By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow president Andrey Vatutin analyzed why he believes it’s better for EuroLeague to shut down the 2019-2020 (a “dead season”, as Vatutin characterized the current campaign) competition completely and shift all focus on the next season.
Vatutin elaborated on three focal points that have to do with the organizational, sports, and financial side of the debate. Here’s what he said to Sportbc on:
The organizational aspect:
“Now, there’s no clarity regarding international air traffic. Under the existing regulations, it’s necessary to sit in quarantine for two weeks. Teams that aren’t from the Schengen zone aren’t allowed to cross the European Union borders right now.
We must also remember that there are existing plans in the Spanish and ABA Leagues to complete the season. By May 24, 18 teams will definitely be in different situations, many difficulties will remain. By this time, things may not be clear regarding air traffic, border, quarantine measures, etc. Therefore, I want to wish my colleagues to be united on May 24.”
The sports aspect:
“We will be very far from what is customary to see in the decisive stages that teams approach step by step during six months and by climbing to peak form during the regular season. Resuming games after such a pause will give you preseason level at best. After all, in summer, professional athletes stay fit, relax for a couple of weeks, then begin training in gyms and in basketball halls.
Now, that’s not the case. The players are trying to stay in good shape while being locked up in apartments on country houses. What kind of basketball will we get? It’s ridiculously organized to not practice for more than two months and then have the champion determined within two to three weeks. Moreover, we doom athletes to injuries, throwing them in the crucible of decisive games after such a hiatus.”
The financial aspect:
“Where is the revenue side? It’s ridiculous to play without fans and, after all, clubs receive a significant part of their budgets from tickets. In the USA, basketball has real income from TV broadcasts and I understand Donald Trump who urges to begin games without fans because these games will launch the industry’s flywheel as a whole. Our sports ratings are low.
Therefore, no matter how much we would like to see major basketball again, I consider it more important to better prepare for the next season rather than “revive the dead”.
With such a drop in revenue, it’s hard to expect something good. Caution. I suppose that budget cuts will be about 30%. On the other hand, I hope that the current crisis, like the previous one, will lower the cost of players. With all due respect to the stars of European basketball, their salaries aren’t determined by the income of clubs and leagues, as in the NBA, but by a peculiar race, a competition of the owners’ ambitions.”
Vatutin also mentioned the following regarding the players’ contracts.
“It should be understood that even if CSKA doesn’t have enough funds to secure large salaries for leading players, no one in Europe will be able to play comparable money since the crisis has affected everyone. We have already approached the next season in a serious manner by announcing the extension of the contracts of two players (guard Daniel Hackett and forward/center Joel Bolomboy). But now we don’t understand how to plan the budget and therefore all further personnel movements are suspended.”