with funding provided by various entities including Benno and Inge Behrens Foundation and the city of Hamburg.
Despite the impressive roster of Europe's top women's basketball stars, including Fiebich, there appear to be few signs of promotion or excitement in Hamburg. "I wonder if they'll pull out all the stops for the World Cup, but there's not much happening for the EM right now," said Fiebich (25).
Determined to focus on the tournament, the WNBA champ is confident her team will deliver on the court. "We just want to play strong basketball and come out on top on Thursday against Sweden," Fiebich stated at the official media day. With the crucial opening game against Sweden and a subsequent matchup against Spain on Friday, Germany must finish at least second in their group to qualify for the knockout round in Piraeus.
- Hamburg
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- Basketball European Championship
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- Berlin
As the games unfold in Hamburg, Fiebich's call for more visible promotion remains an important topic. Fans and supporters alike should hope that the final phase of the tournament, set to take place in Berlin, will see a renewed effort in promoting this exciting event.
Hamburg will be hoping for a renewed promotional effort as the Women's Basketball European Championship progresses, following WNBA star Leonie Fiebich's criticism of the initial marketing for the tournament. Fiebich, a key figure in Germany's team, believes a stronger promotion for the event in Berlin might have better accommodated a larger audience during the group stage in Hamburg.
