By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
JL Bourg president Julien Desbottes opened up about the financial, structural, and competitive demands tied to a potential EuroLeague participation after the club secured its historic EuroCup title.
While the victory over Besiktas guarantees an invitation, the French club now faces a complex decision, weighing the costs of stepping up against the risk of destabilizing a model built on long-term sustainability.
“I’m going to push the hypothesis to the limit. We are between reason and passion. Passion is imagining JL Bourg–Barcelona or JL Bourg–Belgrade. When you are a child of basketball and a child of JL, giving that up would be a huge decision,” said Desbottes, according to BeBasket.
But the practical side may ultimately prevail.
“I have always said that the founding principle of this club is sustainability. We must not put ourselves in a washing machine. Our fans and our environment deserve that we don’t put them in danger,” Desbottes explained.
Meeting EuroLeague standards would require a massive leap. Even the arena presents an issue, as its 3,540 capacity falls well short of requirements, potentially forcing relocation or reliance on a special exemption.
“I would like it to be Ekinox,” Desbottes added. “Monaco plays in its arena… For me, we must go through this step. If we are told we must work differently, we will think about other options.”
With a decision expected before the 2026/27 EuroLeague lineup is finalized, Bourg has roughly a month to explore solutions.
“Either we can do it properly, or we will give it up,” Desbottes concluded.