By Mihalis Stefanou / info@eurohoops.net
Abu Dhabi is set to host the Final Four of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, according to Eurohoops sources.
The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders meeting on Tuesday placed the capital of the United Arab Emirates as the first city outside Europe to welcome the EuroLeague Final Four. Etihad Arena will be the venue for the collision of the top four teams of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.
Eleven out of the 13 votes were in favor of hosting rights going to Abu Dhabi. Olympiacos and Real Madrid were against arguing it is too early for such a decision, according to sources. The remaining shareholders, Anadolu Efes, Baskonia, CSKA, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich, Fenerbahce Beko, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, Panathinaikos Aktor and Zalgiris, delivered the 11 votes for Abu Dhabi.
The initial plan for one single city being awarded the hosting rights of the next three editions of the EuroLeague Final Four was countered by a new offer presented by IMG, doubling the financial gain projections for the event.
Belgrade Arena was another candidate for the next three installments of the Final Four.
The path to Abu Dhabi
With 12 out of 34 games played for each team participating in the Regular Season, action in Europe’s premier club continental competition is entering a two-game week with fixtures spread Tuesday through Friday. At the end of the 34-game double-legged round-robin schedule, the top six seeds will advance directly to the Playoffs and the next four teams will get a second opportunity in the Play-In Showdown. In the next stage, a best-of-five series in the Quarterfinals will decide the four teams moving to Abu Dhabi for the Final Four.
As announced by Euroleague Basketball before the start of the 2024-25 campaign, the Final Four will be held between May 23 and 25. Following the Semifinals taking place on Friday, May 23, the third-place game and the Final will be played on Sunday, May 25.