Sports writing (EFE).- The ACB Copa del Rey, which will be held at the Palau Municipal d’Esports in Badalona from February 15 to 19, can be seen in 152 countries on four continents, a record number for the competition.
The Cup is all the rage in America and Asia. ESPN’s Star+ will be in charge of broadcasting the tournament in much of Latin America. + Fox Sports will be the distributor in Argentina, Inter in Venezuela and TVC and Hi!Sports in Mexico. In Asia, PpSports and the China Bilibili platform will do the same, which has some 223 million monthly users.
«We want to do things with love, without spoiling things, but improving them. When something works and a sporting event such as the Copa del Rey is established and transcends, it means a lot”, warns Antonio Martín, president of the ACB.
In countries without rights, information coverage will also be reinforced. The parties will be supported on social networks in all countries and autonomous territories. The Endesa Mini Cup will also have an online broadcast of its 18 matches, the final can also be seen on Movistar+.
The Cup will also have a top-level performance. Movistar will produce the event with 18 cameras, including those for traveling shots, pole cams and even a cinecam, to offer more cinematographic shots. They will also provide permanent access to the protagonists. 11 interviews will be offered during the match and live timeouts.
Millionaire injection for Badalona
Badalona, which will host the 8 best teams in Spain 36 years later, will have a million-dollar return. The estimated economic impact of the Copa del Rey will be between 20 and 25 million euros, says the ACB. The last edition held in Granada had an “impact of 15 million on the venue and 30 million of media value”, despite the restrictions due to COVID-19 and capacity limitations.
The city had to make an initial investment of 1.2 million euros to reform the Llefia Sports Center where the Mini Cup will be held, an amount that is included within an investment of 3.6 million euros -of which the Diputación de Barcelona pays 1.5 million- to restore six pavilions of the city.
A dan zone of 15,000 square meters
The baptized as ‘Cage Movistar’ has a size equivalent to 35 official basketball courts. Various mate contests, the Movistar 3×3 Cup for fans, urban dance battles and batucadas, among other activities, will be held throughout the weekend.
The location, located between Plaza Tarradellas and Rambla del Gorg, will have basket shooting areas, trampolines, as well as spaces reserved for Baskonia, Joventut Badalona and Valencia Basket fans. A stage will also be installed in the Badalona Olympic pavilion where concerts will be given on the four days of the Copa del Rey. DJ Nano and Coti are some of the confirmed artists.
«We like to mix what is the origin with the present. Apart from the show, for us the origin is also that there are many children playing basketball. The Catalan Federation is also helping us a lot,” said Martín.