9,800 tickets sold in 15 minutes: the top-of-the-table derby between Orléans and Blois in ELITE 2 set to break a record!

You had to be ready on Monday morning! Opening at 10 AM, ticket sales for the 18th round ELITE 2 match between Orléans and Blois were literally stormed: all 9,800 seated tickets at CO’Met sold out in less than fifteen minutes, reports La République du Centre.

Less than 15 minutes.

That’s how long it took you to reserve all the seated tickets in the Arena. 🤵
(Yes, we didn’t even have time to post that ticket sales were open).

🎟️ We’re putting a few last standing-room tickets on sale: https://t.co/tQxEi9HTU0#TousOLB pic.twitter.com/z86XPWF9G6

— OrléansLoiretBasket (@OLB45) January 5, 2026

In ELITE 2, the second division of French men’s basketball, the two clubs from Centre-Val-de-Loire are tied for first place after 17 games (13 wins and 4 losses) to start the year 2026.

The ELITE 2 attendance record should be broken

« I’ve never seen such excitement, » commented Florent Thibault, marketing manager of Orléans Loiret Basket, to the local newspaper. This record attendance is explained by the rivalry, but also by the level of play displayed by the two leaders of the division just below Betclic Elite, who occupy the top two spots in the championship to start 2026, and the local rivalry, of course.

Facing exceptional demand, the Orléans club even put 500 additional standing-room tickets on sale. Two-thirds had already been sold by early afternoon, and in the evening the club announced that they had all been sold.

Everything indicates that the club’s attendance record, set at 10,134 spectators during the previous derby last April, should be broken.

HISTORIC. 🤩

In just over 8 hours, you’ve filled the entire Arena for Sunday’s game.
👉 No more tickets available, seated or standing.#TousOLB pic.twitter.com/qtwsktzKo1

— OrléansLoiretBasket (@OLB45) January 5, 2026