By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
With bold plans on the horizon that may include even the long-rumored expansion, the EuroLeague shareholders in today’s board meeting decided to extend their agreement on ECA’s main structure for the next 15 years, one year before the end of the previous one.
The 13 shareholders, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Baskonia, Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, Fenerbahce, Anadolu Efes, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olimpia Milan, Bayern Munich, ASVEL, Zalgiris Kaunas and CSKA Moscow, will extend their agreement for 15 more years, until 2040, providing a stable framework for growing.
This decision, which will be ratified with a vote next week in the next board meeting, practically ends the current bid of ALBA Berlin for being a shareholder, however in the future clubs like ALBA, or others can be added into the fold with long-term licenses under the new rules of the agreement, depending on the case.
This decision doesn’t have anything to do with the joint venture with IMG, which expires in 2026, but sends a strong message of unity to the whole basketball community – and the business around it – for almost the next two decades.
The Wildcards and London Lions
Next week the list of the teams competing in next season’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the BKT EuroCup will be also presented. With Monaco and Paris securing the two EuroCup spots, there are four wildcards left for five teams. Crvena Zvezda, Partizan, Virtus Bologna, and ALBA Berlin are expected to play in the EuroLeague with Valencia at this point being the odd team out and sent to EuroCup, where they will automatically become the favorite to win the trophy and return to EuroLeague in the summer of 2025.
As it’s already reported, a total of one million euros is asked from the teams to get a wildcard. The sum includes a fee of 750.000 euros and also an advanced payment of 250.000 euros that corresponds to competition expenses.
And while nothing is finalized yet, it seems highly unlikely that the London Lions will compete in next season’s BKT EuroCup.