In the organizer's words:

On April 7, 2000, Telekom Baskets Bonn ventured the "Kölnarena Experiment" and set a European record with 18,506 fans at the Bundesliga game against Berlin. This year, a good 25 years later, the Baskets are returning to Germany's largest multifunctional arena for one evening with an easyCredit BBL top game: Bonn will host the reigning German champions FC Bayern Munich in the LANXESS arena at 6 p.m. on December 21, 2025.

"Almost exactly 25 years ago, we made history with the 'Kölnarena Experiment'. That was a milestone for our club and German basketball! Now we are returning to the LANXESS arena. And we're doing it with an absolute top game. It won't just be a sporting highlight. We want to put on a basketball festival for our fantastic fanbase and the entire basketball scene in the Rhineland. We are very much looking forward to this game and I am sure that many fans will support us in Cologne," says Baskets Managing Director Simon Pallmann.

Stefan Löcher, Managing Director of the LANXESS arena: "It's a very special pleasure for us to welcome Telekom Baskets Bonn back to the LANXESS arena - and for a real top game against Bayern Munich. The last time the Baskets were on court in Cologne-Deutz was around 20 years ago. However, the memories are still very vivid and make us once again look forward to the game in December. We are convinced that the game will be a real basketball festival for all fans. Our thanks go to Telekom Baskets, Bayern Munich and the easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga for their excellent cooperation and for making this highlight game in the cathedral city on the Rhine possible."

While Telekom Baskets Bonn's squad planning for the 2025/2026 season has been completed for the time being, the transfer period for champions Munich is still ongoing. However, one thing is already certain: In Cologne, the Baskets will meet their former center Leon Kratzer, with whom they won the Champions League in 2023 and who moved to Munich this summer. FC Bayern's squad also includes German world champions Andi Obst, Justus Hollatz, Niels Giffey and Johannes Voigtmann.

Dr. Stefan Holz, Managing Director of BBL GmbH (easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga) is also looking forward to December 21: "The Telekom Baskets and their supporters have always been known in the history of the league for great ideas and well-done deeds, be it the special trains with fans to Berlin, the construction of the Telekom Dome as the club's own arena or games in the LANXESS arena as Germany's largest event hall. Since the league's all-time record of 18,506 spectators was set there in April 2000 for Bonn against Berlin, the question automatically arises as to whether it is due after 25 years? Personally, I always welcome it when our clubs venture into the big halls for "event games", giving many more people the opportunity to experience the fascination of the easyCredit BBL live and hopefully become fans as a result. We are also particularly looking forward to the game because we as a league are based in Cologne and we are sure that it will be another great basketball festival, similar to EuroBasket 2022."

Telekom Baskets Bonn's season highlight will take place in the LANXESS arena on December 21, 2025, when FC Bayern Munich will be a guest in Cologne-Deutz.