By Can Erozden
ANKARA (AA) – A Turkish cryptocurrency platform, Bitci, has become the main sponsor of the Spanish basketball club Saski Baskonia.
"Bitci will now be Saski Baskonia’s main sponsor, lending its name to the team in the two leagues it promotes: Liga Endesa (the Spanish league) and Turkish Airlines Euroleague," Saski Baskonia said in a statement on Thursday.
The club's first team will be called Bitci Baskonia after a contract signed, and Bitci will become the Vitoria club's title and official global blockchain sponsor as well, it added.
Haritz Kerejeta, the Baskonia-Alaves Group CEO, said that this agreement means "a strategic alliance for Baskonia".
"Blockchain technology is offering an array of new opportunities to apply to the sports world. It’s a new way of facing the future and we’re delighted to be joining forces with a company like Bitci," Kerejeta said.
Bitci CEO Onur Altan Tan said this cooperation is "the biggest indicator of our growth strategy in basketball."
He also expressed hope that "Bitci Baskonia will be one of the worldwide symbols of basketball’s digitalization and transformation into a fan and experience-oriented sport."
Bitci sponsors the Spanish Football Federation, the Brazilian Football Federation, MotoGP, and McLaren Formula 1 Team to develop fan tokens.
Based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bitci Baskonia have been playing in the Europe's top-tier club competition, Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, for long years.
In 2019, the club celebrated its 60th anniversary.
Baskonia won the Spanish league title in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic shook the whole world including the sporting competitions.