At the Final Four, the Euroleague celebrates itself as the best basketball league alongside the NBA and as an export hit. But the growth is at the expense of the players, whose capacity has long since been reached due to the large number of games and competitions. While the associations are working on a common solution, the Euroleague is continuing its course of expansion.
It’s a holiday in European basketball right now: It starts on Friday (May 19, 2023). Final Four the Euroleague. The best team on the continent will be determined in Kaunas. Only last Sunday did the Telekom Baskets Bonn Champions League won. Although nominally only the third highest competition in Europe, it was still a huge success for Bonn: They were able to celebrate the first title in the club’s history in Malaga. Meanwhile, at home, in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the playoffs have just started.
The large number of competitions has long since meant that the BBL has to set up several schedules for the final phase of the season. Depending on how far the German clubs make it in the European Cup. In addition to the Bonners, for example, Ratiopharm Ulm was in this time Eurocup promising in the race for a long time. Two years ago, FC Bayern would have it in the Euroleague by a whisker Final Four done, in the Bundesliga even the mode for the Playoffs adjusted and the final series shortened.
80 games per season without a real summer break
The ones who really suffer from the stress of deadlines in European basketball are the players: National players like Andreas Obst from FC Bayern or Berlin’s Maodo Lo and Johannes Thiemann are playing the third season in a row since they successfully qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo, with practically no summer break.
They demolished around 80 games per season, just for their clubs, on top of that there were international matches. A stint like in the NBA – only with the difference that in the US professional league the first players after the Regular Season go on vacation at the end of April and only return in October.
Pesic from FC Bayern: “Minimize the burden on the players”
The stress on players in Europe has long since reached its limit, says Marko Pesic, Managing Director of FC Bayern Basketball. “If it continues like this, with the number of games, the many European competitions – plus national team window, then it’s not good for anyone. Neither for the national leagues nor for the Euroleague. We have to find a way together to minimize the burden on the players.“
The two Germans EuroleagueClubs from Munich and Berlin have to deal with the failure of top performers again and again, which is also attributed to the constant stress. Already in the previous season, the two top dogs of the BBL dragged themselves through the final series on the last groove. The signs of wear and tear have long had an impact on the “product”, the intensity of the games has recently dropped noticeably, and that in the decisive phase of the season.
Blockade between FIBA and Euroleague
The question of who is to blame leads directly to a dispute between the European association FIBA Europe and the Euroleague. The latter is a closed, private-sector league that has now grown to 18 clubs and, in addition to the national game, organizes its own season with the first and second half of the season, 34 game days in total between October and April.
Die Euroleague, according to FIBA, is suffocating the other competitions and leagues in Europe. FIBA, in turn, started in 2016 with the Champions League not only installed a competitive competition, but also international windows in the middle of the season. Which is also met with criticism from many clubs because it has brought even more confusion to the schedule.
Pesic ‘optimistic’ after talks between associations
After years of blocking each other, Europe’s quarreling basketball organizations have at least picked up the thread of conversation again. This alone evaluates Marko Pesic, who with FC Bayern as Euroleague-Shareholder sitting at the table, already as progress: “I think everyone involved has understood that the entire system needs to be improved. We have a responsibility to European basketball. I’m optimistic that we can find a model that works for everyone.”
Possible compromise proposals have been haunting the basketball sphere for a long time: This could be the case Eurocupthe second highest competition, also held by the Euroleague is organized with the Champions League be merged. Or the international windows are canceled during the season.
London, Paris, Dubai – Euroleague possibly soon with 24 teams
Die Euroleague did not want to comment on specific inquiries about possible reforms. However, what was recently heard from the league headquarters in Barcelona indicates further expansion: the inclusion of new teams is inevitable, said Euroleague-Board of directors Marshall Glickman in the Lithuanian podcast “BasketNews” and named a number of promising candidates: Partizan Belgrade or Valenciathe clubs from London and Paris – and even Dubai (Glickman: “A very attractive market“).
Die Euroleague could grow to up to 24 teams in the future, which then possibly, as in the NBA, to two Conferences be divided. Whether there would actually be fewer games remains at least doubtful – especially since the Euroleague also about an additional Play-In-Tournament after the 34th game day, also after the NBA model, to give other teams the chance to reach the Playoffs admit.
BBL boss Holz: “No growth at the expense of the national leagues”
In view of the mind games from Barcelona, the BBL has already announced resistance as a precaution. “The Euroleague is a great product, I like watching it too. But you definitely can’t, that’s a clear message from the national leagues to the Euroleague, to grow at the expense of others“, said BBL Managing Director Stefan Holz. With the intended enlargement of the Euroleague up to 24 teams, according to the BBL boss, “I have no idea how this is supposed to work.”
Euroleague has US market in focus
Die Euroleague meanwhile, has long been geared towards other markets, with Asia and the USA in particular being regarded as a growth market. The NBA already has the games of France’s super talent this season Victor Wembanyamathe Indian Euroleague at Lyon celebrated his breakthrough, sent it in her league app, fueling the hype about the future number 1 pick. The Euroleague also recently landed a streaming deal with US sports broadcaster “ESPN” completed, which will in future broadcast all games from Europe’s premier class in the USA.
FC Bayern against Barcelona soon in Madison Square Garden?
Euroleague-CEO Glickmanwho also worked in management in the NBA for many years, also said that he would like to play individual games of the regular season in the USA in the future, for example in New York City. So FC Barcelona or FC Bayern could jet across the Atlantic for a game in the Madison Square Garden. A few days later it’s on in the Bundesliga against Crailsheim or Göttingen.