By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Since the premature reports about Dubai’s interest in entering the EuroLeague and the present day, almost one and a half year has passed with little or no progress in the talks. You can argue that this is a huge step that needs time and long discussions, however, on the other side, time might not be on EuroLeague’s side.
Since then, Dubai’s only move towards Europe has been the addition of a U19 team in the ABA junior tournament and last season’s visit of the EuroLeague’s shareholders in the Arabic country. You can also argue that since the first reports, the EuroLeague has changed two CEOs and a war in Israel erupted.
Still, while those are two undeniable facts, the NBA has already a partnership with neighboring Abu Dhabi and FIBA has awarded the 2027 World Cup to Qatar. There’s interest in sports and in this case basketball in the region, the negotiations would not be easy but so far it’s questionable if they have even started on a practical basis.
Current CEO Paulius Motiejunas, when he still was the GM of Zalgiris talked to Eurohoops on the issue and his response was positive. It goes without question that Dubai has resources that permit the project to get into motion, a team can be created even from scratch and a state-of-the-art arena is available as you can see in the photo, from the first-ever basketball game held in the Coca-Cola Arena back in 2019.
And Dubai really wants to discuss this opportunity with the EuroLeague. So what makes the EuroLeague’s side so reluctant to proceed even to meaningful talks on the issue?
That’s one of the challenges the new CEO and president Dejan Bodiroga have to face and the key to the issue, finding a consensus between all clubs0/shareholders and making them proceed.
It’s not necessarily the EuroLeague’s fault that the NBA has made unthinkable financial leaps during the last 30 years, creating such a huge distance in the sports business aspect between the two leagues that realistically can’t be reduced any time soon.
After all, when the basis for this landscape was created back in the 90s, the EuroLeague didn’t even exist.
However, this time around, things are different, the EuroLeague clubs are deciding for themselves and they seem reluctant to follow a direction that all the other major players in world basketball are moving towards.
So if they lose this opportunity, they can only blame themselves.