Olympiacos and Superbet have joined forces and reached a major agreement to move forward together for the coming seasons.

The “Red-and-Whites” held a press conference to formalize this… partnership.

At this wonderful event, the Piraeus team’s coach, Giorgos Bartzokas, answered questions from journalists and, among other things, spoke about Superbet’s significant sponsorship as well as the summer signings.

Here’s what Giorgos Bartzokas had to say in detail:
European Champion, Greek Champion, and now Olympiacos is also the champion in sponsorships. What are your thoughts on this?
“Usually, these things go hand in hand. Someone who is successful on the court tends to become successful in securing sponsorships as well. Or one may precede the other. Obviously, this is a monumental partnership for our team, but also for SUPERBET. I think it’s a partnership that will bear fruit. We’re happy; it’s a fresh start for the team, and we’re looking to the future with optimism.”

Is success enough to attract a sponsor?
“From what I heard at the press conference, this year’s on-field success came after the agreement was reached, so that wasn’t the reason. The reason was that SUPERBET appreciated the way we work and the principles that Olympiacos upholds as an organization, and wanted to partner with us. Obviously, they also appreciated the club’s massive fan base, and of course that played a role. I think that as an organization, it serves as a model for how things should operate in Greek society. A club that doesn’t make grandiose statements. We’re always humble and measured; we set short-term goals that are achievable, and ultimately, this leads us to accomplish things we might not have even dreamed of.”

How important is it to you that Montero asked, before joining the team, if you would be the coach?
“That might have just happened by chance, given that there are also players who don’t like the way Olympiacos plays because they feel it doesn’t give them complete freedom in how they play. We believe that we give our players freedom; we simply set some rules for how we should play. Montero and Miller-McIntyre, our two new signings, have recognized that this will benefit their careers. It will help them improve individually and fulfill both their team and personal aspirations. We’re talking about two very important and talented players, but they’re joining the European Champions, so it will be important for them to fit into an already successful program.”

You know that Olympiacos fans are extremely anxious. Can you promise them a calm summer?
“Look, there are summer successes and successes throughout the entire season. It doesn’t mean that if you’re successful in the summer, you’ll have the same success in the winter, because it’s a completely different process. Everyone is trying to strengthen their teams. There are some amazing signings happening in the EuroLeague. Teams are strengthening their rosters so much—like Villeurbanne, which has suddenly acquired a massive budget, or Dubai, which has shaken up the market by spending huge sums of money— and Panathinaikos is doing the same. So I believe the competition will be just as fierce, if not even more so. There are simply other factors that ultimately lead to success—it’s not just about who you sign in the summer, but how that player will fit in with the others, how everyone will accept their roles, and how united the team will be during the tough moments of the season.”

What’s your message to the Olympiacos fans?
“Have a peaceful summer. I think we helped a little in making their summer a happy one—at least that’s what they tell me when they run into me on the street, that we made their summer great from a sports perspective. I’d just like to promise them that once summer is over, we’ll get back to work with the same drive to achieve great things with our team.”

Finally, how do you feel after renewing your contract for three more years?
“I’ve said before that Olympiacos is the best club in the world for me. When I said that, it wasn’t just to make a splash or to flatter anyone. That’s how I feel, so you can understand that continuing to be part of the club I love and where I feel so at home is very important to me. But it doesn’t matter how I feel; what matters is how the presidents feel, how everyone who works at Olympiacos feels about this specific program I’m trying to establish. If they’re happy, then so am I.”

*photo source: KYPE