{{For|the professional basketball club in Almere that was active between 2020 and 2021|Almere Sailors}} {{infobox basketball club | name = Almere Pioneers | color1 = white | color2 = #970D3A | color3 = #583A77 | logo = Almere Pioneers logo 2013.png | image_size = 200px | nickname = | leagues = Promotiedivisie | founded = {{Start date and age|1999}} | dissolved = <!-- or | folded = --> | history = '''BC Omniworld Almere'''<br>1999–2009<br>'''Almere Pioneers'''<br>2009–present | arena = Topsportcentrum | capacity = 3,000 | location = Almere, Netherlands | colors = Orange, Red, Purple <br> {{color box|#F29400}} {{color box|#970D3A}} {{color box|#583A77}} | current = | sponsor = | president = | vice-presidents = | manager = | coach = | ownership = | championships = | website = {{URL|almerepioneers.nl}} | h_body = 970D3A | h_pattern_b = _thinorangesides_2 | h_shorts = 970D3A | h_pattern_s = | a_body = | a_pattern_b = _thinorangesides_2 | a_shorts = | a_pattern_s = }} '''Almere Pioneers''' is a Dutch amateur basketball team based in Almere. The team plays in the Promotiedivisie, the Dutch second tier league.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://basketball.eurobasket.com/teamDetails.asp?id=17468&TeamName=Almere_Pioneers&team=17468|title=Almere Pioneers|work=Eurobasket.com|access-date=6 July 2020}}</ref>
==History== The club was founded in 1999 as a professional basketball club named '''BC Omniworld Almere''' and participated in the top-tier Eredivisie. The team played its home games in the Topsportcentrum Almere. The 2002–03 season was the best season in Almere's history, as the team reached the Eredivisie finals. In these finals Omniworld lost 0–4 to Amsterdam. In January 2008, the team went bankrupt and was forced to leave the Eredivisie.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2008/01/03/basketbalploeg-van-failliet-omniworld-uit-de-competitie-11462527-a842327|title=Basketbalploeg van failliet Omniworld uit de competitie gezet|date=2 January 2008|access-date=1 October 2020|work=NRC|lang=nl}}</ref>
A year later, the club changed its name to Almere Pioneers and started playing in the second-tier amateur league Promotiedivisie.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.omroepflevoland.nl/Sport/59854/almere-bc-omniworld-gaat-verder-als-almere-pioneers|title=BC Omniworld gaat verder als Almere Pioneers|work=Omroepflevoland.nl|date=16 May 2009}}</ref> In 2013, Pioneers tried to make a comeback to the Eredivisie but failed due to a lack of budget.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.omroepflevoland.nl/Sport/102899/almere-pioneers-niet-naar-basketball-eredivisie|title=Almere Pioneers niet naar basketball eredivisie|work=Omroepflevoland.nl|date=12 June 2013}}</ref> In 2020, Almere Sailors was established by the Pioneers board. This separate professional club now plays at the highest level of Dutch basketball.
==Season by season== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%" |- bgcolor= !Season ! Tier !League !{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position after playoffs}} !NBB Cup |- | colspan=5 style="background:white; color:black; border:2px solid #970D3A;" | {{center|'''BC Omniworld'''}} |- |style="background:#efefef;"|1998–99 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"| 10th | style="background: "| |- |style="background:#efefef;"|1999–00 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"| 9th | |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2000–01 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"| 5th | style="background: "| |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2001–02 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"|5th | style="background: "| |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2002–03 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center" bgcolor=silver | 2nd | style="background: "| |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2003–04 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"|6th | style="background: "|– |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2004–05 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"| 11th | style="background: "| |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2005–06 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"|7th | style="background: "| |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2006–07 | align="center"| 1 | DBL | align="center"| 11th | style="background: "| |- | colspan=5 style="background:#970D3A; color:white; border:2px solid #F29400;" | {{center|'''Almere Pioneers'''}} |- |style="background:#efefef;"|2007– | colspan=5 align="center" | Lower divisions |- |}
==Notable players== {{Basketball notable players criteria}} *{{flagicon|USA}} Ian Hanavan <small>(2003–2004)</small> *{{flagicon|NED}} Rogier Jansen <small>(2005–2006)</small> *{{flagicon|USA}} John Turek <small>(2005–2006)</small>
== Head coaches == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! style="background:#970D3A; color:white; border:2px solid #583A77;"|Name ! style="background:#970D3A; color:white; border:2px solid #583A77;"|Nationality ! style="background:#970D3A; color:white; border:2px solid #583A77;"|Tenure |- | {{sortname|Jan Willem|Jansen}} || {{flagu|Netherlands}} || 2000 – 2003 |- | {{sortname|Marco|van den Berg}} || {{flagu|Netherlands}} || 2004 – 2008 |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20171216094125/http://www.almerepioneers.nl/ Official website] (Dutch) *[https://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Almere_Pioneers/17468?team=17468 Eurobasket profile] {{Dutch Basketball League}}
Category:Basketball teams in the Netherlands Category:Sports clubs and teams in Almere Category:Former Dutch Basketball League teams Category:Basketball teams established in 1999 Category:1999 establishments in the Netherlands