Siena could play in Florence

Montepaschi Siena (Italy, Serie A and Euroleague) could be moving its home games in the Euroleague to the Nelson Mandela Forum in Firenze (Florence). The team is eyeing the new location as an alternative for home games in the premier competition on the continent.

Siena currently plays its home games at the 7,025 capacity Palasport Mens Sana Arena and while a move to Florence would not bring an increase in capacity it could mean Siena getting more ticket sales for Euroleague games. The team has flirted with the move in the past with the Siena GM Ferdinando Minucci saying back in December 2012.

“The ideal would be to stay in Siena but if not we will evaluate alternative solutions.”

The Nelson Mandela Forum (pictured) in Florence is the proposed new site of Siena’s Euroleague home games. The arena currently has a seating capacity of 5,023 but the region of Tuscany has given a 500,000 Euro grant to develop the Mandela Forum and create a capacity of nearly 7,500 seats. The renovation would also bring the arena up to Euroleague standards, including laying a new court, adding a new scoreboard, and other obsolete pieces of furniture and equipment.