After serving its community for over a year, The Base Moscow has shut down its operations. Just as The Base Berlin did, the Moscow facility gave a safe place for area youth to play and learn the beautiful game while experiencing Russian street culture at its purest. We spoke to Street Madness Russia member Victor Tarasenko, aka Solarjoy, and he shared his favorite memories from the state-of-the-art establishment.
One of the most difficult things in life is saying goodbye to something that you love. Moscow street ballers had to do just that recently, as Adidas’ The Base Moscow closed after a run that lasted over a year. Building on the success of the original Base Moscow, which was located on a skyscraper’s rooftop, The Base moved to a more practical warehouse, and played host to workshops, events, tournaments, and concerts, giving those in the area a cultural hub unlike anything else.
Will there be another Base opening up in Moscow in the future? Who knows. Regardless, we reached out to Victor Taresenko, better known as Solarjoy on the streets, from the Street Madness Russia team to share the team’s favorite memories from The Base Moscow.
The Pyro Storm Release and Tournament
Similar to the event at The Base LA, The Base Moscow played host to a tournament in celebration of Adidas’ Pyro Storm collection. Unlike the LA event, which was a 5v5 tournament, this was strictly panna. In addition, there was a special ground move round in which contestants had 20 seconds to show off their best tekkers. The judges of the competition were no other than Copenhagen Panna House, who also performed for the audience as well.
Panna Pro Superfinal 2016
The Panna Pro tournaments have been going around for a while, but a new rating system for each event was introduced in 2016. Players would compete in each tournament, earning points in a leaderboard along the way. However, there was a surprise in store for the tournament’s top performers. The top 16 players were gathered together to compete for the title of Moscow’s panna champion.
“What was special was no one expected the top 16 round,” Tarasenko said. “They got a special invite to play in this private event direct messaged to them via Instagram. Even though it was a private event, the players were able to invite friends and family for support.”
EI, the winner of the Panna Pro super final, received an entry to the Pannahouse Invitationals without having to qualify.
The Tango League Tournaments
“The Adidas Tango League tournaments have been held around the world, but they definitely had a special vibe in Moscow,” says Tarasenko.
The league was split into two age groups, 16-19 and 20-25, with the winners of every season advancing into the Tango League Global Final, including the one hosted in Moscow this past weekend.
Night Games
A special glow-in-the-dark event, the Night Games turned The Base into a light show. Ultraviolet lights were set throughout the facility, and participants covered themselves in fluorescent paint to match the graffiti on the walls. To add to the atmosphere, the ball and pitch were glowing as well.
“The night tournaments were a grand event in itself,” Tarasenko said.
Paul Pogba Capsule Collection Season II Release Party
“The Base — it’s not just football, but a place for nightlife as well,” Tarasenko said. “If there is a break from football, this is the only way.”
One of the most memorable events at the Base was the release of the new Paul Pogba collection. In addition to a dance floor, open bar, and plenty of areas for photos, several popular Russian artists held a concert to fill the area with some good vibes.
