Hoops Diva Fiebich Slams German Basketball Federation Over Lackluster EM Promotion
Fiebich insists on increased commitment from the association - Fiebich advocates for intensified actions by the Association
Time to Raise the Stakes... Way Up!
WNBA sensation Leonie Fiebich has given the German Basketball Federation an earful just before the Women’s European Basketball Championship (EuroBasket Women) preliminary round begins this Thursday in Hamburg. "Bringing the tourney to Germany is rad, bro. But if ya take a peek behind the curtains, the EM ain't promoted hard enough," Fiebich spilled to the 'Süddeutsche Zeitung' in a no-holds-barred interview.
After the preliminary round this year, the whole World Championship will be going down in Berlin in 2026. But hold up! The games against Sweden this Thursday (8:00 PM/Magentasport), Spain on Friday, and Great Britain on Sunday are happening at the Inselpark Arena, a cozy joint that only packs around 2,400 spectators. "Seems like plenty of folks still hankering for some tickets, but they're all spoken for. Mebbe they coulda planned things differently to soak up a bigger crowd," Fiebich (25) opined.
Another option in Hamburg could have been the Barclays Arena, which can hold a capacity crowd of 16,000 fans - a wee bit excessive for women’s basketball, which is only starting to catch steam these days.
And guess what's missing in Hamburg? The thrilling aura of premier women's basketball action, it seems. "Can't wait to see if they roll out something for the WM - but for the EM, there's nada to shout about," Fiebich grumbled. No need for frowns now, though, as the WNBA champ isn't gonna let a subpar promotion affect her game. "That ain't why we're here, baby! We just wanna ball hard and bag the 'W' on Thursday," she said at the official media day, focusing on the crucial opening match against Sweden. If Germany wants a spot in the knockout round in Piraeus, they gotta finish at least second in the group.
GermanyWomenBasketballEuroBasket WomenWNBASZBerlin
Enrichment Data:
The 2025 Women’s European Basketball Championship (EuroBasket Women 2025) is hosted across multiple cities, including Hamburg, Germany. The games in Hamburg occur at the Inselpark Arena, which seats approximately 3,400 attendees.
The Inselpark Arena is a multi-purpose sports facility in Hamburg's Wilhelmsburg district, initially built as an exhibition hall for the International Garden Show 2013 and later repurposed into a sports hall. The arena is home to the Hamburg Towers basketball team and is owned by the Benno and Inge Behrens Foundation. The arena's smaller size compared to larger venues may be due to its original design and budget constraints behind its transformation into a sports hall.
EuroBasket Women 2025 innovatively spans four countries: Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Greece. Given this multi-country format, the choice of Inselpark Arena in Hamburg prioritized existing infrastructure, local audience engagement, costs, and logistical practicalities over securing a larger venue. While promotional efforts are boosted for the championship, the use of a mid-sized arena like Inselpark enables a more personal atmosphere and efficient use of resources, in line with contemporary hosting practices for women's tournaments.
- Leone Fiebich, the WNBA sensation, criticizes the German Basketball Federation for insufficient promotion of the Women's European Basketball Championship (EuroBasket Women) in Hamburg, suggesting that a larger venue like the Barclays Arena could have accommodated a larger crowd.
- Despite Fiebich's concerns over promotion, she remains focused on the opening match against Sweden, emphasizing that the reason they're there is to play hard and win. The World Championship in Berlin, scheduled for 2026, has the opportunity to address these promotional concerns and create a thrilling atmosphere for premier women's basketball action.
