Caledonia Gladiators have become the first basketball team in Scotland to attract more than 1,000 fans for a home fixture.
The pro-basketball side sold a record 1,016 tickets for the club’s tightly fought 58-66 loss against Super League Basketball league leaders Oaklands Wolves at the Playsport Arena on Sunday.
The milestone comes just weeks after the club became Scotland’s first women’s basketball team to win major silverware, as they won the Super League Basketball Trophy Final in Birmingham.
Sunday’s attendance tops the previous record from April last year when 917 supporters watched the club defeat Newcastle Eagles 90-58 in East Kilbride.
Chantelle Handy, head coach, said: “Topping 1,000 fans for the first time for a Scottish team in a home match is an achievement we’re all extremely proud of.
“We’re really growing the sport here in Scotland, and this feels like another important milestone for us as a club.
“The support the fans have given us has been incredible since we moved to the new arena, and we want to continue to grow these numbers in the months and years ahead.”
Owner Steve Timoney said: “I’d like to thank our supporters for the tremendous support they’ve given us since we moved to East Kilbride at the start of last season.
“It’s a real credit to Chantelle and the women’s team, and how they’ve performed recently that we’ve reached this landmark attendance for a women’s match.
“There’s a lot of important games for the men’s and women’s teams as the season progresses, and we’re hoping for some big more crowds in the coming weeks.”
Oaklands Wolves were also the opponents for the Gladiators as they claimed their first major title in Birmingham last month.
The victory comes just under two years after the franchise’s men team won their first silverware in 20 years when they won the then BBL Trophy in 2022/23.
The women’s team, who again competed in Europe this year, currently sit in fifth place in Super League Basketball.
