Euroleague Basketball CEO JORDI BERTOMEU discussed the league's "plans for the future and its recent accomplishments" in a Q&A, according to Ricardo González of AS. Below are excerpts from the Q&A:
Q: FIBA is changing its calendar, the Euroleague is making plans and the clubs have opposing interests. Is a collective sit-in possible?
Jordi Bertomeu: Yes, the message is contradictory. FIBA has unilaterally decided that starting in '17, teams will play their qualifiers in February and November, during the season for the clubs, like in football. The NBA has said that it will not stop its competition. Perhaps this is the biggest contradiction. Why should we be punished for saying the same as the NBA?
Q: Does European basketball perhaps need the national teams more than the NBA?
Bertomeu: These national teams will be false. We are not the NBA, but FIBA cannot hope to be FIFA. When the calendar requires it, Lionel Messi plays in Paraguay on a Wednesday in February. But when FIBA wants to do this, [Spanish NBA Minnesota Timberwolves guard] Ricky Rubio will not come with Spain to play against Hungary during the season.
Q: So do you think that the Euroleague and the clubs do not need the national teams?
Bertomeu: No. The national teams are important. Because of this, we will promote the FIBA World Cup in Spain and we have proposed two initiatives. One: play the games in June and July: And the other: play in September and October and begin the Euroleague season in November. And you know what? They have not listened to us. This project is devalued because the national teams do not have the best players. The Euroleague games will take place and nothing will happen. My clubs have decided this.
Q: Is the Euroleague's revenue going to increase in the upcoming years?
Bertomeu: We have set some goals and the signs are very good. This year, we have multiplied all of our TV contracts by at least two. I do not want to use Spain as an example because in the last year it was lacking a contract, but now the Euroleague generates TV rights of €3 million ($4.1M) with a product much smaller than the national league (AS, 3/26).
