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Armani Jeans Milano president Livio Proli, Montepaschi Siena president Ferdinando Minucci, LEGA Basket president Francesco Corrado, CEO Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball TV director Andrea Bassani (right to left) in Venice on Sunday
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While appearing before Italian media on Sunday in Venice, Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu took questions concerning current proposals for restructuring the Euroleague. On July 7 in Berlin, Germany, the Euroleague Basketball Assembly debated and voted by a 25-to-8 majority in favor of the restructuring proposal presented by Euroleague Basketball management to create greater stability for teams while keeping open one-third of the competition's licenses for Europe's top national leagues to fill. Almost three months later, in Paris last week, the Spanish ACB League offered a different proposal to the ULEB assembly.
In Italy on Sunday, Bertomeu clarified the roles of ULEB and Euroleague Basketball in the decision-making process that affects the competition.
"Since the creation of the Euroleague in the summer of 2000, the decisions that affect the Euroleague competition have always been taken by the appropriate assembly, which is none other than the Euroleague Assembly, consisting of participating teams in the competition and representatives of the national leagues whose teams participate in the competition," said Jordi Bertomeu. "I would reiterate that all suggestions could be studied if proposed in the right arena. Let's remember that right now there is no official proposal from ULEB, as the national leagues have not decided upon the ACB proposal, and it would have to be presented at the next Euroleague Basketball General Assembly for it to be considered."
At the same time, however, Bertomeu expressed doubts about the viability of a Euroleague with 30 teams, an idea rejected by the national leagues just two years ago. He also said the ACB plan would forsake one of the major elements that justified the Euroleague's creation in 2000, namely, stability for the clubs.
In the same event in Venice, representatives of the Italian League and its clubs reiterated that their assembly already voted favorably for the Euroleague Basketball proposal and, as such, they could not now support the ACB proposal presented at the meeting in Paris.
Also this weekend, a selection of national league representatives, club executives and coaching greats pronounced themselves in favor of the restructuring plan that the Euroleague Basketball Assembly favored by a wide, clear majority vote early in the summer.
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Olympiacos B.C. executives Panayiotis Angelopoulos and Christos Stavropoulos spoke at the team's official presentation this week
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Panayiotis Angelopoulos, Vice President, Olympiacos B.C
"We favor the decision that was made during the latest General Assembly of the Euroleague in Berlin. We strongly support every effort that will benefit basketball and we are also open to any discussions. One of the issues that we have to be very careful with is the distribution of financial resources. I believe that the teams’ revenues should increase ιn general and especially according to the performance of each team."
Christos Stavropoulos, General Manager, Olympiacos B.C.
"We support every initiative that leads to stability and also the progress of European basketball. We work closely with Euroleague and with all basketball organizations that share the same vision with us towards a better tomorrow for the sport that we all serve and are passionate about. Moreover, we follow the course of the latest developments and we are in favor of every new plan that has the approval of Euroleague’s General Assembly."
Jan Pommer, Managing Director, German League (BBL)
"I think the European basketball and especially the German League are making progress, but the progress is not going as fast as it should be going. Therefore, I am very much in favor of following the plan we've been informed about in Berlin. I think the plan offers a good combination of, on one side, bringing more stability and long-term thinking, and on the other side, having the openness needed as well. By having 16 stable spots on one side and on the other the opportunity for the most important European leagues to bring their champions is a good mix. I am absolutely certain this will improve development opportunities not only for Euroleague teams, but for European basketball in general. I think we have to accept that we need more stability and long-term investment, and in order to bring that into the system, we have to be more attractive and more reliable. It's a good idea to have two-thirds of the licenses belonging to the top clubs, the most stable clubs, while at the same time having the openness that lets the biggest European national leagues be part of one of the world's greatest competitions."
David Federman, Vice-President, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
"The Euroleague Assembly meeting two months ago in Berlin, after lengthy discussion, made a very clear decision to support with a very large majority the proposal made by Euroleague management. We don't think we should be changing proposals every couple of months. I think the direction taken in Paris last week was not a healthy one because it could lead to unnecessary arguments between leagues and teams. I hope very much that the management of the Euroleague will find a solution that comforts some of these people, but at the end of the day, the bottom line is that we support very much what was agreed to in Berlin. The essence of the idea was to bring stability and quality to the game. It was something we considered very seriously and, as I said, a large majority went along with it. We believe it's very much worth going for. I understand that some countries and leagues might feel a little left out, and maybe we can find away to give them more of an opportunity. But again, at the end of the day, we need to improve, and only this sort of plan gives us that chance. First of all, it is vital to keep stability for the big clubs so they know they are staying on a long-term basis in the Euroleague and can invest accordingly. You can already see the investment put into the game by these clubs. At the same time, as I said before, there needs to be opportunity for those teams that are successfully developing basketball in their countries. Stability and quality are things we have been working on for a number of years, and the main things we need to keep improving. This plan represents a big step forward in that regard. I think the Euroleague has done a very good job in recent years and we now have a great league. The prospects going forward are looking great, too, so we are very pleased."
 Josean Querejeta, President, Tau Ceramica
"I wish to express our complete support of a proposal that seems to us the solution to almost all the problems that the clubs at the top of European basketball go through, and at the same time opens the doors to the integration of new clubs, markets and countries. Competitions become important when they have the best teams. The Euroleague is the best competition because it has teams like CSKA Moscow, Maccabi, Panathinaikos, Real Madrid, F.C. Barcelona, etc. These clubs are the ones with big budgets and the best players, and they attract TV, sponsors and, above all, fans to the arenas. In order to maintain the kind of economic budgets which these clubs handle at the moment, it's necessary to create some platforms for the diffusion of basketball that are as solid and stable as possible, and this proposal by the Euroleague gives us that.
"Since the year 2000 we have been working with these objectives, and it's clear that nothing can be built in Europe without the decisive opinions of these clubs. That's' how it was done in 2000 and that's how it will work in the future if the wish is to build something important.
"The interest from NBA franchises for our players, the fierce competition with other sports and other sectors of the entertainment industry to get sponsors and television contracts, etc., confirms for us that this path was and continues to be the right one. It doesn't seem right to us that now there's an attempt to alter that basic philosophy, which has always been to heighten stability without allowing let-ups within the competition, in order to now return to the 2000 model that didn't satisfy the clubs.
"If the ACB is the best national league in Europe it's because it has teams like F.C. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Tau Ceramica that are important in both Europe and Spain. It's clear that without the commitment and solidarity of those clubs, the ACB would not be what it is today."
Andrei Vatutin, CSKA Moscow CEO
"I am sure that we should be consequential in our decisions made during the July Euroleague Assembly. After difficult discussions we have chosen the vector of the tournament development and we should move further. During past years Euroleague became the top-tournament and we should respect our own work on this. And we should value the stable system and representative list of teams we have. We understand that it is impossible and unfair to make the Euroleague as the closed VIP-club, but it is very important to find a balance between stability in participants list and the necessity to open the door for the strongest and progressing teams from all over the Europe. I think that the new system of licenses allows to find this balance. At the same time we already need to understand the criteria for licensing. Not in a common words but strict and clear. In this part we should fasten the process."
"The stability will allow us to defend our marketing positions, TV contracts, to defend our investments in basketball and to retain the fan support. It is our common accomplishments for which we were fighting all this years. The return to the system based on sports results only will throw us away 7 or 8 years back. Also it is very important for us to have the possibility for Russia to increase the number of teams in Euroleague – our basketball is worth increasing the quota."
Ettore Messina, Head Coach, CSKA Moscow
"If we want to create a strong Euroleague that has plenty of room to improve, we should think in terms of a competition that foments the concept of stability for clubs and investors. Such stability is the only way to guarantee that large investors, who already are working in basketball, continue to trust our sport with their money. Stability also could allow new investors to come forward with more interest in basketball. Basketball is not like football. An important European basketball club can't find itself outside the Euroleague without that fact putting the club's economy in grave risk. If after one season a Euroleague club is at risk of leaving the competition, then sponsors are free to walk away from it. For this reason, I don't like a Champions League-type system because it doesn't increase stability, and in basketball as opposed to football, we need stability if we want to maintain the economic dimension necessary to develop a professional sport."
Antonio Martin, Basketball Section Director, Real Madrid
"From the standpoint of the club, it’s understandable that such a debate exists, because it's logical to consider alternatives to the current competition. I believe that European basketball still has to settle, and not only on a competition model. If we want our basketball to be excellent, because we can't turn our backs on the fans, we have to upgrade what we offer to the best that is possible. Because of those expectations of the basketball fans as well as the necessity to be honest and clear-eyed about the economic reality in European basketball, it's understandable that this debate exists. Just as its understandable that each one has different interests. We at Real Madrid are clearly receptive about giving stability to the competition, the project and its content. That's not only about what happens to Real Madrid in the Euroleague, where we would participate in a continuous manner, but because we believe that the content would become much more valuable in terms of industrial investment in basketball. In that sense, Real Madrid is receptive to this. Understand, too, that we are ready at the same time to help the entire scope of the ACB as a national competition. Both have plenty of margin for improvement. And when I say the ACB, I am not saying the directorship, but rather the 18 teams that make up the competition, that all of us share the same blame, not just the league executives. As such, we should argue less and get to work."
 Gilles Moretton, President, ASVEL Basket Lyon-Villeurbanne
"ASVEL Basket Lyon-Villeurbanne is surprised by the posture of the President of the LNB, Mr. Rene Goff, in reference to the recent meeting of ULEB. On this subject, ASVEL Basket Lyon-Villeurbanne offers complete support for Jordi Bertomeu in the implementation of the reforms validated last July at the Euroleague Assembly, made up of the participating clubs as well as professional national leagues, for the following essential reason:
"For a dynamic competition which benefits from other sporting disciplines at the French and European level, but lacks notoriety among the general public, what is needed is economic stability and clarity.
"Whether it obtains or not the A license for which it is a candidate, ASVEL Basket Lyon-Villeurbanne sees only advantages in a plan that, if we are to qualify for the Euroleague, brings with it the enticing opportunities that only a strong European competition can offer.
"It is been due to the advantage of being part of more than one competition that ASVEL will be able to continue to develop its economic project, essential to our development in a sport where we have been choosing professionalism first for more than 20 years."
Ferdinando Minucci, President, Montepaschi Siena
"Siena values very positively the proposals that was presented in the the Euroleague Assembly in Berlin and was generally seen as a very interesting proposal. Our support for the new project presented in July has been complete and will continue to be so for something that we have seen ourselves totally involved in for awhile now, for example on the issue of the building of our new arena. These are important changes that are going to leave a definitive mark on the development of the Euroleague in particular and of European basketball in general. The clubs can only be happy with this new model, which improves our opportunities for growth."
Josep Cubells, Basketball Section Chief, Regal F.C. Barcelona
"We are receptive to the new Euroleague Basketball format. Due to our tradition, the results we have always had in international competition...I believe we must have the continuity that is backed up by this history. Also, for the purposes of mid- and long-term planning. The majority of clubs have also shown interest in the proposal and what is a must is that the project goes hand-in-hand with the consolidation and growth of the Euroleague."
"We have always been in the elite of European basketball, and as such, it is interesting that the Euroleague develops a solid project along these lines. The project that we begin with this season is based on those parameters of solidity. As a consequence, having this format confirmed for us during the coming years is to the good of European basketball."
"Our club's point of view is that we must think of both the ACB and the Euroleague as two basic pillars. First, because with the ACB we play the most important national league in Europe, and what's more, it's our day-to-day league, a project in which we are involved. With the Euroleague, obviously, it's the same. We think that a Euroleague with great potential can be created. As such, I believe that, for Barcelona basketball and also for this sport in general, institutional stability and agreement between both organizations is very important, and that would make basketball work and grow as a sport."
Sergio Scariolo, Head Coach
"I believe that the organizational, physical, technical and tactical evolution of European basketball is beyond doubt. At the economic and media levels, however, there seem to still exist large margins for improvement, even taking into account the general economic climate that is so worrisome at this time. The proposal of Euroleague Basketball is valid in terms of giving an innovative solution to the problem of stable participation of the teams that make the competition truly attractive. I believe its necessary to reconsider the number of A licenses and the criteria for demotion from license A to B. But in any case, the proposal is clearly advantageous for the first-level teams, doesn't affect those at a mid-to-lower level and perhaps hurts those two or three teams in each national league who sit just behind the "major" teams and now see their options of qualifying reduced.
"Among the attractive things in the Euroleague's proposal, especially in terms of making the competition more attractive and saleable to television and sponsors, is the participation guarantee for the best teams, which now can consider investments that are more solid and consistent for the betterment of their roster's quality and structure. I repeat, however, that I would reconsider what percentage of licenses should be A licenses and make sure that the mechanism for demotion and promotion between licenses is the most adequate."
Dimitris Giannakopoulos, Panathinaikos
"From Panathinaikos's point of view, the proposal made by Euroleague Basketball during the Assembly in Berlin in July is an excellent way for developing professional basketball in Europe. Stability, without doubt, is something important for all the big clubs in Europe. Panathinaikos is working very hard with the aim of offering the best possible basket to all our fans in Greece and also around the world. With the proposal made by Euroleague, we could improve our future prospects to reach that objective."
Radovan Lorbek, President, NLB ABA League
"It's a never-ending story: we have to work always to develop our product. Our top best product is, of course, the Euroleague and I think we should make some adjustments to it. I analyzed the proposal of Euroleague management and I look forward to it. I think it's the direction we had when start the Euroleague, something between a closed and open league. Probably we have some teams now who deserve to be in the Euroleague, for instance Lietuvos Rytas or the Russian champion, but with the system cannot enter. This needs to be worked on step by step. In my opinion, it's time for evolution, not revolution. We created a second cup of very high quality, and this second cup should be where teams must prove themselves ready, the step between that competition and the Euroleague. Maybe changes and compromises can be considered, but this proposal is the right step in the right direction."
"The big problem in European basketball is the stability of investments. Now, by criteria that we ourselves developed, like arenas with 10,000 seats, it means bigger investment. On the other side, you have growing budgets. The proportion between these two situations, the status of the clubs and the investment, is important. It's tough to invest if you don't feel yourself in the future of the league. It's impossible to make such investments without security. Now, what that security should be is a question of measure. It's not absolute, but must be adjusted step by step. I think we'll end up with a very high-level league. The start of our league was made in this direction, in the direction of a professional league like is now being proposed. That was the main idea then and is a good one now."
"I think that with the Euroleague and the Eurocup, which was the ULEB Cup before, we in European basketball have made important steps ahead, especially in terms of the quality of our basketball as compared to the NBA. In our relationship with them, we have made better results every year until the best, most recent example, which was the play of the Spanish national team against the USA in Beijing. I think that was the best game in the history of basketball."
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