TUR - Fans choose ‘Bascat’ as mascot’s name for Turkey

ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - The wait is over.
 
Bascat is the name of the official mascot of the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Turkish fans voted in an online poll over the past month and the name for the cute feline, who was unveiled four months ago at the FIBA World Championship draw, was revealed today on NTV Sport and Bascat will be making a live appearance later tonight on the Beyaz Show, Turkey's most popular TV program.

Voters considered Bascat, Onecat and Micho.

The voting, which took place on turkey2010.fiba.com/maskotismi, got underway on March 15 and lasted for a month.

Bascat led from the start and ended up with 62% of the votes while Onecat received 20% and Micho 18%.

There were 157,300 votes cast and Bascat received 98,550, more than triple the amount of Onecat (31,500) and Micho (27,250).

Bascat, who has white fur and different colored eyes – one blue and one green – caused quite a stir at the draw and will surely do the same again when he attends tonight's Beyaz Show alongside former Turkey national team point guard Harun Erdenay.

Many of the basketball fans who voted for Bascat have won prizes.

Four people have won the chance to go to dinner with Turkey’s national team and will receive a uniform.

Five fans will be receiving tickets for 2010 FIBA World Championship group games, 10 people are to be presented with t-shirts and 20 others are being given mascot gift boxes.

The winners list will be announced on turkey2010.fiba.com and www.tbf.org.tr in 10 days time.

Before the FIBA World Championship tips off, it’s a good idea to know a little about Bascat.

He is a very close relative to the famous Van cat of Turkey, which is why he sometimes behaves like a dog. Just as normal cats like to wander, so does Bascat.

He’ll be sure to find his way to Kayseri, Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul - the host cities of the FIBA World Championship.

The lucky fans who get to see Bascat in person, or catch glimpses of him on television, will be entertained to no end.

Bascat loves to shake hands (or paws), fetch objects like basketballs, does somersaults, jumps, climbs, walks on his hind legs, uses his tail as if it were a third hand and always, ALWAYS, gets into mischief!

So beware.

FIBA