By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer and the management of the club met with Jordi Bertomeu and a delegation of EuroLeague Wednesday to discuss the club’s future in the competition and the potential acquisition of an A License.
“I’m very optimistic that Bayern Munich will become co-shareholder in addition to the eleven clubs (and current shareholders) so far,” Bertomeu said. “Everything that [former Bayern president] Uli Hoeness had said in our first meeting in Munich was actually kept. And for us it’s very important that an associate has a clear vision. Bayern has a very good structure and understand of how economic operations must be managed. It’s not only an incredible brand but also has a consistency that is necessary on a professional level. ”
Hainer sees a potential A license as recognition of what the basketball department of Bayern had accomplished over the last decade. “We are hopefull and optimistic, nevertheless, some questions and details have to be clarified. In the next few weeks, we want to discuss these open questions in order to know exactly what each partner can expect from each other.”
“EuroLeague is the second-largest league in the world after the NBA,” Hainer added. “Playing there is an honor and pleasure.”
In a presser following the meeting, Bertomeu was asked about the conflicting schedules of EuroLeague and FIBA, when it comes to the national team windows.
“First of all, I would like to say that we have no conflict with FIBA,” Bertomeu answered. “They just started a project, the national team windows, that is incompatible with our calendar, but also with the NBA calendar. We have been playing our system in EuroLeague for years. […] Unfortunately, there are only 52 weeks in a year and we have to reconcile the national leagues, the EuroLeague and recovery times for the players. I hope that in the future we will find a formula again how it all fits together. But that is in the hands of FIBA. If they think the current system is beneficial for the national teams, they will probably stick with it. My standpoint is: I always want the best players on the court, no matter what game, no matter what competition. I cannot be in favor of a system where that does not exist. But if everything goes well and FIBA is happy, that’s okay.”