By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
ATHENS — Chus Bueno, chief executive officer of Euroleague Basketball, and Dejan Bodiroga, Euroleague Basketball president, held an official press conference on Saturday, just one day before the championship game of the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens, presented by Etihad, between Olympiacos and Real Madrid at Telekom Center Athens.
From the top, the executives addressed the organizational complications that overshadowed Friday’s semifinal matchups, confirming that hundreds of spectators were left stranded outside the venue, but denying any unauthorized entries to the venue.
“We apologize for the problem with the tickets and for the frustration we caused, especially to the Fenerbahce fans, in total this incident affected 187 persons who managed to enter the arena in the end. Increased security for the final, we hope to provide the best experience,” noted 56-year-old Bueno, commenting on the ticket collapse.
Despite a complicated situation outside the gates, the CEO clarified the stadium’s security integrity. “Nobody got into the arena without tickets,” added Bueno.
Echoing the apology, 53-year-old Bodiroga detailed the source of the logistical failure.
“There was this situation that came from our ticketing platform. We tried to put all Fenerbahce fans in the arena, and in the end, we solved it. We couldn’t do things as we usually do, and we apologize to the fans and the club,” he mentioned.
“Some things can always be better. In Europe, the EuroLeague has the best referees. We have, I think, very good officiating in our league”, he also commented on the referees in Europe’s premier club competition after being asked on the matter.
Euroleague Stance on Gerry Cardinale
Bueno also answered a question about recent comments made by Gerry Cardinale, the founder and managing partner of RedBird Capital Partners, regarding AC Milan’s position in the NBA Europe project.
“Disrespectful and a bit arrogant, disrespectful because he’s saying that because the business is not sustainable, I will fix it. So it’s a money play, and he’s not thinking about Olimpia,” mentioned the Barcelona native.
Bueno emphasized the deep roots of the local basketball ecosystem, contrasting Cardinale’s business-first approach with the legacy of the current ownership.
“I think that the people in Milan, the Armani family, have built a community, cultural tradition, and identity, and I think that we have to respect that. And I’m sure that the basketball fans in Milan will respect that,” he underlined.
He expressed further surprise at the remarks, pointing out the financial realities and infrastructural challenges faced by football clubs in Italy.
“When I said arrogant, the Italian league, the Serie A, is losing 300 million a year, maybe four billion in ten years, and he knows how difficult it is to have your own arena. He’s been in San Siro for 100 years. He’s one of the few teams that don’t own an arena. And he said that he’s gonna fix everything. I don’t know,” added the Euroleague Basketball CEO.
Despite the sharp critique of Cardinale’s individual perspective, Bueno clarified that Euroleague Basketball continues to maintain a collaborative and mutually respectful relationship with the NBA leadership regarding future expansion.
“He is one specific guy. I don’t think that the NBA is thinking this way. We’re talking about how we can create the best merger or the best partnership, you name it, and they understand and respect the basketball community. So I think that was just an unfortunate comment,” he said.
Real Madrid Extension Talks
Bueno also addressed the status of Real Madrid, which remains the only shareholding team that has not yet committed to signing the new ten-year deals.
“We are in constant communication with Real. We were talking just yesterday before the game. We are optimistic they’re gonna end up signing, but you have to ask them what they’re going to do. If you ask me, I think that they’re gonna end up signing. They are one of the founders of the EuroLeague. They have been creating value. They have a lot of investment here. They have our shares. They have decisions to make at the board. We want them to be with us, making key decisions in the future, and they have revenue streams that they could get if they are with us that they will not get. I think that is important for them, being pragmatic, but also I think that this is the best place to be right now,” he stated.
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