BCL teams supportive of the Final Eight decision

The Basketball Champions League has announced on Tuesday that its Board has taken the unanimous decision to resume and conclude the 2019-20 Season with the hosting of a Final Eight, single-game knock-out competition, to be held on September 30 – October 4, 2020.

After the announcement, many of the ten BCL teams still in play publicly voiced their support of the decision:

– Burak Gören, Türk Telekom Head Coach:

"BCL wants to continue the competition. This is a good thing. While doing this, they put health in the foreground, which is very important for us. BCL proposed a very serious and fast solution. They made their decisions in consultation with the clubs. They took action very quickly and put health in the foreground. They have shown that they care about the health of the society by putting the health of athletes, trainers, employees and fans in the forefront. So I thank them. Now, when the appropriate conditions are met, we will continue our path by doing our best."

– Makis Aggelopous, AEK Athens Owner (Sport FM):

"BCL showed that they took time immediately to face the situation. The health part was the first factor we took into account. Reliability is the second. We didn’t want a Final 4 or Final 8, just to do it, just to say we did it. We wanted to give the event a new boost."

"First of all, we just wanted to get out of the obligation. We wanted to do it right. To crown the champion. It would be easy for the competition to bring 4 teams together on an empty court some day and play 4 games. But this would not honor the event. It doesn’t fit in basketball. Once we do it, we must do it right. It obviously has its disadvantages. Us, AEK, we had probably the best roster in our history. In life, not the best, but the most adaptable wins. That’s why humans survived, and not the dinosaurs. ”

“The new investors of the competition agreed and welcomed the decision. You have the opportunity and ability to turn a problem into an opportunity, something they say in the United States. That is one of the reasons they invested. They think the institution will take off. The credit goes to those who run the event.”

"I don’t know any team that wants to move away from the competition and play for ECA competitions. I know exactly the opposite."

"The event has come very high so fast. It has gained a lot of credibility. The cornerstone of the strategy is the national championships. Participation in BCL it’s a bonus you get from the national championships. It has been appreciated in many countries."

– Félix Sancho, San Pablo Burgos President (EL CORREO):

“I am happy because it is something I have fought for. The season had to end as it was and we proposed a final eight on a date that, we think, is good. Today I spoke with Patrick Comninos -CEO of the championship – and he reminded me of the meeting we had in May in Madrid when we request the invitation for this season. So I already told him about our hope for hosting the Final Four and he was surprised, but now he gave me the reason”.

– Félix Hernández, Tenerife President (EL DIA):

“The BCL did not want to cancel the season, both because the champion would later play the Intercontinental and because of the prize distribution. The problem is to adjust the dates with the ACB matches if it also resumes. Hopefully there is that problem because that will mean that the hard part of the virus has passed.”

– Reynaldo Benito, Casademont Zaragoza President (EL HERALDO):

“The agreement reached to end the Champions League is positive news for Casademont, which has always maintained its stance of completing the entire season – also in the ACB League. Casademont remains a strong candidate for the continental title, although now with a much more arduous and winding journey. Delaying the decisive round to October is indeed a significant disservice, both from a sporting and financial point of view."