By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Nobody expected such a move from any club, no other EuroLeague club is expected to follow this model, at least in the near future, and the Israeli league has not reacted yet.
The only reaction so far came from an agent, the director of Octagon Europe George Dimitropoulos. As he wrote on Twitter: “Standing ovation to Maccabi and I hope that more clubs follow and especially EuroLeague. A 30-game regular season, contrary to 82 NBA games is nothing. They could raise the number of games to 50+ by adding more clubs and games. It’s a great product, narrowed to 15 home games per season. Expand it!
At the same time, it has become a necessity for the health and performance of the players to completely restructure games schedule. Playing one home and one away game means numerous lost traveling hours back and forth every time, more expenses and it’s a disaster for players’ bodies. It’s finally time for EuroLeague to follow the NBA. Every club could be going on a 10-day, or so, trip, play three to four away games, including weekends, regardless of local leagues schedules, then expect three or four clubs to visit at its home. They’d have their second teams playing in local leagues“.
It’s a bold opinion and it remains to be seen what other authorities will react publicly to Maccabi‘s plan.