It's the end of a funny period. For weeks, French basketball did not act on what it intended to do: definitively stop the 2020-2021 season or resume it in mid-June or, later still, in September. Finally, the National League signaled its final end without designating a champion. It now hopes to start the next exercise during the last weekend in September, as confirmed by its president Alain Béral.
French basketball will come back in September, can you confirm that?
ALAIN BERAL. Yes. It seemed to us that the best date to re-launch the championship was the last weekend of September. It is the best solution so that the players can have the time to prepare as best as possible and the deadline which is imposed on us in addition to be able to carry out all the competitions to completion and to finish before June 15, 2021 to allow the preparation of the Olympic Games.
How did you experience this funny period of confinement?
For you, it may have seemed strange because you were waiting for decisions from us concerning the rest of the season. Not for us: we were in a deep reflection which was not dependent on the pressures that we could have from the outside, including journalists. The decision I had to make was fundamental. We decided to proceed differently from the other leagues by creating, internally, a great democratic debate.
How? 'Or' What ?
We decided to set up working groups to bring up ideas, decisions according to the context which evolved every day to say at the end that it was a General Assembly which was going to decide and not only a steering committee. We went to the end of this reflection.
Basketball was however the last sport to say "Stop, we stop the season" ...
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Yes, but in other years, the prosecution at home gives its verdict late with the play-offs which end at the end of June. At the end of May, this time, we gave the final result. I decided that we were in no rush. We had to decide to clear all the counters of the discussions in progress before taking the fundamental decisions. We have done that, and I welcome it. Nothing was as urgent as we were told. The decisions to be made were too important.
Have you considered resuming the season?
Yes, we had this strong desire to finish in June-July or even in September. But it was not possible.
Are you afraid of the future that awaits French basketball?
Clearly not! We are fortunate to deserve what is happening to us. We have particularly worked on the economy of our clubs and none is in deficit, none! Our clubs are much more impact resistant than in other disciplines. We have no concerns, at this date, on the sustainability of our clubs. Nor from our League, moreover, which has never lost money for 9 years.
But clubs will have to cut their budgets ...
It will be very uneven according to the clubs. There will be a drop in sail before returning to a normal situation within two or three years. I asked the clubs to be vigilant to adapt: we will revive ourselves on lower criteria because we do not know the situation of private partners.
Where are you with future TV rights?
We are in discussion. RMC Sport, our broadcaster in recent seasons, is in the loop. He was a very good partner. We will have an answer before the end of June. There will be rights, French basketball will be broadcast next season but I have no more specific information to give on this matter.
Do you know which clubs will play the European Cups?
The National League has no control over the subject. The Euroleague and the Eurocoupe will invite the clubs they want as usual. In the Champions League, we know that Dijon is directly qualified, Strasbourg too. There is still one place in the main round and one in the preliminary round to be determined. The European League will decide very quickly. Not us.
You wanted a Jeep Elite at 16 clubs instead of 18 next season: the decision is postponed to what deadline?
Next season, we will have the same eighteen clubs in Jeep Elite as this season. We will review this position in February 2022, therefore for the 2023-2024 season and not before. Next year, there will be only two descents and two climbs.
One club, Blois, criticized your decision for a white season ...
Yes. Our vote was however very clear and democratic with a sovereign decision. Thirty-six expressed themselves, only one opposed. I can understand it because he was frustrated in his objectives ( Editor's note: Blois was in a position to ride in the Jeep Elite but remains in Pro B ). This does not authorize insults to men and the institution.
