PRESS RELEASE |

Pregame shows aiming to set new level of live entertainment

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will feature a series of spectacular pregame shows, aimed at setting a new level of live entertainment and providing a truly exciting spectacle for fans both inside Stark Arena and watching at home.

The creative concept, designed and produced by award-winning agency Filmmaster Events, is SPACE 4 GLORY, developing the metaphor of deep space, cosmic forces and the ultimate ‘event horizon’ of the Championship Game. A cosmic tale of great challenges, powerful competition and the ultimate glory pursued by EuroLeague teams, the shows will convey an exciting, visually-driven story which also emphasises the role of music in creating bonds between the Final Four and fans.

Filmmaster Events also produced the pregame shows at the Final Fours in Vitoria (2019) and Cologne (2021), with both editions winning international Best Event Awards in the categories of Best Sports Events (Vitoria), and Use of Technology and Digital Transformation (Cologne, for the use of Augmented Reality).

Roser Queralto, Chief Business Officer of Euroleague Basketball, said: “After the success and recognition we have received for our previous Final Four pregame shows, we are very happy to continue our collaboration with Filmmaster Events. Last year’s event in Cologne was held behind closed doors due to the pandemic so we created a show specifically designed for broadcast. This year in Belgrade we are very excited to celebrate the return of fans, so the shows will be based on live elements and special effects that will contribute to an electric atmosphere for a spectacular celebration of basketball.”

Thursday’s two semi-finals will be preceded by shows of 2 minutes 30 seconds, the Third Place Game will have a scaled-down 45 seconds show, and the main event of the Championship Game on Saturday evening will be opened by a 4 minutes extravaganza, featuring two motorised platforms hosting DJ consoles which will descend from the ceiling and soar above the court.

The DJs will interact with video content and the on-court dance crew, transforming Stark Arena into a contemporary urban dancehall. Street culture inspires the choreographies, also featuring parkour-style acrobatic stunts, LED handheld bars, and the surprise reveal of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Trophy at the center of the court.

Lasers, lighting and flame effects will further amplify the impact of the music and dancing, and the DJs in action high above the floor will expand the scope of the scene to encompass the whole arena, both vertically and horizontally.

The technical setup includes more than 40 winches, 12 of which are smart kinesys models, capable of moving equipment up to 24 meters in 60 seconds. The video content will come alive through more than 30 million pixels surrounding the court in all directions, while the lighting equipment encompasses 150 fixtures within the arena and 70 more on the DJ platforms, with 150kw of total power absorption, as well as two 30w laser beams moved by smart kinesys winches.

Euroleague Basketball (EB) is a global leader in the sports and entertainment business, devoted to running the top European competitions of professional basketball clubs under a unique and innovative organizational model. Owned and administered by some of the most successful and historic clubs in the world, EB manages the continent’s two premier men’s basketball competitions, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, as well as the sport’s premier under-18 showcase, the EB Adidas Next Generation Tournament.

The EB competitions bring the elite of European basketball to all five continents and to the entire sports community through the OTT platform EuroLeague TV. EB also organizes a series of community and educational activities, led by the One Team program, in alignment with the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. On the academic side, the EB Sports Business MBA trains future professionals in sports management.