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High-performance sport
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Professional sport has a significant influence on the sporting activities and development of a population. Idols are needed. In Basel, for this reason, professional sport is also actively encouraged through the provision of a first-rate infrastructure.
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Come on FCB!
The football club Basel, FCB, which was founded in 1893, has a substantial following. It enjoyed a string of major successes in the sixties and seventies. Following a number of years in the football wilderness, the club is now back amongst the top teams in the Swiss football scene and reached, as the first Swiss team ever, the round of last sixteen of the Champions League in 2002. The timing is fortuitous; in 2001 it took possession of Switzerland's most modern stadium, with 33'000 covered seats. When the FCB's efforts are crowned with success, home matches often become public festivals attended by the great and the good of Basel society.
Ice hockey
Another extremely popular spectator sport in Switzerland is ice hockey. Interest in Basel focuses on the "EHC Basel", also known as the Dragons. The Dragons glory years lie several decades back. However, great efforts have been made of late, including a brand new ice stadium, the St. Jakobs-Arena, that was built recently. It is consequently hoped that these efforts will soon be crowned by re-entry into the major Swiss league.
B-Sports
Various Basel-based teams have also won national acclaim in sports which tend to attract relatively little spectator interest. Handball and volleyball (both women's and men's), basketball or roller hockey are good examples of these. Basel has a long fencing tradition. The fencing Olympic Champion of 2004, Marcel Fischer, is member of the Fencing Society Basel and thus another top athlete based in Basel.
Team sports such as baseball, American football or rugby, which are extremely popular in other countries, are seen as marginal sports in Switzerland. Nevertheless, they are still pursued.
"Davidoff Swiss Indoors"
The Davidoff Swiss Indoors is a world-class tennis competition. This represents Switzerland's highest-profile sporting event, and is one of the world's leading indoor competitions. The elite of the tennis world come together every year in Basel. The event has become one of the top sporting and social events on the calendar. Some 65'000 spectators watch the event live, while many million viewers in over 50 countries follow the event on television.
Other top professional sporting events
In addition to national championships, the widest possible variety of top international sporting events and competitions are organised at regular intervals throughout the year in Basel. Examples of these include the handball European championships, the judo team World championships or the ice hockey World championships. Annual competitions include the world-class men's badminton competition "Badminton Swiss Open" or the "Top Volley International". The regular international football matches are also very attractive. Examples drawn from the field of show sports include events such as the Indoor Motocross Spectacle or the Spanish Court Equestrian School from Vienna, which have both presented shows in the St. Jakobshalle. Major cycling events such as "Tour de Suisse" or even the world's most famous cycling event, the "Tour de France", pass through the city or area every so often.
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