The Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The clubs and domestic leagues that are registered to participate in the 2016-17 7DAYS EuroCup met on Friday in Barcelona at the competition’s General Assembly to discuss the current situation in European basketball and to learn further details about future development plans concerning European club competitions.
The meeting was also attended by four clubs from the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague – Fenerbahce Istanbul, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Olympiacos Piraeus and Real Madrid – who, together with Euroleague Basketball executives, explained recent developments in discussions with FIBA and other European institutions regarding the organisation of the continent’s club basketball competitions. The ACB, Adriatic League and United Basketball League took part in the General Assembly as well as in the Board meeting that was held immediately before.
All clubs and domestic leagues present reaffirmed their commitment to the existing model of club-managed competitions. The model features a compact and unified group of 40 clubs forming the premier continental competitions in European club basketball, which are managed and commercialised in an integrated manner within the IMG/Euroleague Basketball Joint Venture that was created earlier this year.
Euroleague Basketball executives explained potential future EuroLeague expansion and access, with integration and unity across both premier competitions always remaining a cornerstone.
Attendees expressed their regret about the renouncement of three previously registered teams – AEK Athens, Partizan NIS Belgrade, Stelmet Zielona Gora – due to the pressures and threats they received from FIBA and National Federations, as communicated to Euroleague Basketball. The clubs decided that Euroleague Basketball executives will review candidate clubs to fill the vacancies with a view to completing the roster of teams that will be set to start the 7DAYS EuroCup on October 12.