CLUB

Panathinaikos Athletic Club is a world-renowned club with millions of "eternally faithful fans" and despite the fact that its name originates from Athens, it has managed to gain enormous popularity in all lengths and widths.

As it is understood, in the city where it was born, the Club has its honor in all the neighborhoods and districts around the capital and every part of Attica has a green "stamp" in various ways. 

Pedion of Areos at the height of Polygon: February 3, 1908, the sacred site where George Kalafatis and his 30 companions founded Panathinaikos!

Patision Street: The first stadium of the Club was there, where the Economic University is now housed.

America Square: The second stadium of the Club was there on the Simopoulou estate.

Omonia: The traditional place of "green" festivities in all sports filled with thousands of "eternally faithful fans" green figures at Athens' most central point. Most likely, after qualifying against Crvena Zvezda, a record was set with the number of people around Omonia Square and its fountain at the time.

Exarchia: Historical general meetings have been held for Panathinaikos in Exarchia during the first decade of the Club as it was the home of the Kalafatis family (Zoodochos Pigi Street) and all executives gathered there to decide the future of the club. 

Acropolis: All the historic victories of George's creation have been done under the shadow of the Acropolis.

Lycabettus: For decades it has been the area above the historic court of Leoforos and the Club has a special relationship with the site. Thousands of "green" sportsmen flooded various parts of the hill to take a stand and spectate the court.

Larissis Station: The first title of the Club was celebrated at Larissis Station in 1908, when the team returned from Trikala. There, a crowd of Athenians were waiting for Kalafatis's team to warmly welcome and acclaim them. In addition, PAO teams and fans departed from this station when travelling for their games in northern Greece.

Monastiraki: Historical place where Panathinaikos is a way of life both for the locals and the business world. In fact, there is also a Panathinaikos boutique there.

Thissio: A place where the "shamrock" has been in influence for over 100 years and it is characteristic that there was a group called the Panathinaikos Thissio from the 1920s.

Zappeion: At the historic Zappeion Swimming Pool, the Club has experienced tremendous moments as it has celebrated championships, gold medals and national records in swimming.

Gouva: A "green" area that linked its name to Panathinaikos on the level of fans and athletes alike. One example is Lakis Sofianos, the "devil of the courts".

Thymarakia: The neighborhood of Giannis Tomaras who was already "green" and this particular footballer brought it even closer to the Club.

Varkiza: Area used by the Panathinaikos basketball team in the early 1940s as well as the campground of the Club during the summer months.

Petralona: The (Upper-Lower) Petralona is a timeless Panathinaikos stronghold and the Club is worshiped in the neighborhoods of Petralona.

Patissia: "Patissia means ... Panathinaikos" mentions a timeless motto sang by the "shamrock" followers from this area and encompasses all the relationship that PAO may have with that place. Indeed, PAO has used the indoor basketball and volleyball field several times as a home stadium. Noteworthy is also the "green" record of attendance on a table tennis match in 1974.

Kypseli: Panathinaikos' longtime headquarters in volleyball and an area where Panathinaikos has celebrated great achievements since Fokionios Negri was one of the areas that has always "burned bright" in the club's greatest successes.

Kolonaki: Another Panathinaikos hangout for many decades as the "shamrock" is the area's team of choice, having a local Panathinaikos club since the 1920s.

Psirri: It was there that Panathinaikos Psirri played in the 1930s in yet another place that was traditionally a "green fortress".

Gkazi: A place that blossomed young "shamrocks" since the time there were shacks in the area and the Club was the sweetest companion in difficult times.

Plaka: The "green" element was vivid from the old days in the Plakias straits. The majority of the children supported PAO and most of the local Niki players adored the "shamrock".

Rouf: Another neighborhood directly connected to Panathinaikos. The local PAO Rouf has ties to the Club as the Giannakopoulos brothers, Pavlos-Thanasis-Kostas, supported it for many years, while the stadium has been named "Dimitris Giannakopoulos" in honor of their father.

Botanical: Τhe area remains always friendly to the Club.

Platonos Academy: This historic site is inextricably linked to PAO with a fan club and a local Panathinaikos team that reveals the timeless worship of the locals for the Club.

Kolonos: The neighborhood of many well-known Panathinaikos athletes and fans who are close to the "shamrock" in a variety of ways.

Gkyzi: The Gkyzi area is directly linked to Panathinaikos as the vast majority of the population lives and breathes for the "shamrock".

Ampelokipoi: The area where Panathinaikos has lived for more than 100 years and more specifically at 160 Alexandras Ave., where the Club as well as the entirety of sports in Greece, experienced all of its great moments. In this particular stadium called "Apostolos Nikolaidis" but also in the indoor "Pavlos Giannakopoulos" that used to be the home of basketball and volleyball as well as all other sports venues, all sports of Panathinaikos have been hosted.

Ilisia: A green area associated with Panathinaikos as it has thousands of followers. It is characteristic that it has been the home of the Club's waterpolo team several times.

Chalandri: Living and breathing district for Panathinaikos and for some time it was also the headquarters of the Club's waterpolo team.

Zografou: The green fortress of Zografou has been known throughout Attica since the 1960s, as is the local Panathinaikos club. One of the legendary Panathinaikos figures of the area was Zacharias Peichoutis.

Glyfada: Panathinaikos has a special relationship with Glyfada as the Club used the city's indoor basketball court as its headquarters and even achieved two final-four qualifiers there. Noteworthy is the sports club that existed in the area which was of course dominated by the figure of Totis Fylakouris who used to walk to his training session in Leoforos.

Maroussi: Panathinaikos is the reason why Marousi has become even more famous as historical encounters have taken place at OAKA.

On the football field of OAKA, Panathinaikos has managed to reached the semi-finals of the Champions League twice, with the world overflowing from the stadium.

Regarding basketball, the Club has conquered one of the six European Championships in its trophy-case, within the closed stadium of OAKA with the "eternally faithful fans" turning it into Europe's "hottest" basketball home.

PAO has also competed in the European volleyball final at OAKA and several other competitions for all the Club's divisions hosted in OAKA's facilities.

The Sixth Player

The administration, the coach, the players, the staff... All of these components helped Panathinaikos evolve, reach the top, stay there and be considered Europe's top team. These and another important ingredient that made success a certainty: The Club's fans!

Panathinaikos' friends have also deposited their credentials throughout Europe. From the stands, from their posts they conquer their own peaks. From Kallimarmaro, to the Tomb of the Indus and from there to Glyfada or Patisia, to the closed gymnasium of the OAKA and to every corner of Europe, they are always close to the team. Tel Aviv, Zaragoza, Paris, Moscow, Thessaloniki, Berlin or even Roan, Zagreb, Bamberg, Milan... Panathinaikos never plays alone. Green scarves will always be there to support the team. And they will always force foreigners who come to OAKA to turn their phone cameras away from the court in order to photograph the people of Panathinaikos... Because they are unique in their own way!

The Olympic Athletic Sports Center (OAKA) took its name from Spyros Louis. Spyros Louis was a resident of Maroussi and won the Marathon at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens. Many decades later, a team that would later honor the country and sports in general with its achievements both inside and outside the border would find its home in Spiros Louis. Panathinaikos has written and will continue to write gold pages in his history at OAKA's indoor Olympic gym.

The physical home of Panathinaikos is none other than the indoor gym on Leoforos. The indoor "Pavlos Giannakopoulos" stadium, named after the late Panathinaikos administrative leader.

Also known as "Tomb of the Indus", as it was engraved in the memories of many because of the downward stairs one had to take to reach the parquet floor and of how low and "closed" it really was. When the requirements for European competitions were increased by FIBA, Panathinaikos' basketball team reviewed their own requirements and searched for a home that could accommodate them. In 1991-92 the Club sought a solution at the "Peace and Friendship Stadium" while eventually moving the headquarters to the indoor stadium in Glyfada. Nor, however, was this stadium worthy of the Club that a Giannakopoulos administration would create.

The year that the OAKA came into Panathinaikos' life and vice versa was 1995. It was the year that the 18,300-seat indoor gym opened, with Eurobasket and the World Youth Championship with Greece winning the gold in the junior division on a crowded court. The sequel belonged to Panathinaikos Basketball Club, that had brought Dominic Wilkins to our country that summer. The indoor gym was almost full during Dominique's first practice and would fill up many more times in the years to come. A unique exception were the two years 2003-05. The Greens were forced to leave the OAKA and move to the indoor stadium of Sporting in Patisia, as large stadiums were being rebuilt for the 2004 Olympics.

Panathinaikos has won and celebrated at the OAKA, 12 Greek Championships (1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018), 3 Greek Cups (2007, 2015, 2016), 1 Intercontinental Cup (1996), topping the European Championship in 2007 against CSKA Moscow. The same team found themselves in front of the "shamrock" in yet another great moment for Panathinaikos and the OAKA, in the friendly match for Frangiskos Alvertis and the withdrawal of the number 4 jersey.

In the ceiling of OAKA hangs the jersey with the number 13 by Dimitris Diamantidis, as well as the banner with the photo of the late Panathinaikos' administrative leader, Pavlos Giannakopoulos. One thing is for sure, that Panathinaikos and OAKA will write many more gold pages together in the future.

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT OAKA:

Address:

Olympic Athletic Center of Athens "Spyros Louis"

37 Kifisias street, 151 23 Marousi, Athens

Access:

You can reach the indoor gym of OAKA, in the following ways:

• Through the electric railway on Irini station
• Through the suburban railway on Neratziotissa station
• With your vehicle, only if you are a holder of a season ticket and if your season ticket includes a parking privilege

In the indoor stadium of OAKA, you can find:

• Ticket Sale Booths:
  • OAKA ticketing booth Parking P5 and ticketing booth of Irini station. Ticketing booths are open 2 hours prior to each game and operate until the game starts.

• Food & beverage canteens (canteens are open during games on the day of the game)

Every home game is entertainment!

Panathinaikos fans who visit OAKA, have the opportunity to watch, in addition to their favorite team competing, a spectacular show that takes place in every game!

Fans of all ages are now coming to the stadium not only to support their favorite team, but also to have fun in many different ways. GREEN KONG, the team's impressive presentation, laser shows, special events, as well as games in and out of the arena with prizes from the sponsors of the team, are just some of them.

After the introduction of the Cube and the installation on the roof of OAKA for the 2019-2020 season, the viewing experience is further upgraded for our fans with all of the above actions/ activations now optimally displayed and highlighted within the court, following the standards set by the NBA.

Panathinaikos BC has proven and continues to prove that the Club is standing by the society and is giving back in any way possible all the love that its followers are showing it all these years.

One of the main programs that knows no borders is "One Team" - Basketball is Everywhere. Panathinaikos BC, in cooperation with the organizing authority, Euroleague, is actively involved in a program aimed at helping vulnerable social groups. For the past three years, Panathinaikos BC has chosen to work with the Corinth Juvenile Detention Center. Through basketball, juvenile inmates (15-18 years old) gain knowledge of the sport and learn values ​​such as teamwork, cooperation, solidarity and respect. For the 2019-2020 season and in the context of this initiative, the Club is working together with the Hadjikonsta Foundation to provide a way out through sports to disadvantaged children.

It is also known that every year at Christmas the group visits charity institutions. But the charity does not stop there. Panathinaikos has collaborated with various agencies, some of which are Doctors Without Borders, the Hellenic Red Cross, ELEPAP, UNICEF, the Penteli Orphanage, the MITERA Orphanage, MARASLIOS, MARASLIOS SOS Children's Villages, the Hagia Sophia Children's Hospital Oncology Unit, Animal Associations, Correctional Institutions, Schools, Academies, Municipalities and Municipal Sports Organizations, and has participated in anti-drug and environmental awareness campaigns.

These initiatives by the Club know no borders, therefore Panathinaikos BC implemented 2 social responsibility programs, the program "Aga-PAO all of Greece" for CSR actions that are implemented within Greece, and the program "Aga-PAO all the world" on actions for the rest of the world.

The following are the areas of social responsibility programs that Panathinaikos operates within, both domestically and internationally, and some of the actions taken for each area, which are:

The Environment:

• Installed a new turnstile system, that allows check-in through mobile devices, encouraging our fans not to print their tickets.

• World Energy Day. Electricity shutdown for one hour on all facilities of the team.

• World Environment Day. Free distribution of plants and seedlings to all customers in the Club Store and distribution of a leaflet on the problems of climate change and how to deal with them.

Youth and Sports:

• Training for children, ages 15-18, to help them both on sports as well as on a social level, and to improve their quality of life.

• Organizing the school tournament "G. Kalafatis" with the participation of high schools of Attica.

• Hosting of schools and sports academies from all over Greece οn the team's home matches.

• Dispatch of 11,500 basketballs to sports organizations in all municipalities of Greece.

• Send-out of gifts and items to 18 cultural institutions in the Prefecture of Attica.

Poverty and Malnutrition:

• Send-out of 16 tons of clothing and gifts to families in need from all the counties of Greece. More than 33,000 objects were donated to our very low-income fellow families. All municipalities - capitals of the Greek provinces cooperated. The whole territory was geographically covered. The total cost of this initiative exceeded € 230,000.

• "A point closer to defeating the opponent and malnutrition." For every point our team achieved in the home games, a meal was given to a child from a "Third-World" country. This was done in collaboration with Doctors Without Borders.

• Painting exhibition with concepts inspired by the history of Panathinaikos, part of which was donated to Doctors Without Borders in the fight against malnutrition.

Medicine:

• Participation in the "TARGET" initiative on the fight for breast cancer prevention.

• Participation in the annual fundraiser of the Hellenic Red Cross Volunteer Rescuers.

• During World AIDS and Diabetes Days, we distribute information leaflets to sports fans.

• Event organized under the name "PANATHINAIKOS LOVE Auction". Dozens of historical items of the team and personal belongings of athletes from all parts of Panathinaikos were auctioned. The sum collected was € 75,000 and was given to Doctors Without Borders for the purpose of purchasing medical material.

Drugs:

• Collaboration with the "PAREMVASSI" Addiction Therapy Center.

• Participation and support of the annual American Community School (ACS) basketball match against drugs.

Sensitive Social Groups:

• Online Auction for the benefit of the fire-stricken areas of the Prefecture of Ilia.

• Cooperation on UNICEF programs.

• Supporting the Greek Special Olympics team in cooperation with EUROLEAGUE.

• Visits and donations as well as hospitality for people with special needs, orphanages, hospitals, KAPI etc.