By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball Chief Executive Officer Paulius Motiejunas responded to announcements made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver and FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis during a press conference on Thursday, leading into a new reality across European basketball.
“I don’t think it was a declaration of war,” he told L’Equipe’s Yann Ohnona, “The good news is everyone agrees European basketball is progressing, growing substantially, and that the potential has never been higher. We view very positively the fact that the NBA wants to further explore this market with the help of FIBA. We know this territory perfectly. We have the best fanbase, the best teams, and the most established culture. We are strong, growing every year, and confident in our product. We will see what comes out of this ‘exploration’ announced in this press conference.”
“At this point, it doesn’t seem to us that there have been any clear announcements about what they want to do in the long term,” he added.
“I don’t want to comment on how they do things. They can do whatever they want,” stressed the 44-year-old Lithuanian executive, “What offended me was the absence of the word Euroleague, any mention of its fans, its teams. It came much too late in the presentation. But I work for the Euroleague, so maybe that’s normal.”
Extending talks
Motiejunas went on to preview additional discussions between involved parties.
“We are always ready to sit down and discuss to find the best solution and offer everyone an even better product than what is currently available in European basketball,” he confirmed Euroleague Basketball’s intentions for more talks on the NBA Europe project.
“I think it’s the only way. That’s what we think anyway. When they talk about teams, big names, I can’t imagine this potential league without us,” he responded to a question about Euroleague, NBA, and FIBA seeking a common solution, “Can we talk about the ‘best product’ possible without the Euroleague teams, their fans, our markets, the culture, the passion and the history that all of this has carried for decades? For our part, we are always ready to sit down and discuss to explore together the best solution to offer everyone an even better product than what European basketball currently offers.”
“There was indeed a meeting,” he went on to date most recent talks, as reported by Eurohoops, “We spoke after a long break to put everything back on the table and understand when the connection was lost and blurred. We have taken note of what was announced at this conference. The rest remains pending. In basketball terms, I would say that after our last meeting ten days ago, the ball is in their court, and they must return it to us. We will wait for that to happen and see if and when we can resume discussions, with the European players and fans as our primary concern.”
“We know this market better than anyone, and we are the most competitive league in it. We can always improve in many areas if we work together. But we can do it with or without the NBA and FIBA,” stressed Motiejunas.
“I always find it strange,” he described his reaction to the NBA commissioner pointing toward an underperforming market in Europe, “Our owners are happy, as far as I know. The product is improving. Long-term success cannot be invented or achieved with the snap of a finger. It’s something that we and the clubs are working hard on.”
“All the numbers, TV contracts, sponsorships, etc., are in the green and are improving every year. We have multiple avenues for growth with the Final Four in Abu Dhabi, The plan to eventually have a team in the Middle East and the contacts in Dubai to that end, the expansion of the competition to more teams, other markets,” he explained, “Other sports can’t say the same and are experiencing problems. For example, football, regarding TV rights in certain countries. We’re not in a bad situation. We have 20,000 fans in Belgrade every day, 15,000 in Kaunas, the Greek and Turkish teams with packed stadiums, the development of Paris, Bayern Munich succeeding in their new Arena.”
Team commitments
Motiejunas also reacted to the tentative NBA Europe plan seemingly aiming to attract Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs.
“None have expressed a desire or said they are considering leaving the league,” mentioned the CEO of Euroleague Basketball, “Of course, when the NBA comes, everyone wants to listen to what it has to say, including us. We respect them. They have the best league in the world. But we renewed with our partner IMG, and the clubs are committed.”
“Our DNA, the driving force of basketball, is the fans, the culture, the atmosphere, the history, everything we have in the Euroleague, which is incomparable and impossible to duplicate. European basketball is a way of life, an emotion,” added Motiejunas.
“I can’t confirm that,” he responded to a question about pending commitments from several teams, “We are not worried. It’s up to us, the management, to show that we have a clear plan for our development. I believe that the work we have already done and all the avenues we have recently launched with IMG will convince everyone that the Euroleague is the best place to continue growing.”
“I can only confirm that as soon as he was contacted, Tony has always been transparent and kept us informed of all his exchanges with the NBA,” Motiejunas said about the role of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne president Tony Parker, “He knows and is very involved in both worlds. He pursues the same objective, to bring everyone back to the negotiating table to take a new step.”
“We have never exchanged with PSG. We have Paris Basketball, which is having a fantastic season, in a crucial market for us, and we hope they will establish themselves for the long term. I am certain we will keep them in the Euroleague in the future,” he pointed to the Euroleague Basketball approach to the French capital, “We remain focused on the team we know, and that is successful.”
Asked about Real Madrid possibly shifting the balance of powers, as detailed by Eurohoops, Motiejunas shared a plan to keep Los Blancos and remaining licensed clubs.
“Hesitation, reflection, and discussions are natural. But it’s not just Real Madrid. We are 13 permanent clubs, with more to come,” he also touched on expansion plans for Europe’s premier club continental competition, “We must find a way to stay united, together. That was and will remain our strength. I have the deep conviction that we will succeed and continue. The NBA is focused on the business side. But European basketball is a way of life, not a business but an emotion.”
The interview expanded to initial meetings with the NBA.
“That was one of the topics of our last meeting. We never believed or considered that it could be called an offer,” he firmly rejected terms presented to Euroleague Basketball, “We had to reset the table, in the right place. Discussions had stopped. Now it’s a matter of rebooting, restarting the process, and moving forward.”
“Honestly, no,” he replied about believing in the success of a semi-closed league without European powerhouses, if such is created by NBA and FIBA, “Would it be economically viable? My eighteen-year experience in the front office makes me think not. But there may be something I do not know. It’s easy to put a business plan on the table. It’s another matter to make it happen.”
No risk of extinction
Motiejunas concluded the discussion about the future of EuroLeague and a possible launch of NBA Europe by projecting potential outcomes.
“I don’t see any risk of extinction,” he laughed after a question about the EuroLeague possibly disappearing, “We have a clear plan, full of opportunities to explore.”
“In 2015, we experienced something similar with the Champions League. There were waves, but we remained the best competition. The worst-case scenario for European basketball would be that fans don’t understand the system, which league does what, and what the difference is. The best scenario would be to establish a clear pyramid system, protecting European players, and which hierarchizes all of European basketball, starting from the grassroots and the training ground. So that everyone grows and European basketball takes on a new dimension,” added Motiejunas.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net