The heat is on as the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four kicks off this week in Belgrade, Serbia, one of the most iconic basketball cities in the world.
Europe’s highest-level basketball tournament will take place May 19-21 where the best four teams of Europe, Real Madrid (Spain), FC Barcelona (Spain), Anadolu Efes Istanbul (Turkiye) and Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece), will compete for the championship title.
The event will be held at the Stark Arena, which has the capacity to host nearly 15,500 spectators. Belgrade will join Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin and Istanbul as the only cities to host the event more than once this century.
To celebrate the Final Four, in collaboration with EuroLeague basketball, Turkish Airlines has introduced its first-ever metaverse, EuroLeague Land. The virtual, multi-user experience allows fans to customize their own avatar, dress up in the gear of their favorite Final Four team, play exciting mini games to win prizes and exclusive access, chat with other EuroLeague fans, access exclusive events including a live concert, and more. To participate in the experience, fans can visit euroleagueland.net through any mobile device, tablet or computer.
Fans who attend the Final Four games in person in Serbia will have the chance to participate in multiple FanZone area activities, including a basketball shooting game set on its own mini court, a Jump & Dunk competition measuring the longest jump and air time for an award of 50,000 Miles&Smiles Miles, as well as a digital vending machine game awarding various coupons. Turkish Airlines is also offering Miles&Smiles members the opportunity to receive 4x miles for those who book their flight to Belgrade through the airline’s Most Valuable Passenger promotion.
At the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, the global carrier will once again hold its unique, award-winning “Flight Time” competition which measures players’ spectacular time in the air following a jump. In collaboration with technology partner Hawk Eye Innovations, the measured time during the game will be processed in a split second and integrated into the live broadcast. The Flight Time Champion will be the one that stays on the air for the longest on a single jump.
Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat stated: “We are thrilled to be, once again, the title sponsor of the prestigious EuroLeague Final Four. Sporting competitions of this caliber reflect the dedication, camaraderie and passion that is crucial to achieve the ultimate success. These qualities mirror Turkish Airlines’ spirit and mission to be the leading global airline that reunites people, countries and cultures around the world. We wish the very best to all the teams competing with all these values over the next couple of days and we are excited to reconnect fans globally.”
Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu said, “Our mission is to deliver an incredible fan experience, full of emotion, bringing people together around one passion, basketball. That is why it is of paramount importance that we celebrate with the fans who will come to Belgrade, and also with those who will follow the Final Four from home,” states Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball CEO. “I would like to show my gratitude to all our media partners and sponsors, with a special mention to Turkish Airlines. Thank you for standing with us even in the most difficult times.”
The Final Four semifinals will be played on Thursday, May 19 at 18:00 CEST and 21:00 CEST, while the third-place game and championship game will be on Saturday, May 21 at 16:00 CEST and 19:00 CEST, respectively.
