Komninos: “We sit at the same table with the EuroLeague and look at a range of issues with a holistic mindset”

The importance of the direct correlation of national championships with European competitions was underscored when Basketball Champions League CEO Patrick Komninos, who competed in the established competitions, was asked about his vision Round table with journalists on the sidelines of the Final Four of the event, which will be held in Malaga this year. In addition, Mr. Komninos referred to the ongoing talks with the EuroLeague and emphasized thisThere is a noticeable improvement in communication between both sides.

For this year’s BCL and Final Four standings: “It shows the great level of performance this season in the BCL. We knew in advance that this year we were going to have the most competitive season in the history of the competition. Two teams from the top 5 of the ACB, the most competitive team in Europe, reached the Final Four and even were opponents in the Copa del Rey final. Also, Bonn is a team with an important track record of their own as they are at the top of the German league, while we also had Hapoel, the second best team in Israel. The semifinals showed this high level of competition with an overall difference of 3 points in both games. We are very happy about that.”

Regarding money redistribution considerations: “It’s a pillar of our thinking that every game counts in this tournament.” We’re in a competitive environment where outstanding teams should be rewarded, but all teams should benefit. We should take into account that apart from the prize money, we also cover other expenses for the teams. Our approach was clear from the start that no team should suffer in European competition. It must be a very important and valuable experience. And if successful, the corresponding price should be offered. When you play and win, there has to be a monetary reward that affects the team budget… And in our teams, the money we give out affects their budget.”

For the organization of the Final Four at a neutral location: “Last year in Bilbao, in the same meeting, I had also expressed my commitment to the idea of ​​organizing the Final Four in a neutral stadium.” The neutral ground is always something we want to keep an eye on and take into account. It’s an important part of our strategy. However, we will only do it when it makes sense. We will not take a neutral place if we cannot guarantee the level of organization and commitment of local authorities and society. We had a lot of opportunities this year, but none of them made us feel like we could actually go there. In Malaga, the authorities have embraced us, they have been organizing many big events for years and it is a sports destination.”

For the message that Bonn is sending with its participation in the final this year: “Bonn represents our principles and our beliefs as BCL. Participation must be earned through national championships. The BCL is a competition where it’s almost impossible to predict who will be fighting for the trophy at the end. Bonn is proof that a good team can reach the final in the BCL. Your participation in the game that will decide the winner of the event allows us to show that there is a great opportunity. Bonn represents our principles and conveys the message we want to send.”

For youth BCL: “Youth BCL was a great success in Bursa. It was a wish of the teams to establish such a tournament. It’s part of our strategy. We want it to grow. Everything we do is an afterthought and we give ourselves time to think before making a decision. We don’t make decisions lightly. The Youth BCL remains very important to us and we expect it to remain important in the coming seasons.”

On talks with the EuroLeague: “We always have in mind to find solutions for European basketball. It is widely believed that there is a gap between teams’ popularity and their commercial value. This connects us. We sit at a table and look at different topics with a holistic attitude. Not bit by bit. We will have a clear position in the future and will not have to react to rumours. There is a great improvement in communication. The fact that there is uncertainty in the landscape of European competitions plays a role in the commercial value of teams and competitions.”

For the BCL format: “We will always keep in mind that the format should not change overnight. A format needs time to be evaluated and not judged in a year. For next season we will continue with the same format and then conclude three years with the same way of running the event. Once next season is over we will have an evaluation with the clubs and the relevant committee, which has representatives from all sorts of markets, big and small leagues. We collect data from the teams from the channels, from everyone. There is no perfect format. There are always things that you can change or that you don’t like. In a year we will have more information and discuss it.”

How he envisions the landscape of European basketball in two years’ time: “What we want and demand is the best structure in the competitions.” With transparency and clarity so that we can address the fans clearly. We want there to be respect in the national championships. For us it is clear that the national leagues, the national teams and the entire basketball family must be respected.

We also need to set the number of European competitions. Now we have four competitions. We have many teams from certain countries that take part in European competitions. That’s not ideal. It doesn’t represent what we want. In other competitions we even have teams that move up from lower categories and immediately play in a European competition. The national championships have to be directly linked to the clarity we want to create and the European participation that goes from the sporting level to the national championship.

And in the end we have to ensure that there can be economic growth. Investment comes when there is hope. I hope you win something. We want to grow the market and our efforts in this direction will bear fruit.”