LILLE (France) - As the saying goes: records are made to be broken. And the 2024 Paris Olympics have a chance to break one massive mark - namely the 1996 Atlanta record for most fans at the Olympic Basketball Tournaments.
If fans keep coming out in such outstanding numbers as they are now, Paris 2024 could actually break the Olympic all-time attendance record for basketball tournaments, even though the 2024 tournaments have fewer games—a record that seemed untouchable for so long.
At Atlanta 1996, 1,068,032 spectators attended the 92 men's and women's basketball games with the Final Phase in the huge SuperDome and its over 30,000 capacity.
In 2024, there are only 52 total games in the games in France. Still, breaking the record is a possibility. How is this possible?
France have long been known to produce some amazing basketball talent. But maybe it's time to give the French their kudos as a hoops-loving nation who come out in droves to watch the game.
That is exactly what they are doing at the 2024 Paris Olympics - and amazing the best players in the world in the meantime, even giving one legendary superstar butterflies of nervousness.
Capacity for the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille is 27,360, and the converted football arena has been packed for all six of the men's games through two days.
The lowest Men's attendance thus far has been the Greece versus Canada game, which still drew an impressive 26,421 spectators. And 27,328 fans came out for the highly-anticipated United States showdown with Serbia.
"Incredible, man! 27,000... I looked around and I've seen so many different NBA jerseys in the stands. I just love when the game of basketball could bring people from all over the world together like that," said United States superstar Kevin Durant, who has seen his share of big crowds having won three Olympic gold medals and played 16 years in the NBA.
His USA teammate LeBron James - himself a four-time NBA champion who has also won two Olympic golds and played 21 years in the NBA - admitted the crowd was almost overwhelming.
I definitely got a little nervous. The butterflies came up - LeBron James
"It was phenomenal. Listening to our national anthem and listening to the fans cheer... I definitely got a little nervous. The butterflies came up. It was just something different. For me just playing in front of a lot of people was a different atmosphere," James said.
All told, the first six men's games drew a total of 161,518 spectators for an average attendance of 26,920 fans. With a maximum total of 164,160, that means 98.4 percent of full capacity.
Attendances for Men's games at 2024 Olympics
The top attendance for Day 1 of the men's basketball games was 26,766 to see France do battle with Brazil. And two of France's biggest stars were definitely impressed with the support.
"We had this observation round, this intense nervousness. Even for guys like me, when you enter the arena, it's something special. You're at the Olympic Games, at home, in front of 30,000 people (actually 27,000). It hits you deep. It's impressive," France veteran Nicolas Batum told L'Equipe.
I have never experienced anything like this. - Wembanyama
"The atmosphere is just unique, I have never experienced anything like this. So many people, with such intensity right from the warm-up, it's just incredible. I knew it would be something crazy, but I didn't expect this. I trust the French public, with the supporters present at all the matches," France's rising superstar Victor Wembanyama told Ouest France.
The fans have also been coming out for the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament games. The Spain versus China showdown took place between the two men's games on July 28 and drew 27,021 fans. And 15,324 spectators watched Serbia's victory over Puerto Rico.
Attendance figures for Women's games at 2024 Olympics
We are grateful to have this opportunity. - Alba Torrens
"It was an amazing atmosphere. You could feel the public having fun and us as well. This connection with the fans makes everything more meaningful. We are grateful to have this opportunity to play in front of this crowd," said Spain's superstar Alba Torrens.
And Serbia's Dragana Stankovic added: "I enjoy playing in this kind of atmosphere. This is the reason that I love the Olympics. Because so many people who love basketball come to watch the games. This is an amazing thing. I am really happy to enjoy playing with this crowd."
Even though it is home to French football side Lille OSC, the Pierre Mauroy Stadium is no stranger to massive basketball crowds.
A total of 27,372 spectators passed through the stadium's turnstiles for the Final of the FIBA EuroBasket 2015, setting the record for an indoor crowd at a European basketball event on September 20, 2015.
The 2015 continental tournament broke that record three times within a span of 10 days.
The Round of 16 game on September 12 between France and Turkey saw 26,135 fans show up in support of the hosts. And 26,922 fans attended the Semi-Finals on September 17 when France suffered a heart-breaking overtime loss to Spain.
Lille will be hosting the 26 group stage games for both the men's and women's competitions. The eight knockout stage games for both events will be held at the Percy Arena in Paris.
There could be a maximum of 984,960 spectators for the 36 games in Lille. As of July 10, the official capacity of the Bercy Arena in Paris has not been determined, with a report on Olympics.com saying. "The stands will also have to be modified, increasing their capacity from 10,500 to 13,300 spectators."
If that figure is 13,300, then the 16 games in Paris could draw as many as 212,800 spectators, bringing the total capacity to 1,198,760.
As the saying goes: records are made to be broken. Can Paris 2024 do it?
FIBA