Olympiacos GM explains why he wants Real Madrid and Monaco in Final Four / News - Basketnews.com

Olympiacos qualified for the Final Four, but the ticket battle has just started for the Reds. GM Nikos Lepeniotis revealed the number of Greek fans who have already made their due diligence and what it takes for it to increase. He also touched on the incident that took place on Fenerbahce's bench.

Credit: Panagiotis Moschandreou / Contributor-Getty Images Credit Panagiotis Moschandreou / Contributor-Getty Images

Olympiacos Piraeus managed to hold off Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Game 5 (84-72) and secure their presence in the EuroLeague Final Four that will be held in Kaunas.

3-pointers this season

37%9,7Points made:9,7Accuracy:37,1%Place in standings:5Record max:19Record min:3Most made 3FGs:Aleksandr VezenkovTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

In contrast to what happened recently, this year, the time restraints are forcing the four participants to expedite their preparation ahead of the big event. The Reds saw the team execute their task on the task, but now, a few more challenges lie ahead.

While Belgrade was going to turn red-and-white last year, as it happened, Kaunas is a different case.

Accommodation in the city is in short supply, plane tickets to Vilnius have skyrocketed over the last weeks, and there are hardly any ways of reaching Lithuania without one or several layovers, not to mention the impossibility of making the entire journey by car, as many fans had attempted in May 2022.

For Olympiacos as an organization, the Final Four started just when the final buzzer sounded at the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Tuesday night.

Lithuania is by no means a country that can be accessed easily from Greece, but the Reds want to ensure that a large number of their devoted fans will be on their side 10 days from now.

Previous experience has shown that a considerable part of the tickets available for the general public is purchased by Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv fans, who decide to keep or re-sell them depending on whether their team makes the Final Four or not.

But this season, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has also presented a solid campaign. If the Serbian side dispenses Real Madrid and joins the Final Four lineup, things will get more complicated for Olympiacos.

Hence, it's no wonder the Greeks would gladly have AS Monaco and Real Madrid as their fellow contenders.

Olympiacos Piraeus / Schedule

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul Olympiacos Piraeus71-72 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul Olympiacos Piraeus73-69 Olympiacos Piraeus Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul84-72

"Officially, all four teams get the same number of tickets," Olympiacos GM Nikos Lepeniotis told sport24.gr. "If Maccabi Tel Aviv and Partizan do not qualify for the Final Four, Olympiacos' road to extra tickets may be easier than the teams that will return some."

"The Spaniards usually get no more than 300 tickets. It will depend on Wednesday's results whether we can find any more tickets," he added.

The Greek executive told NOVASPORTS that the estimated number of tickets currently owned by Olympiacos' fans is around 2,500 to 3,000.

"Each team will get 560 tickets, so we're talking about 3,000 tickets overall. From that point on, it will depend on whether any of the teams will return some tickets," he said.

It goes without saying that Olympiacos are not even considering getting less than what they're entitled to.

"Of course, we will take it all," Lepeniotis clarified.

"Just think that we have 5,800 season ticket holders, so it's hard to satisfy everyone. The process is specific, and people know that. We will announce some things on Wednesday or Thursday," he promised.

The 2023 EuroLeague Final Four will take place before a packed house of more than 15,000 fans at Zalgirio Arena from May 19 to 21.

Olympiacos had to handle a huge demand for tickets a few days before Game 5. The online platform recorded 85,000 requests, but ultimately less than 10% were rewarded.

In contrast to other clubs, like Zalgiris Kaunas, season ticket holders didn't have to buy a separate ticket to watch Game 5 (or any other game of the playoff series for that matter).

"The demand was unreal. We could fill a stadium of 150,000 seats. We couldn't manage it," Lepeniotis admitted.

According to a BasketNews survey conducted in January, the top countries in terms of ticket sales for the Final Four, both during pre-sale and general release, were as follows:

Lithuania - 35% Spain - 18% Greece - 13% Turkey - 7% Various - 27%

80% of the capacity is available for purchase through three different categories: pre-sale and sale, team tickets, and VIP tickets and lodges. The remaining 20% is reserved for invitations, including sponsors, guests, TV right-holders, and media.

Talking to gazzetta.gr, Lepeniotissaid Greeks come in second to Lithuanians in terms of ticket sales. He also pointed out that only season holders will be able to purchase tickets directly from the club.

"But also those who have a season ticket and can't get a Final Four entrance and those who are not holders and want tickets can do so either through an agency or the internet. We will soon announce the process," he repeated.

The former Chief Marketing Officer and Commercial Director of Olympiacos BC also touched on thetension on Fenerbahce's bench, especially in the second half.

At some point, the Turkish club's president Ali Koc seemed to be very annoyed by the local fans' behavior. Lepeniotis clarified that it wasn't people screaming, shouting, and making all kinds of gestures next to the press tribune and opposite the visitors' bench that made Fener people mad.

"They were annoyed by the lasers," he revealed.

"The president of Fenerbahce complained. I explained to him that we are trying to contain it, and he reacted a little more strongly. I tried to calm him down. He listened to me, and then everything went well."

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