Βy Bugra Uzar/ buzar@eurohoops.net
Fenerbahce BEKO is gearing up for the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four, and in the meantime, the recent quotes of the managing director of the NBA Europe and Middle East, George Aivazoglou, created some misconceptions about the stance of the Turkish powerhouse towards the plans of the NBA in Europe.
Eurohoops contacted Fener‘s GM Derya Yannier, who explained the club’s position towards the future of the sport in Europe, clarifying that Fenerbahce believes that everything “should happen through conversations with the league management”.
Plus, he stated that with the current situation and the possibility of more leagues competing with each other, only more confusion will be created for the fans.
What are your thoughts on the possibility of increasing the number of teams and expanding the tournament to different regions as part of the EuroLeague’s growth?
“We are going through some pivotal moments for the growth of European basketball, and this is a topic that is obviously being evaluated by our day-to-day management people from all different angles. I am sure they will come up with optimal solutions”.
Several reports have mentioned you as one of the main targets for the NBA and FIBA plans to launch a new competition in Europe. Some even suggested that you are already in talks with them…
“Let me get this clear once and for all. Fenerbahce has not talked about this to the NBA or FIBA individually. We have a strong commitment and respect for our fellow Euroleague clubs with whom we have worked very hard alongside to build the competition we have today. If someone wants to partner with us, we are all ears, but that should happen through conversations with the league management”.
And what is your opinion about the launch of that new competition?
“When FIBA first launched BCL and was trying to grow that competition, I was working at the Turkish Basketball Federation as the head of the Turkish Super League. So I can easily evaluate their perspective on things as well. The only real thing I can underline is that even with the current projection of all these different views and competitions, we are generating a lot of confusion that does not serve the well-being of basketball in Europe.
All the opinion leaders who shape the future of European basketball should ideally have a common vision to grow this sport both technically and business-wise. And I believe the only way forward to achieve this is somehow through being constructively united behind this idea, rather than creating even more rivalries inside our existing ecosystem”.
The NBA claims that there are a lot of untapped commercial opportunities. Would you agree with that?
“I believe no one could argue the opposite of this. I was born into a basketball family and spent almost my whole professional career in basketball, first as a player and then as an executive at the club and league levels. No doubt that over the years, European basketball has evolved incredibly, but also undeniably, there is still a huge upside that has not been activated, especially in commercial terms.
And this is most probably why the NBA, with its high commercial expertise, wants to invest in European basketball. However, the reasons why the real potential could not be unlocked over so many years in the past should be very carefully analyzed. If we take this opportunity to solve some of the chronic structural problems we have in Europe, which prevent us from growing the business to where it should be, I really believe that there can be a rapid boost in the growth of European basketball”.
Do you expect more Turkish teams to enter the EuroLeague in the future?
“I would of course love the idea of having more Turkish teams being involved in the highest competition of basketball in Europe, as it will definitely help grow basketball in our country. But obviously, there are a lot of different factors that will influence this decision. Only time will tell.”
Your thoughts about the matchup against PAO?
“We are approaching the best part of our season, the Euroleague Final Four. All season long, all teams worked so hard to reach this point, and it’s a privilege for my club to be present again at this highest level, second year in a row, and for the 7th time since 2015. I strongly believe that with the coaching staff and the players group we have, we highly deserve to go all the way to the end. We just need to continue what we have been doing all year long, and the rest we shall witness all together”.
How does it make you feel to play a final four in Abu Dhabi? Do you expect a high number of Fener fans?
“For sure, it’s going to be a different experience for all of us and for all of the fans. I have no doubt that the organization itself will be of high quality. We have an incredible number of inquiries from our fans all over the world to come and be present in Abu Dhabi. Obviously, the number of tickets that we have access to is very limited, also due to the limited size of the arena. However, I still hope that we will have a significant number of yellow colors in the arena who will support us as they always do”.