Tony Parker on EuroLeague: “They have established themselves as the best league in Europe”

By Stefan Acevski / info@eurohoops.net

Presidents and owners of the EuroLeague’s teams came together in Como  in early October for a meeting of the Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) Shareholder Clubs, talking about a future for the EuroLeague.

Among others, during the gathering at Como, some of them gave statements for the EuroLeague, where they talked about interesting topics.

Tony Parker, president of ASVEL, spoke about the significance of the EuroLeague and what it means for children in Europe.

“I think they just need to keep doing what they are doing. They have great DNA, and the league has a strong identity. Everyone dreams of playing in the NBA or in the EuroLeague. They have established themselves as the best league in Europe, and for kids growing up in Europe, it’s a great challenge to play in the EuroLeague.”

He also emphasized that the success of the French national team is the result of work from the past 20 years.

“A lot of great things are happening right now; there is a super positive wave with many great players, coaches, and development. Everything that has happened in the last 20 years is showing results now. The national team is performing well at a high level, having reached the finals in the last two Olympics. I think the French league is getting stronger and stronger, and the results of French teams in the EuroLeague are improving. It’s just a matter of time before we establish ourselves at the top level.”

Joan Laporta: “We need to stand together—to be united”

Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona, also shared his perspective, stating that clubs must unite in the upcoming period.

“This is a great opportunity for European basketball and the EuroLeague. We need to stand together—to be united. For a long time now, the EuroLeague has been developing under this structure, with the owners making decisions that serve the best interests of the competition itself. To me, that is highly valuable. We are at a pivotal moment with a great opportunity; we have done things very well, and now the most important task is to build the highest possible level of trust among ourselves in order to forge a unified strategic vision. That is where we stand, and that is why we are here in Como.”

He saw the gathering at Lake Como as one of the most important, pointing out that the plan is for the competition to remain the EuroLeague and to further strengthen it.

“I believe this is the most important meeting we will have. Most of the stakeholders are committed; the key is to align our strategy and vision. We largely agree that the best path forward is to maintain the competition as the EuroLeague, strengthen it, expand the number of participants, explore other potential opportunities as they arise—keeping the door open to anything that proves beneficial to the EuroLeague—and, of course, retain ownership of the competition.” “We have a very interesting agenda. We spoke in Copenhagen—we crossed paths at the General Assembly of Basketball Clubs—but we also discussed basketball. I believe we are all moving in the same direction; we share the conviction that we must strengthen our group within the EuroLeague. The EuroLeague owners all share this same spirit: the best way forward is to remain united.”

Laporta also spoke about his vision for the future.

“My vision is that, by staying together, we must remain open to any potential opportunities that arise within the basketball landscape. Naturally, it is important to learn from those who have achieved success. The NBA, for instance, is a major competition with expertise in areas like marketing—the kind of activities we need to develop to become stronger. Within the EuroLeague, we must be open to new possibilities and prepared to listen to others. While staying true to our own identity and our unique philosophy of the game, we should be receptive to new opportunities. We can learn a great deal from others, then integrate those insights into our own mindset and competition. We must stand together.” “…to develop our basketball, while remaining willing to learn from others.”

Herbert Hainer: “This is a test for us”

Bayern’s president Herbert Hainer also spoke to the EuroLeague, discussing how the EuroLeague can attract more fans.

“We all know that basketball is very big in the USA, but also in Asia, and many good players who played in Europe later became NBA players. There is international interest, so this is a test for us: to reach these consumers and fans and bring them closer to the EuroLeague.”