Next week, senior club leaders and secretary general Jordi Barthomeo will meet to decide whether the Euroleague will be back in action
Most of the foreigners returned to their home
Photo:
Alan Shaver
Today, May 22, was supposed to be a European basketball holiday. The four major continents were to convene at the industry summit conference at the Giant Hall in Cologne (20,000 seats) and hold the Euroleague's 19th Final Four.
But instead, big and small teams will claw their nails until Monday, when the 11 Euroleague teams will have a video call to decide if the 19/20 season ended in early March will return in early July.
As of the last meeting on April 23 of those 11 clubs (Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Basconia, Penerbachce and Anadolu Zero, CSKA, Milan, Zalgiris and Maccabi Tel Aviv), a clear majority was in the decision to end the season. However, the pressure exerted by the IMG entertainment company on the heads of the Euroleague to resume the games led to a postponement of the decision for the upcoming two (May 25).
IMG is the Euroleague Economic Company. Its revenues (sponsorship and broadcast rights) were sharply damaged due to the cessation of the games, and returning them would return some of the promised money. That is why she is pressuring the Euroleague leaders and teams not to close the league, and in the last month has been working to bring the games back.
The last two weeks have taken a turn. Faced with a return to routine in Italy, Spain and Israel, the Euroleague leaders have begun persuasive talks to resume the games. Of the 11 teams, CSKA Moscow and Milan oppose the resumption of the season. Panathinaikus is also in principle opposed to the decision to return to activity, and in Basconia expressed great doubts about a return.
Mizrahi and Barthomeo (right) // Photo: Alan Shiber
The Russian champion, who lost the group doctor who died of the corona virus in the past week, claimed they had no chance of returning the group to the format it had been before. This is due to the fact that the virus has massively erupted in Russia and the airports are closed for international flights until mid-July. CSKA players were released in early April and their return is highly questionable. In Milan, houses were in complete closure since the beginning of March, and do not see how it is possible to return to full game fitness.
The Spanish Barrier
Some season-ending suggestions will probably be raised at a meeting. So far, the 18 teams have been rallied in a specific city (Kovno and Belgrade the main candidate), and from July 4 there will be six remaining league rounds and then a playoff (to be spread over five to six days) using the Final 8. However, due to the possibility that some teams will not Be able to attend games, may be a smaller tournament.
Another problem that Euroleague will have to face is the season-ending tournament in the Spanish league from June 26 to July 10.
In April, Euroleague announced that "if there is a danger to a specific team or area, it will not play again." In the CSCA, Euroleague will make it clear that they are currently in a dangerous area, and it will not be easy to bend majority opinion against the will of the Russians.
In recent days, the Euroleague leaders were hit when several teams - Bilbao, Druschapeka and Ritas Vilnius - announced the departure of the Eurocup and joining the FIBA Champions League.
Those who will follow suit after this Monday's meeting are the top league leaders and league teams in Israel. Due to Maccabi Tel Aviv's announcement that it will play in the Euroleague if it is returned, the renewal of the Euroleague games will create serious problems, such as reducing the amounts for the league teams. "It would be a great tear if they renew the Euroleague," said one of the league leaders.