Survey: Maccabi Tel Aviv fans think less of the team

Sports fans seem to be genuinely shocked following the suicide of Maccabi Tel Aviv manager Moni Fanan and allegations that he involved a host of leading players in financial shenanigans.

A nationwide survey conducted by CI Market Research on behalf of TheMarker found that 94% of respondents had heard of the affair and 27% consequently had a poorer opinion of the iconic basketball team.

Most of the ones who'd changed their opinion for the worse have higher education and are at least 50 years old, and were in their 20s and 30s during the team's heyday.

Another 65% said their opinion of the team had not changed, and the rest had no opinion.

Electra, Maccabi's corporate sponsor, had paid $2 million to change the team's name to Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv.

Now management is sitting back and waiting to see how low the team's image will go before deciding whether to continue sponsoring it, or to walk off the court.

By the way, 18% of respondents said they now had a poorer opinion of the corporate sponsor.