(KRO) Despite these unusual times, the Basketball Champions League has managed to get several high-profile teams to join the competition. In your opinion, what is the most attractive aspect BCL can offer to these teams?
I think this is a fair observation. You mentioned the three Turkish clubs have joined us as of the next season. We can also add clubs like Rytas, Bilbao, Limoges. [These are] teams that have demonstrated significant European experience over the last years. I believe that the Basketball Champions League, over the last four years, has gained a level of credibility as a competition that caters to the needs of all the clubs around Europe. Not just a handful of clubs, but an extended family of basketball. I think that has been well-understood and appreciated. That’s our philosophical standpoint and core value.
I think, also, we’ve demonstrated a certain level of financial stability and comfort that can be offered to the clubs playing in BCL. Especially in the time of crisis, like the one we’re facing, all of these elements come in to play. Let’s not forget that the Basketball Champions League is organized by FIBA. As the world’s governing body, I think FIBA, over the last months, has also been in a position to generate a level of comfort and confidence. I think the role of FIBA has been very clear. The role and the prospect of the Basketball Champions League have also gained significant traction.
As I said before, BCL has a proven track record, a level of credibility that might not have been in place a couple of years ago, and a concrete proposal about the future. During the time of crisis, this level of stability and financial security has come to play a big role. Participation of clubs like Daçka or Galatasaray, which have played in the EuroLeague a couple of seasons ago, also demonstrates stability and long-term vision that is possible via BCL.
(KRO) Financial stability, as you said, is one of the keys to the change we’ve been observing these days. This sense of stability comes down to the knowledge that in the next season, the total prize money will not change from what it was the previous season. What’s BCL’s long-term strategy towards prizes?
That’s a very good observation. I think during the times of crisis when everybody’s making significant reductions in prizes, we are in a position to guarantee the same level to all the clubs participating in the competition. In this case, the winner gets 1 million euros. All of our principles when it comes to prizes are based on results on the court. We believe that teams can control their destiny. They are aware that if they perform well on the court, there will be a significant prize to be earned.
When it comes to the long-term strategy, I think that at the end of the day, playing in Europe should provide only positive elements to a club. It should provide a good competitive environment for their players to shine, a good environment for promotion for their sponsors, significant financial benefits in comparison to their budget in case of winning the title. We wish that teams in BCL have successful and profitable seasons. I think that’s the part of the problem.
“A privilege, not a burden; a bonus, not a cost”
In basketball, over the past years, teams have been winning trophies and continuously losing large sums of money. That, in my mind, is not viable. You cannot keep spending, be the best but unable to cover your costs. I think our model, as I said before, caters to all these needs in a competitive environment. I think the type of competition and the teams we have guarantee that. We’re the number one club competition on social media with two and a half million followers. Any club when they go to their sponsors and fans can say, ‘Look, this is the environment we’re in.’ and this guarantees a level of exposure and promotion.
Being successful on the court will only bring positive results. Playing in Europe should be a privilege, not a burden; it should be a bonus, not a cost. When I see clubs like Real Madrid or Fenerbahce, the ones who have won the biggest prize in Europe, they lose close to 30 million. This does not make sense, at least in my eyes.
(KRO) There is one more point that intrigues me. In case a team that got invited wins it all next season, would they get 1 million euros of championship prize on top of the annual participation fee? Or are 1 million euros the biggest prize a team can get?
When it comes to the prize pool, that is allocated to 32 teams in BCL. All teams that start the regular season have 1/32 chance to win the competition. They all get the same prize. That is a total of 1 million euros if they win. During the time of COVID-19, we are able to maintain the same level of prize money. That sends a clear signal to the clubs.