Thursday, April 10th was a landmark day for the basketball world. For the first time, the loudest fanbase in Europe was officially crowned thanks to the BKT Heartbeat Challenge – an initiative by BKT, the leading company in Off-Highway tire manufacturing.

The award ceremony took place during halftime of the EuroLeague Round 34 match between Partizan and Real Madrid at the iconic Belgrade Arena.

Dusan Alilomov, representing Marso Gume (BKT’s official distributor in Serbia), presented the award to Mina Bezarević. The 9-year-old fan has become a beloved mascot for the Partizan community, famous for her pre-match greetings with legendary coach Želimir Obradović.

THE BKT HEARTBEAT CHALLENGE IN BRIEF

Throughout the EuroLeague Regular Season, the decibel levels and consistency of fans’ chants were meticulously measured in every arena. The data was processed by artificial intelligence to objectively identify the most passionate supporters in the competition—a topic long debated by fans but never before officially resolved.

Weekly winners were announced via @euroleague and @bkt.sport social channels. After 34 intense rounds, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade emerged as the overall winner, securing 12 rounds—outperforming Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (10 rounds) and Zalgiris Kaunas (8 rounds).

A UNIQUE PHYSICAL AWARD

A major highlight of this second edition was the introduction of a physical trophy. Designed as a gold vinyl record, the award features the rounds won by the Partizan fans engraved on its surface, drawing a parallel to the music industry’s highest honors.

This emotional presentation, which you can relive on bkt.sport, celebrates BKT’s commitment to passion and fan engagement, making supporters central to the sporting action.

The next stop for basketball enthusiasts will be the EuroLeague Final Four, held in Abu Dhabi from May 23 to 25. As always, BKT will be there with exclusive fan experiences and unforgettable moments!