Basketball: Rocks welcome champions to their new home in the east end

Saturday 6 October 2012

Built at a cost of £113m, the Emirates Arena in the east end of Glasgow opened its doors yesterday to signal what many hope will be a new era for Scottish sport, fuelled by its mix of velodrome, athletics track and myriad sports halls which will be available to elite athletes and beginners alike.

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Mark Woods

The first tenants are basketball's Glasgow Rocks, and with so many curious for a peek inside the glass facade, the BBL club are expected to generate the biggest crowd in their 14-year history for tomorrow's match against Newcastle Eagles.

Kieron Achara, their Great Britain internationalist, has plied his trade in many of Europe's finest facilities and he senses a golden opportunity. "Hopefully, it pans out for the Rocks," he said. "And I think once people start getting the buzz from coming to their games, I think they can build a loyal fan base."The Stirling-born forward may, however, require only a temporary pass. With an impressive series of performances at the Olympics enhancing a CV which was already fortified by a season in the Spanish League, Achara remains likely to exercise the get-out clause in his contract sooner rather than later, with offers from Italy, Russia and the Czech Republic on the table. He will be a reluctant departee. However, such is the standing of the domestic league, one of the few in Europe which declines invites into continental competitions, that Achara feels he would be doing himself a disservice by staying at home. "It's not so much about the money, it's just the whole professionalism," he reflects. "But I'm sure if you asked most of the British boys, they'd love to be back home playing. It's just that it's a lot harder to make money. Plus, you want to be playing in the Euroleague or Eurocup and be in the best leagues but you don't have that here."BBL champions Newcastle are the most ambitious club of them all and they have shown ample early intent this season. For the Rocks, with one win from two games so far, the Eagles remain the benchmark but a glistening new home might help narrow the gap, on and off the court. "It's great for any new fans who come to the new arena to be able to watch a team who get it done every year," Achara added. "That's a good challenge for us."

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Basketball: Rocks welcome champions to their new home in the east end

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