Matan Adelson: "Accepting the Status Quo Is Not an Option"

Hapoel Jerusalem owner Matan Adelson published a 7.5-minute video this morning (Monday) addressed to the club's fans. The video comes after a tense period that arose following the refusal of Jerusalem fans to accept a change in the club's logo.

"I understood that before we talk about a new logo, you deserve an explanation," Adelson began. "When I bought Hapoel, I had a dream to build a team that would compete for titles and be a force in European basketball. That hasn't changed from day one. The last few years haven't been easy; we went through a war, we lost many friends from the community, we played away from home. We didn't reach the results we expected, but despite that, my belief in the club has only strengthened. From the first day I've been here, I do everything with one question in mind - what is best for Hapoel in the long run."

Adelson continued: "One of my first ideas was to refresh our visual identity, not because I wanted to erase who we are, but the opposite. And that is still the case. I wanted to ensure that our visual identity would be ready for the next generation, while maintaining what makes this club so special.

I knew it wasn't the right time. We started a process with a branding company, I wasn't satisfied with the process or the result, so we stopped completely. Last summer we started over together with 'Firma', we spent months trying to understand what this club means to people, we talked to fans, players, staff, people from our community. We weren't trying to design anything, but to understand our identity better. At the end of the process, we found something that respects our history."

The owner told about the events of the recent period: "Unfortunately, before we had a chance to present this and all the thinking, it leaked. And instead of seeing the whole vision, they saw only a picture without context, we didn't have a chance to explain anything. It was clear to me that we need to listen, we met with fans, opened discussions, conducted surveys, many of the conversations were very difficult, but each of them helped us understand what this club means to different people. The emotional connection always belongs to the fans for generations, and I will respect that.

My responsibility is to listen, and to learn, but also to lead. Leadership is not just easy decisions, but making the right decision, even if it is difficult. Not everyone will accept the decision I make, and in the end, I will bear the responsibility for the decisions I make. However, we will always listen."

"We will spend the next few weeks polishing the logo together with the fans, we will appoint a fan representative with experience in branding. The role is to represent the fans' position so that we don't lose what makes this club special for the fans. We will present the new logo before the season, we will continue with this because I believe it is the right thing to do. I hope we will come out of here with great unity."

Adelson said: "It is important to say that the branding is only a small part of the big change. We made the biggest professional investment since I took over the team, with the best professional staff and the most ambitious squad. We invested in the fan experience. We will launch a new website, a new app. None of these changes will change who we are as a club, but rather build a stronger version of ourselves.

On a personal level, for us, it is to see this organization succeed, I want to win, for the community to be stronger. Every decision I make comes from this place, not everyone agreed, but what I care about is that they don't doubt why I make these decisions. I will make decisions that will be right for the club, only that is important to me."

"This season is very important because it is an opportunity to build the connection between the club and the fans. I fulfilled my biggest commitment from the moment I became the owner. I believe it is possible to become something big, but I cannot do it alone. It requires players, coaches, staff, sponsors, and above all fans who believe in what we are doing."

In conclusion, he said: "I did my best to build a strong team, but if I feel that I still haven't managed to build a strong connection between the club and our fans. If it doesn't work, I will look in the mirror and realize that something must change. Accepting this status quo is not an option. I hope we can move forward together, but if we remain united in building a Hapoel that is stronger than ever, I truly believe that our best days are still ahead of us," concluded the Jerusalem owner.