By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Virtus Segafredo Bologna CEO Luca Baraldi opened up on several topics on Monday, including a peculiar contract status with the Italian club.
“Paolo Ronci has verbally renewed his contract with me, his CEO. And a two-year contract will be filed very shortly. As for my position, I don’t have to negotiate anything, my contract has expired,” he revealed a pending contract extension for club manager Paolo Ronci and his expired contract, “The shareholders will decide on the renewal of offices and the approval of the budget. I have done my job. I have no signs that they want to send me away.”
New season
Launching the 2024-25 campaign, the 2024 Supercoppa will be held in Bologna on September 21 and 22.
“We want the team to be prepared already for the goal of the Supercoppa, which we will play in Bologna,” he referred to the first tournament of the new season, “We have some shortages because [Devontae] Cacok is recovering, but we have structured ourselves to have two guys to help us in training.”
Baraldi, 63, continued noting challenges in Italy’s LBA UnipolSai and the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
“Milano remains the club we compare ourselves with. But let’s not forget Tortona, Trapani – a respectable newcomer – Venice, Brescia. The level of the championship is rising,” he discussed the domestic league, “I have great respect for Milan. I think we have to get along. We are the two Euroleague clubs, an example of Italian basketball.”
“The Euroleague is very challenging. The goal is to confirm what we did last year. It’s a new team, we have a very motivated group of players. The coach is overloaded, we have great confidence in Luca Banchi,” he moved to the next continental campaign.
Last season, Vu Nere reached the Play-In Showdown after ranking tenth in the EuroLeague Regular Season. A loss to Baskonia prevented the team coached by Luca Banchi from claiming the eighth seed in the playoff bracket. The domestic runs settled at runner-up in the LBA and a quarterfinal exit in the Frecciarossa Final Eight after winning the Frecciarossa Supercoppa in September.
“At one point we dealt with [Shabazz] Napier, but we did not match as economic conditions,” he revealed failed negotiations with 33-year-old guard Shabazz Napier, “[Matt] Morgan was a prospect choice, not a second choice. The same kind of choice was made with [Rayjon] Tucker and [Andrejs] Grazulis. We didn’t give up anything beyond the budget.”
Club future
From the new season to an ownership bid from Israel, Baraldi initially referred the question to club shareholders but also confirmed a takeover offer in the summer.
“I can say that it is true that there was negotiation,” he mentioned, “And it is true that the shareholders and in particular [Carlo] Gherardi had a right of refusal. I think like him, I believe that this company can find the resources in its own territory. Virtus smells like Italy, then foreign capital comes into sports, but we think things can go on like this. Then over time, I think things can change. [Massimo] Zanetti said it won’t be there forever, but right now I don’t see any changes.”
On a new home venue for Virtus Bologna, he updated developments on the new arena.
“According to what Fiera di Bologna tells us, everything is going as planned. It will be ready by September 2026,” he said, “We are not actors in the construction, but we will be tenants.”