ERT returns as home of Greece national team basketball

MIES, Switzerland - FIBA, the International Basketball Federation and ERT, the state-owned public radio and television broadcaster of Greece, on Friday announced they have signed an agreement for the 2017-2021 cycle of FIBA events.

ERT is no stranger to broadcasting the very best of national team basketball. In the past, it has been the place for fans to watch some of the greatest moments in the history of the Greek senior men's national side. This includes a first-ever FIBA EuroBasket title won on home soil in 1987, collecting a second European crown 18 years later in Belgrade and scoring one of the biggest upsets in international basketball by beating the USA in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2006.

The agreement is in place for all of Greece's games at FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017 - which tips off today (Friday June 16) - FIBA EuroBasket 2017, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers and Final Round as well as the FIBA EuroBasket 2021 Qualifiers and Final Round.

Additionally, ERT will also broadcast all FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments for Men and Women for the Tokyo 2020 Games and all FIBA-sanctioned world and regional youth events during the entire cycle.

The agreement comes ahead of FIBA's Competition System 2017+ launching in November. Under the new system, national teams across the globe will play regular official games in qualifying windows held throughout the year to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China and the FIBA Continental Cups 2021 (including FIBA EuroBasket Cup 2021).

Lambis Tagmatarchis, Managing Director of ERT, said: "International Basketball is really coming home to ERT starting with the FIBA EuroBasket Women and followed by the EuroBasket. We are delighted that ERT will be back to capture all of the excitement and passion that basketball brings. Basketball is a way of life in Greece and with 2017 marking 30 years since Greece's first-ever EuroBasket title, we have great hopes for this summer's event and then when we begin the home and away qualification games for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in November."

Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, said: "FIBA has previously enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with ERT so it is with great pleasure that we are teaming up with Greece's public broadcaster once again."

The agreement was brokered by FIBA Media, the strategic partnership between FIBA and Perform, which continues to secure multi-year agreements related to FIBA's new calendar of events.

###

About FIBA
FIBA (fiba.basketball) - the world governing body for basketball - is an independent association formed by 213 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognised as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

For further information about FIBA visit fiba.basketball or follow FIBA on facebook.com/fiba, twitter.com/fiba, instagram.com/fiba and youtube.com/fiba.