{"id":153666,"date":"2020-06-21T10:02:26","date_gmt":"2020-06-21T08:02:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/?p=153666"},"modified":"2020-06-21T17:14:40","modified_gmt":"2020-06-21T15:14:40","slug":"were-here-to-stay-bcls-past-present-and-future-in-an-exclusive-interview-with-patrick-comninos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/were-here-to-stay-bcls-past-present-and-future-in-an-exclusive-interview-with-patrick-comninos\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe\u2019re here to stay\u201d: BCL\u2019s past, present and future in an exclusive interview with Patrick Comninos"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the history of this strange summer for European basketball has undoubtedly been the rise of Basketball Champions League<\/strong>, able to convince more and more clubs to join its ranks and prefer the FIBA-led competition to Eurocup and eventually Euroleague. Since its launch in August 2016, the man at the helm has been Patrick Comninos<\/strong>, a Greek manager who has also served as Athens 2004\u2019s Director of Football, CEO for Greece\u2019s football Superleague and Head of Club Operations for UEFA.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, Mr Comninos has spoken at length with Sportando, discussing a wide range of topics related to the Basketball Champions League vision for European club competition.<\/p>\n

The conversation is hereby presented into chapter, to facilitate its reading.<\/p>\n

Part I (page 2) -> A lookback on BCL\u2019s first 4 seasons and the Leagues role in shaping the competition.<\/i><\/p>\n

Part II (page 3) -> The Multi-year agreements with clubs based on sporting criteria<\/i><\/p>\n

Part III (page 4) -> The plans for current and next season, and the importance of Qualification Rounds<\/i><\/p>\n

Part IV (page 5) -> Variety and continuity of teams<\/i><\/p>\n

Part V (page 6) -> Chances for investments and the importance of Social Media<\/i><\/p>\n

Part VI (page 7) -> Short, middle and long term vision for BCL.<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What sentence would you choose to sum-up these firsts Basketball Champions League seasons?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trying to build a new model for European club competitions. We acknowledge that it is a marathon and not a sprint, we know that it will take a long time to bring BCL to the level we would like to reach, although we are happy with the progress that has been made these firsts seasons, and more importantly we are very pleased with the reactions we are receiving from clubs across Europe towards our initiatives. <\/i><\/p>\n

We have also received a vote of confidence from the markets, following the entry of our new American investors. All of this, if I can summarize it, falls into the approach that we have about proposing a new model where FIBA and National Leagues work hand-in-hand to provide a model that allows clubs to have a long-term plan and vision, with a level of certainty.<\/i><\/p>\n

We acknowledge that basketball is not played by 10 or 11 clubs in Europe, but by hundreds of clubs, and we provide this sort of guidance and support to all of them.<\/i><\/p>\n

What role does the Leagues play in shaping the competition? Does they provide some feedback on which clubs may be suitable or interesting to the project?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have a really good collaboration with the Leagues, there is a joint-venture between FIBA and them, and they represent 50% of our Board: they are an integral part. We have continued discussions with all the Leagues and they have direct communications with all the clubs, they inform them about the Rankings, about how many places a League is entitled to have in the competition. <\/i><\/p>\n

They don\u2019t necessarily guide the clubs towards BCL: I don\u2019t think it is a League job to do it, I think that a League\u2019s responsibility is to inform the clubs about what\u2019s happening in European basketball and about the different options they may have.<\/i><\/p>\n

The pre-requisite to participate is the successful domestic league result, but our choice is specific and perhaps limited when it comes down to selecting the teams. This year is quite unique and exceptional: the standard process is that we look at the clubs who are interested and have applied to the BCL, we look at their rankings and we choose who to register for our competition.<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Could you explain the process with which you choose the clubs you propose a\u00a0multi-year<\/em> agreement<\/em> to be part of BCL?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is something that has been of structural relevance to the BCL, when we try to link the sporting results with the level of certainty all clubs wish to have. One of the first observations that I made when I entered my position, was that so many GM and Sporting Directors around Europe were telling me that they could only plan until June: \u201cWe have no idea what will going to happen beyond that (…) We have no idea which competitions we will be playing (…) We have no idea what our budget will be\u201d. <\/i><\/p>\n

To me this was dangerous in order to develop clubs\u2019 viability and sustainability. When I said at the beginning that we try to propose a new model, what we\u2019re trying to do is maintain our core principle -Sporting Results is the only aspect that matters in the Basketball Champions League- and combining this with the necessary certainty that clubs require. <\/i><\/p>\n

In an ideal world, agreements would be made directly with the Leagues, as far as the Leagues were able to guarantee to us the 1st, the 2nd, the 3rd position in the ranking, then we would know that we\u2019d be in a position to have the best performers. Unfortunately, the current structure of European Basketball does not allow this. Inevitably, we have to go to establish direct agreements with certain clubs, and these are long-term agreements made to provide each side with certainty and stability. <\/i><\/p>\n

The clubs now knows that as long as they performs at the highest level in their domestic competition, they will always have a place in the Basketball Champions League. And on our side we know that if these clubs perform well, they will always choose BCL as the competition in which they participate. It is a mutually beneficial agreement, that allows both sides to have long-term plans. A lot of discussions have been made on this topic, but it is nothing new: we have had this agreement with Bamberg now for three seasons, so it\u2019s nothing entirely new and it is linked to the clubs performing well domestically.<\/i><\/p>\n

What does happen if a team on an\u00a0<\/strong>agreement does not comply with the sporting criteria in one of the seasons? Does this team have its agreement ‘on hold’ or the season is considered as ‘lost’?<\/b><\/p>\n

This is a point that enters into the core of each different agreement, and not all agreements are similar. Based on the depth of each League, there is a baseline of results which must be kept by clubs to participate in BCL. <\/i><\/p>\n

The bottom line is that if one year the club does not perform well, they won\u2019t be in a position to participate in BCL and that year is included in the agreement, which does not automatically extend.<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Do you have a timetable on when to announce the teams for next seasons, but also the location of the Final Eight to end the current one?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are in this unique condition in which we are planning a new season while at the same time planning the conclusion of the current season. More concretely, as far as the conclusion of the 2019-2020 season we will be having a Final Eight for the competition in the first week of October, and over the next two weeks<\/i> [the interview was taped on Thursday, June 18] we will announcing the city that will host the event. <\/i><\/p>\n

In parallel to this, we are planning the 2020-2021 season, and we had the first step on June 5th, which was the deadline to send the application to participate. We\u2019ve received more than 60 applications from almost 30 countries of clubs interested to participate in BCL. The next step is on the board, the BCL board, to meet and to approve the 44 clubs that will play in next season\u2019s competition, and that will take place on July 2nd. <\/i><\/p>\n

As of July 2nd or 3rd, we will communicate the total of teams that will be play into the competition, those who will go directly into the Regular Season and those who will play the Qualification Rounds. Group and Qualification Round draws will be scheduled for the middle of July.<\/i><\/p>\n

Do you have a general idea of how Qualification Rounds will shape this year, given new timetables for domestic leagues due to COVID-19?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are in the process of defining this, taking into consideration the limited time that may be available to us. We are identifying the best solutions to do this, and all this will be discussed at the upcoming board. If you want my estimation, is that we will be looking again at 2 Qualification Rounds, same as last year.<\/i><\/p>\n

How is important to BCL the idea of having teams qualifying through Qualification Rounds, given the successful history of realities like Antwerp or Murcia?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would say that Qualification Rounds are paramount, essentials and part of our DNA. When we spoke about the new model, it is one that in our view promotes organic growth of basketball in Europe. We need clubs that are able to sustain themselves, and to grow the market share of basketball independently. <\/i><\/p>\n

We can not rely on football money, on government money, we need clubs that produce money or market share\u00a0on their own. We need to have a true pan-European footprint and representation in Basketball Champions League. In order for us to be able to promote and to develop, we need clubs that have earned their opportunity to participate in BCL to do so. <\/i><\/p>\n

We are very inclusive: any club that wins the championship in its own country has the opportunity to participate in BCL, whether directly or via the Qualification Rounds, and this is where the Cinderella Stories takes place. <\/i><\/p>\n

Last year we\u2019ve had Falco Szombathely from Hungary, they allowed us to put basketball in the front pages of Hungarian media; you mentioned Antwerp, who from the Qualification Round went on to play and organize a Final Four; in the past we\u2019ve had teams like Swiss champions Fribourg. We want this to always be an opportunity for the club, it is part of our philosophy: if a team performs well in its domestic league, they should be given the opportunity to have an European season.<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If I look at the history of Basketball\u00a0Champions League, \u00a0fewer and fewer clubs each year decide to leave BCL and opt to stay-in. What does it mean for the future of the competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many have chosen to remain in Basketball Champions\u00a0League and recently we have seen that many have chosen to make BCL their new home. For us this is an important validation of the work we are doing. My personal opinion, going back to the initial question, is that the new model proposed and developed by the Basketball Champions League has become very attractive to the clubs.<\/i><\/p>\n

It has become a competition of very high standards, with clubs that are very keen to participate just for the sheer sporting aspect of it; clubs are very well promoted, we are the number 1 competition in Europe on Social Media with 2.5M followers, so clubs know that we can give the best possible promotion. Every year we have numerous players that transfer to Euroleague teams, so they are also seen the competition as a great promotional environment to make steps further in their career. <\/i><\/p>\n

I think our model is one that allows clubs to view European participation as a bonus, as an additional benefit, and not as a burden. We have seen a lot of clubs, in the last years, that have pursued the dream of playing in the Euroleague, but by not having the opportunity to play there regularly they can go one year and they have a chance to repeat that performance but then has become somewhat of a financial burden for clubs.<\/i><\/p>\n

I think that BCL is proposing a model that clubs feel there is a competitive balance: nobody knows at the beginning of the season who is going to win, we have done three Final Fours and you can see the diversity of the teams that have played those. In sport I think everybody is seeing that BCL is proposing a financial model that rewards clubs for their participation: winning \u20ac1M for becoming champion is a significant proportion of the budgets of most clubs.<\/i><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t push clubs to have a minimum budget that can push them into debt in order to participate in our competition, and to summarize I can say, at the end, that BCL is chosen by clubs that do take financial planning into consideration, that do not have automatic support from a larger football club, or that do not have a government backing providing a sort of safety net. These are clubs that are providing and developing a proper business approach, and therefore BCL comes to respond to these questions and to propose a model that all clubs participating can see a financial growth.<\/i><\/p>\n

Italy will be represented next season by three teams very different one from the other. What do you think of such a variety of participants?<\/strong><\/p>\n

What we have seeing with BCL is that because we reward clubs for their results, we have a variety of participants in our competition. In the past we\u2019ve had Orlandina, Varese, Venezia, Bologna, Avellino. In Italy alone we\u2019ve had almost 10 different clubs <\/i>[they\u2019re 8, including Sassari, Brindisi and next year\u2019s debutant Fortitudo].<\/i><\/p>\n

For us this is part of our vision, to embrace as many clubs as possible and to offer them opportunity to participate in BCL. We are about to enter our 5th edition, and we will have worked with more than 130 clubs from 37 countries in just 5 seasons. That for us is quite important, going back to what we said about the role of leagues and FIBA, this goes to say that all these clubs have been touching and influencing the competition. <\/i><\/p>\n

They would have come to our offices, participate in our workshop, received the club manual, they will have grown from their participation to BCL. For us this is what matters the most, to have this model that becomes attractive and relevant to as many clubs as possible around Europe. <\/i><\/p>\n

The diversity of these clubs varies considerably. Sassari is a different story in these recent years as Brindisi, Fortitudo has a different story in the last 20 years: each club has its own identity but what I believe BCL does rather well is to try to put together all these different identities, even from the same country, in order to have a plurality of representatives.<\/i><\/p>\n

Signing or agreeing to multi-year agreements with clubs could shrink the variety of clubs from some countries?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taking into consideration that each club participating in Basketball Champions League needs to perform well in the domestic competition, they cannot perform well at the same year. The one who perform well will have the opportunity to participate, the other maybe will have to wait one more season. <\/i><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t see this as a problem: I think you may see some familiar faces over the years, but that will only mean that some clubs have benefitted from this model that allows them to plan and to be consistent and they have generated revenues and promotion by being involved in BCL. They continue to perform well, and they continue to return to BCL. I don\u2019t think that the variety will stop.<\/i><\/p>\n

In Italy we will have a new team next season, one with an impressive fan base: Fortitudo has been absent from Europe for a number of years; we have a club coming for a second year in Brindisi and another that has been in our environment for the past 4-5 years in Sassari. I think at the end that for as long a club performs well you will continue to see them.<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Would BCL and FIBA create a structure to incentivize or finance new infrastructure investments?<\/strong><\/p>\n

To be very honest, my initial reaction would be that as a sport organizing body we make sure that the competition is organized at the best possible conditions. The burden and the responsibility that these conditions are up to those standards should rests on the users of an arena. I think it is a delicate slope if the organizer of a competition starts to directly finance and construct buildings and infrastructures.<\/i><\/p>\n

There are certain cases in which clubs participate in arena they don\u2019t own, and therefore they would be less privileged than the ones who may have their own arena and suddenly the governing body start financing them. FIBA, or the BCL or all organizing bodies are not directly contributing for the improvement of infrastructure. <\/i><\/p>\n

What we do, though, is setting standards of what infrastructures should be: if a team is building a new venue, we will always guide them at the best ways to do it, FIBA here has an Equipment and Venue center, we can provide them a lot of support. We will not finance, but we can guide.<\/i><\/p>\n

How it is important to BCL invest heavily on Social Media to attract new viewers and fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I think this goes without saying. A competition is organized so that the fans can benefit, can enjoy it, so that the commercial value of the property increases. For us Social Media and the overall Digital footprint is essential, I think in today\u2019s world you can\u2019t have any brand that does not have a direct link to its fan base or follower base.<\/i><\/p>\n

In our case these are the fans that love basketball, are passionate about players and their club, they want to see the preparation to the game and the post game content. For us, one of the key message that we want to pass, when we start the competition, is that the game of basketball does not just last 40 minutes, or an hour and a half if you speak of actual time. That is not the way to attract more fans, to grow the media interest and the overall commercial value.<\/i><\/p>\n

This happens when you are in a position to promote the game before, creating anticipation one or two days before, and also providing content, informations, discussion after the event. This is where we are very pleased, when we see fans\u2019 social engagement in the digital world, that highlights the interest of the public to follow the Basketball Champions League and what we are doing beyond the final buzzer.<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How do you see Basketball Champions League in the short, middle and long term?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Short term is where we are at now. These first 4 years were part of our short-term planning, which was all about establishing BCL, informing the public that this competition exist, collaborating and sharing our values with clubs: I think that our short-term plan has been well executed, in the sense that we now have the level of credibility that we wished for, I think there is no question in people\u2019s minds that BCL is here to stay. <\/i><\/p>\n

Now you are talking to us of short-middle-long term planning, but when I had similar discussions four years ago the question was whether BCL would still be alive in 3-4 years, because in the past there has been a lot of changes in the format and in the landscape of European clubs competition. The first and clear message that goes out after our short-term plan which was to establish BCL is that this is a competition that is here to stay, and nobody doubts this anymore.<\/i><\/p>\n

I think from now on our mid-term planning is about confirming the credibility that has been earned by BCL, making certain that the clubs they have taken the initiative to join BCL family are enjoying their experience and seeing value in the participation. I\u2019ll give you one example: we\u2019ve always had a lot of applications from Italy, but from arguably the most important league in Europe -Spain- we\u2019ve had just one Spanish club interested and applying in season 1 of the competition, that was Iberostar Tenerife. <\/i><\/p>\n

This year, in lieu of season 5, we\u2019ve had admission forms and interest from eight different Spanish clubs. And that to us is a very important message, because these are clubs that have been used to play at the highest level, and who now have identified BCL as a competition that meets those high demands they have had. The fact that we now have in the competition the team that were 3rd, 4th and 5th before the ACB had to stop the season <\/i>[those teams are, respectively, Zaragoza, Bilbao and Tenerife] represent an important benchmark for us. The mid-term is all about solidify this credibility, reinforcing the benefits that have becoming evident following the partnership of BCL with the American investors. <\/i><\/p>\n

The long-term vision is all about the role BCL can play in the greater FIBA strategy about growing clubs competition around the world. We are very young, but the oldest of the recent clubs competitions FIBA has re-launched. Last year we launched BCL Americas, our little cousin in Latin America, and we signed the partnership with the NBA for BAL, the Basketball Africa League, and we launched the FIBA Intercontinental Cup as a mini-tournament for teams from different continental championships could participate. <\/i><\/p>\n

All that is a very clear and well defined long term vision that FIBA has about the growth of club competitions around the world, and we want to seek the role, the leadership and the guiding force that Basketball Champions League can be in this global strategy.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Basketball Champions League\u2019s CEO has spoken at length about the current affairs of the FIBA-run competition, its first four seasons and its future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":158,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_spbk_hide_featured":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[195,1707],"tags":[1689,7745,1290],"rumors":[],"typology":[],"posizionamento":[],"class_list":["post-153666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-basketball-champions-league","category-development-en","tag-basketball-champions-league","tag-patrick-comninos-en","tag-sportando-scoop-en"],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cWe\u2019re here to stay\u201d: BCL\u2019s past, present and future in an exclusive interview with Patrick Comninos - 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