Motiejunas evaluates Dubai's EuroLeague entry for next season, Serbian clubs future / News - Basketnews.com

EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas has affirmed that a team from Dubai may join the competition as early as the upcoming season.

There is a potential situation where the Dubai team might join the EuroLeague as early as next season. This was underlined in a recent interview on BasketNews Talks with EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade / Schedule

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade88-72 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade100-91 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet BelgradeThu19:30

Motiejunas also discussed the chances of Partizan and Crvena Zvezda securing long-term spots in the EuroLeague and the criteria for earning a place in the competition.

"We need to focus on two different aspects. One is the current clubs that are playing, their fans, and the competition they join. But the other part is that we have to have sustainable clubs. We have to get all together to the place where we come in and grow the market," shared Paulius Motiejunas on BasketNews Talks when asked about the standards that Partizan and Crvena Zvezda each must meet to stay in the EuroLeague on a potential long-term or at least a three-year wild card.

"This is the hardest part of being the EuroLeague CEO. It's impossible to make everyone happy. It's impossible to experience all the best places where basketball is played. And Belgrade is one of the best places, obviously. But we have to have numbers behind it and look at all the other clubs and markets growing," he added.

"It's tough to say what ticks all the boxes that make you get there. But firstly, what are we working on? What is the vision? What is the place where we're getting to? It has to be sustainable, long term, something that grows the market and the whole league, not only the one region," Motiejunas explained.

Motiejunas pointed out that Partizan and Crvena Zvezda are actively taking steps to earn trust and recognition, which works to their advantage.

"The competition and the level of teams they have is much higher. They know the league's rules much better because it's not the first year, and they're following the rules. They're definitely improving. But so are the other clubs," commented Motiejunas.

2-pointers this season

59%22,1Points made:22,1Accuracy:59,4%Place in standings:2Record max:30Record min:15Most made 2FGs:Kevin PunterTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

"You look at Virtus, who also have great fans and results. You look at Monaco. They have great sporting results. There are many teams that I would say deserve to be in the league. We cannot close the door to anyone. That's the difficult part. You can't have everyone. You can't make everyone happy. But we have to see what the criteria we create to leave the door open to anyone," Motiejunas concluded.

He assured the Adriatic League champions will secure a spot in the EuroLeague for the 2024-25 season.

"Currently, the deal is that the champion of the ABA League plays [in the EuroLeague]. It has not been changed," confirmed Motiejunas.

"Depending on which other options we have in the entire Europe and EuroLeague, with the champion of Eurocup and the runner-up, we will sit down and discuss," he explained regarding the possibility of having two Serbian teams in the league.

Recently, the newly elected president of Besiktas, Hasan Arat, expressed his intention to propose an ambitious project for the wild card entry to the EuroLeague.

While Motiejunas refrained from disclosing specific non-EuroLeague clubs interested in joining the competition, he did acknowledge substantial interest from numerous teams.

He emphasized that meeting primary criteria is crucial for any potential wild card holder.

"My criteria is always simple: you have to show sustainable results. I don't like these sugar daddy projects when somebody comes in and says, 'Now we're going to invest millions, we want to play in the EuroLeague, and we want to win it.' It can't be solely based on sporting results and overspending," said Motiejunas.

"I had this mentality from previous CEOs, and I supported this. We have EuroCup, the second-tier competition. So, if you want to prove yourself, play EuroCup. Then, get relegated, return, and show good results for 3-5 years. That shows long-term interest. It's not about the money and how much you pay. But it's about how committed you can be even if you're unsuccessful as an owner. Many of those rich guys put the money in, have bad results, and they say it doesn't make sense because they don't take us in," recalled Motiejunas.

"The second part, how do you grow the league? We always keep saying that France, Germany, and the UK are the key markets we want to grow. We need to focus on the markets and the potential that the new team could bring to the league," he concluded.

Team Status FC Barcelona Shareholder Real Madrid Shareholder Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz Shareholder EA7 Emporio Armani Milan Shareholder Anadolu Efes Istanbul Shareholder Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul Shareholder Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv Shareholder Zalgiris Kaunas Shareholder FC Bayern Munich Shareholder LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne Shareholder Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens Shareholder Olympiacos Piraeus Shareholder AS Monaco EuroCup winners in the playoffs ALBA Berlin 1-year wild card Virtus Segafredo Bologna 1-year wild card Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 1-year wild card Crvena Zvezda Meridian Bet Belgrade 1-year wild card Valencia Basket 1-year wild card

Dubai has been engaged in detailed discussions with the EuroLeague regarding possibly joining the competition.

The potential of the Middle-East market holds great desire for the EuroLeague.

According to BasketNews sources, the Dubai team is prepared to assemble a team for the 2024-25 season if the project receives approval from EuroLeague shareholders.

"It's difficult to set the timetable and time frame," Motiejunas admitted, refusing to specify whether Dubai's team could enter the EuroLeague in the upcoming season or in the 2025-26 campaign.

"It's something that we, as the league, never did before. It's a completely new market. I always say that discussions are ongoing. We're taking small steps forward. But when we'll be able to say the deal is done and we're ready to go? We don't know," admitted Motiejunas.

"It can be fast, it can be slow. The process is ongoing and promising because when I mentioned two parts, one part is that we can open a completely new market, a new sphere which is very encouraging and motivating to look at. Whether we'll be able to do it, I don't know, but it's good to analyze it," he added.

What are the odds of Dubai joining the EuroLeague within the next ten months?

"The percentage? 50/50?" Motiejunas replied in an interview on BasketNews Talks.

"But when I say this, I say with full openness. I have never been in this process. We, as the league, have never been in this process. Whenever you think it's the last page you open for a discussion, you open another page and see there are another 20 points to discuss. I don't want to commit, and I don't want people to take me for granted, saying it's 50/50 and thinking it's a big chance they will play next year," said Motiejunas.

Per BasketNews sources, proposals for the Dubai project involve thirteen EuroLeague shareholder teams receiving €1M each for five consecutive seasons.

In an interview with Sergio Vegas, former EuroLeague CEO, and founder Jordi Bertomeu expressed concerns about the potential risks of inflation if Dubai joins the league, along with the challenge of a 3-4 hour time difference, suggesting that EuroLeague's focus should be on expanding to Paris and London instead of Dubai.

"We're completely aware of the risks," Motiejunas responded to Bertomeu's perspective. "The risk is not Dubai. The risk is that we have teams that spend too much money."

"I keep saying that we need to be sustainable. We need to spend as much as we make. We can't waste money and throw it through the window just for sporting results. This is what we were talking about with the clubs. We all have to be on the same page. Dubai, if they come, they won't change it. Because the problem still exists, and we have to solve it with or without them. This is what we are working on," he explained.

"The Fair Play regulations are implemented, and we continue decreasing the input that owners can make. We're talking not about the salary cap but something similar to controlling what clubs are spending on the players. The steps have already been taken, and it has no connection with Dubai. It has to be done one way or another, whether they're in or out," said Motiejunas.

"But when I talk about Dubai, and you mention numbers, we can't comment. As EuroLeague management, we care more about what potential it brings to open up that market. We're not looking for fish. We're getting a fishing rod where we can go and look for new sponsors. Old sponsors can show themselves in a completely new market. That's the potential that drives me the most to explore the market," spotlighted Motiejunas.

He also disclosed that it is possible to introduce the financial regulations project as early as this season and implement it in the coming years.

"Quite soon," Motiejunas responded when asked when EuroLeague's salary cap project would take effect. "I wish we would do it this year, just to approve the guidance, so everybody knows the direction we're going to."

"It's not going to be called a salary cap, but the regulations on how much the clubs spend. It's been ongoing for 2-3 years, so we have a project, and the project is discussed. We need to put everyone on the same page. The clubs will vote, but I'm pretty sure we should get it approved. I'm optimistic about it."

Full BN Talks episode with EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas:

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