Hapoel Tel Aviv Faces Fan Boycott Amid Low Attendance and Ultras Dispute

For the past two years, Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball games have seen notably low attendance, marked by empty seats and fans directing insults at the club's owner and his family. This decline is striking given the team's recent successes, including reaching the EuroLeague and assembling a strong roster. The core issue appears to be a boycott led by the Ultras Hapoel fan group, which holds significant influence over the club's supporter community and sets much of its ideological tone.

In the 13th round of the 2025/26 season, the Ultras chose not to attend a game after police banned shirts bearing the slogan "Against the Scum." Although about half of the fans did not agree with this protest, many joined in solidarity, leading to a sharp drop in season ticket sales and game attendance. This social chain reaction extends even to those who had already purchased tickets but reconsidered attending due to peer pressure.

This boycott represents an unusual crisis for Hapoel Tel Aviv and potentially for Israeli basketball as a whole, given the club's prominent status in the sport nationally. The article questions whether the fanbase will continue to follow the Ultras' lead despite some fans' disagreement, and whether the club's management can foster dialogue to bring supporters back to the stands at the Shlomo Arena and on the road.

The possibility of the Ultras reversing their stance and actively supporting the team again, as seen in football arenas in Israel and Europe, is considered unlikely. Until the fans return to passionately backing their team, the empty seats will be a visible void affecting many, including those unaffiliated with the Ultras. The hope remains for a peaceful, violence-free sports season focused on the game itself, with the sounds of the ball bouncing and coach Dimitris Itoudis motivating players audible once more.