By Aris Barkas/ barkas@Eurohoops.net
With a number of games getting postponed both in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and also in the 7DAYS EuroCup, the EuroLeague has asked from the European domestic leagues to discuss the current calendar situation on a teleconference which will be held this week, to be exact on the 5th of November, as “Mozzartsport” reported first.
“The goal for the video conference is to share and coordinate information amongst all the competition organizers that have 2020-21 EuroLeague & EuroCup teams, with a view to all of us being able to better plan the upcoming weeks and months,” the invitation stated.
The danger of not having open dates in order to complete the season both in the continental and the domestic leagues – which also have on many occasions postponed not only games but a whole week of action, as it happened in France – can’t be excluded and the European basketball stakeholders have to address the issue.
The domestic leagues, or at least many of them, are expected to participate and the question is what kind of modifications can be agreed upon. The issue was recently raised by the Spanish Players Union (ABP) which practically asked for a change of format and games to be held on a “bubble”.
It’s highly questionable for a variety of reasons how a “bubble” can be achieved on a continental level in Europe. Clubs competing in the EuroLeague and the EuroCup have also to play simultaneously on their domestic leagues, according to the current calendar.
However, if there’s an understanding between the EuroLeague and the domestic leagues on calendar issues, then one of the main obstacles in order to get the “bubble” done will be out of the way.