By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Reacting to reports linking Abu Dhabi to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, the executive director of Belgrade Arena, Goran Grbovic revealed plans for the venue located in the capital of Serbia to host the next three championship-crowning tournaments of the EuroLeague.
“Belgrade was the only candidate to submit a hosting bid for the EuroLeague Final Four on time,” he told Mozzart Sport on Sunday.
Euroleague Basketball has yet to decide about the hosting city of the 2025 Final Four.
“The Arena received a proposal by Euroleague Basketball regarding the organization of the Final Four in 2025, 2026, and 2027,” he explained, “In contact with the Republic of Serbia, not the City of Belgrade but the Republic of Serbia which is behind this, they received an answer that Serbia is interested in all three Final Fours.”
“We initially thought it should be one of the next three, according to usual conditions. The conditions must be changed since Abu Dhabi wants to hold the next three Final Fours. That’s how we also decided, as a basketball city and country, we should host three in a row,” he added.
“The stories about Barcelona and Athens were not realistic because they did not submit the paperwork in time. There is no place to play in Barcelona. Athens is not and was not interested. Belgrade is always interested,” continued the 63-year-old executive, “EuroLeague teams like to play in Belgrade. Belgrade is a beloved city in terms of basketball and sports, and Serbia is a country of basketball.”
Grbovic also opened up about the delay on the decision on which city will welcome the season-ending tournament of the 2024-25 edition of the EuroLeague.
“IMG, under contract with Euroleague Basketball until 2026, is pushing for Abu Dhabi to be the host for all three years, probably projecting big money in the Middle East,” he said, “There was resistance from the teams. They don’t want to the EuroLeague Final to be played in Abu Dhabi. It’s like the Champions League Final to be played in Riyadh or Dubai. It loses its meaning. If FIBA and Euroleague Basketball want to develop basketball in those regions, there is no problem. But don’t let basketball develop those two days. It’s only about money.”