Falco KC Szombathely
Hungarian basketball club that rose from county level to national dominance.
Falco KC Szombathely, officially named Falco Volvo Alpok Autó Szombathely for sponsorship reasons, is a Hungarian professional basketball club based in Szombathely. Founded in 1980 by basketball enthusiasts György Gráczer and István Németh with support from the local wood industry Falco, the club rose from county-level competition to become a dominant force in Hungarian basketball, winning multiple national championships and cups. The team plays its home games at Arena Savaria, a multi-use complex opened in 2006.
Quick Facts
- Leagues
- Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A
- History
- Falco KC Szombathely / 1980–Present
- Arena
- Arena Savaria
- Capacity
- 3,500
- Location
- Szombathely, Hungary
- President
- György Gráczer
- Coach
- Miloš Konakov
- Championships
- 7 Hungarian Championships / 3 Hungarian Cup
- Retired Numbers
- 2 (8, 18)
- H Body
- FFFF00
- H Pattern B
- _bb_blacktrimnumbers
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The club was created in 1980 when basketball fanatics György Gráczer and István Németh, with support from the local wood industry Falco, started organizing meetings and trainings. That year, the club entered the county level championship. In 1987, Falco invested more money into the club, winning promotion to the second division in the 1987/88 season. After a near-miss in the play-offs the following year, they won the second-division title and returned Szombathely to the top flight after 27 years. In the 1990s, Falco became a solid mid-table team, reaching the semifinals in 1995/96 and 1996/97, winning a silver medal in the Hungarian Cup in 1998, and finishing second in the national championship in 1998–99 while also competing in the Korać Cup against teams like Rimini and Beşiktaş.
Reader's Guide
Falco KC Szombathely's significance lies in its transformation from a small, locally supported club into a perennial contender in Hungarian basketball. After a financial crisis in 2002 that threatened bankruptcy, a long-term consolidation plan saved the club and allowed it to rebuild. The move to Arena Savaria in 2006 and the arrival of coach Srećko Sekulović marked a turning point, leading to the club's first national championship in 2007–08. Falco has since won multiple titles, including a sweep in the 2018–19 playoffs, and has regularly competed in European competitions such as the FIBA Europe Cup and the Basketball Champions League. The club is considered one of the top clubs in Hungary and is noted for having one of the best youth bases in the country. Its legacy includes breaking a 27-year drought for top-flight basketball in Szombathely and establishing a sustained period of success in the 21st century.
Did You Know?
- The club won its first national championship in 2007–08, beating arch-rival Körmend 3–1 in the finals.
- Falco moved to the newly built Arena Savaria in 2006, which opened that year.
- In the 2018–19 season, Falco won its second national championship by completing a total sweep in the playoffs, including a 3–0 finals victory over BC Körmend.
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