For a second consecutive season, head coaches from the 7DAYS EuroCup wrapped up the first week of the EB Institute Annual Workshops by spending two days together learning about and giving their input on the competition's plans moving forward into the 2019-20 season and beyond.

The 24 teams from 15 countries that are registered for the next EuroCup season represent a geographical expansion that will bring the growing quality of the competition to more and more fans.

"We're extremely happy to welcome all the EuroCup head coaches to our headquarters, not only to show them what we have all achieved but also to present our projects for the season to come and, most importantly, to listen to them," said Jordi Bertomeu, President and CEO of Euroleague Basketball said. "I feel very proud of the list of teams that will participate in the 2019-20 EuroCup, representing 15 different countries and forming one of the strongest group of teams in competition history."

On Thursday, many of the coaches had a first opportunity to hear about the Euroleague Basketball business structure, to understand the finances at the league and club level, and to be briefed on ticketing best practices. A review of the 2018-19 EuroCup season included updates on across-the-board growth in attendance, viewership and reach of television broadcasts, as well as double-digit increases in visits, page views and visit duration on the competition's official website, EuroCupbasketball.com. The coaches were also informed of potential changes in the near future to the avenues of access to the EuroLeague for EuroCup teams.

"For us, the coaches, the business side of basketball is becoming as important as what happens on the court. We are open to innovations and new ideas that can improve the game of basketball," Selcuk Ernak of Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul said. "That the organization shares its knowledge with us and asks for our opinion is very useful. We have to do all we can to take our clubs and ourselves to better levels."

"I have been to many of these meetings in the past, but what makes this one different from all other is the approach, more business-oriented, more American-style, who are the best in this business," Alfred Julbe of Limoges CSP. "It is really good to have this approach and to link sports with business and marketing."

Among the information directly affecting their teams, the coaches were presented a study, produced by the Euroleague Basketball Medical Officer, of injuries and illnesses in the EuroCup last season. The data was broken down by amounts of injuries; how often they happen in certain months, on certain days, in what quarters of games; whether guards, forwards or centers suffer more of them; whether they were more frequent in games or practices; and which body parts were hurt more, among other factors.

On Friday, the EuroCup coaches again met with the Euroleague Basketball Officiating Department to hear about upcoming changes in the game rules and to discuss on-court game situations. The eight-hour sit-down with Richard Stokes, Euroleague Basketball's Senior Director of Officiating, served the vital purpose of reaching an understanding of how to make EuroCup games better for both the protagonists and fans.

"The EuroCup is a strong competition. It is hard to play against so many good teams. The organization is getting better and better, in all aspects, and meetings like this prove it," UNICS Kazan coach Dimitris Priftis of UNICS Kazan said. "Regarding the game, it is also more and more interesting for fans. Hopefully, it will be even better next season."

EuroCup coaches close first week of EB Institute Annual Workshops

A day after their players got the two-week EB Institute Annual Workshops started, Turkish Airlines EuroLeague head coaches took the stage at the Euroleague Basketball headquarters on Tuesday and Wednesday to make their all-important contribution to preparations for the upcoming 2019-20 season and beyond.

As always, the coaches engaged in spirited discussions with Euroleague Basketball executives about all aspects of the competition that could help them in their jobs. The opportunity to have their voices heard – on everything from officiating and game rules to the economics of the league and media relations – was the perfect catalyst for a wide-ranging conversation directed at taking the EuroLeague's drama and competitiveness to more and more fans.

Among many topics that coaches were briefed on was Euroleague Basketball's future plans for access to the competition; aspects of the Financial Stability and Financial Fair Play Regulations that affect them and their clubs; existing avenues of communication for addressing officiating issues; and the medical services aimed at optimizing the care options available to players, coaches and other club employees through the Euroleague Basketball medical officer.

"It's my first time, and for me, a new concept, very interesting," Zvezdan Mitrovic of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, one of the newcomers in a league expansion that will see 18 teams tip off the new season in early October. "Talking about budgets and things that aren't strictly for the coaches is very interesting. It made a big impression on me."

Among the features of this year's meeting was an extended media training session hosted by Fiona Cotterill, director of AlFiMedia, who discussed with the coaches various aspects, pros and cons, of dealing with journalists on a consistent basis.

"It's an obligation, but it's also an opportunity," Ms. Cotterill said. "Don't be afraid to take some control over what you want to talk about. You'd be surprised how often you can do that."

As part of the training session, the coaches engaged in a role reversal by sitting as journalists in a press conference situation and asking questions of their peers on the stage in order to then discuss best practices in how to connect with fans through the media.

"The media training was very positive," Ioannis Sfairopoulos of Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv said. "It was the first time that we did something like that, and it's big progress, I believe. It helps us to think about the details of our cooperation and communication with the media. Although we are experienced in facing the media before, during and after games, we now have a better view of how we need to control ourselves and how to understand that media is part of our job. We need to communicate and find ways to cooperate to do our best for the good of the sport."

On Wednesday, the coaches held an all-day exchange with the Euroleague Basketball officiating department to hear about upcoming changes in the game rules and discuss on-court game situations.

"The important thing is that the officiating department has its ears and eyes open," CSKA Moscow head coach Dimitris Itoudis said. "They want to have feedback from us and from the players, who are the main actors. They play the game and we teach them how to play. It is very important to see where we can have a clear game and fair officiating, and to understand at the same time that we are all on the same page – referees, coaches and players. That's very important."

The eight-hour sit-down with Richard Stokes, Euroleague Basketball's Senior Director of Officiating, served the vital purpose of reaching an understanding of how to make EuroLeague games better for both the protagonists and fans.

The EB Institute Annual Workshops, now in their eighth edition, bring together professionals from across the spectrum of Euroleague Basketball clubs during the first two weeks of July to set the stage, in a spirit of brainstorming collaboration, for the 2019-20 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup seasons.

EuroLeague head coaches look to the future at annual meeting

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Turkish Airlines EuroLeague stars descended upon Euroleague Basketball headquarters on Monday for their annual discussions with the organization's executives on how to grow the continent's premier club competition in ways that continue bringing more and more fans to the sport.

Players of 15 nationalities from all 18 clubs that will take part in the 2019-20 EuroLeague – two more than in the previous three seasons, when the competition broke ground by having all teams play each other – were on hand to open up the EB Institute Annual Workshops, a fortnight of brainstorming for the future among club professionals in the EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.

This marked the sixth such visit from players to the annual workshops, dating to 2014. But this gathering's new name – the EuroLeague ELPA Player Representatives Meeting – reflected the fact that the players had organized into their own association since this time last year, giving them a collective voice inside Euroleague Basketball headquarters for the first time.

"It's very important for us to have this conversation, not only because – as is obvious – you are our main stakeholders, but also because we consider you our partners," Jordi Bertomeu, President and CEO of Euroleague Basketball, told the players. "It's a unique opportunity for us to share information that you should know, and we believe that transparency on both sides is absolutely fundamental in order to build a strong relationship."

The players began their visit in another part of Barcelona, however, coming together for a One Team training session at FC Barcelona Lassa's practice facility to show their dedication to Euroleague Basketball's renowned corporate social responsibility program, which has helped tens of thousands of participants from marginalized groups through the work of EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup clubs.

Euroleague Basketball executives then outlined for the players various aspects of the organization, including an ongoing joint venture with IMG and the factors feeding into growing economic results, of which the players are the primary beneficiaries. The briefing included Euroleague Basketball initiatives that directly affect the players, such as new new game rules, a new in-arena code of conduct, availability of the Euroleague Basketball medical officer through whom they can get second opinions on injuries, illnesses and recovery, as well as the intention to have a collective bargaining agreement between the players and the organization before the 2020-21 season.

"It's important that Euroleague Basketball informs us of the steps being taken and how we are all growing in the process of forming a spectacular league, one of the best-organized leagues in the world," Fernando San Emeterio of Valencia Basket said. "You learn that everything affects everyone, that cash flow begins by creating a brand and being part of this because, in the end, we all win – the league, clubs, coaches and players."

How the players talk to the fans through journalists was the subject of a media training session, complete with mock video interviews, conducted by Fiona Cotterill, director of AlFiMedia. The players were very engaged, talking about their experiences of being asked questions that they find difficult to answer well. They also play-acted interviews to learn tips on how to project their authenticity to the audience on the other side of the camera.

"This is a very interesting meeting, because you learn a lot of things, about the new rules next season, and about the financial perspectives of the EuroLeague, which was very important to me," Dimitris Agravanis of Olympiacos Piraeus said. "You are better prepared for everything, for instance in the interviews, to protect yourself and not to harm yourself, the club or the league."

For Kyle Hines of CSKA Moscow, one of several repeat attendees at the meeting, the accumulated knowledge being gained in the exchanges with Euroleague Basketball executives has proven indispensable in helping the players grow their basketball ambitions.



Euroleague Basketball discusses future with EuroLeague players

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For an eighth year in a row, the EB Institute Annual Workshops will bring together professionals from across the spectrum of Euroleague Basketball clubs during the first two weeks of July to set the stage, in a spirit of brainstorming collaboration, for the 2019-20 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup seasons.

As has become a tradition, players from all EuroLeague clubs – 18 total for the new season – will do the honors of launching a fortnight full of workshops when they arrive EuroLeague Basketball headquarters in Barcelona on Monday, July 1, to learn more about the organization and its future plans at the EuroLeague ELPA Player Representatives Meeting.

The players will be followed on Tuesday by the EuroLeague head coaches, who will remain for two days' worth of meetings, the first being a traditional round table to offer their input about the organization's newest initiatives and proposals. On Wednesday, the head coaches meet directly with the Euroleague Basketball Officiating Department to discuss and debate game-related issues of importance. The same process is repeated when head coaches from the 24 teams of the next 7DAYS EuroCup gather for meetings on Thursday and Friday.

The second week of EB Institute Annual Workshops commences on Monday, July 8, with the arrival of media directors from all 18 EuroLeague clubs for a day-long meeting centered on the upcoming plans in their field of communications, media relations and content development. On Tuesday of that week, the EuroLeague's marketing and ticket directors meet jointly for a morning session and split up into groups for the afternoon in talks devoted to their specialties of selling the competition to sponsors and fans alike.

Both groups will be joined on Wednesday, July 10, by the chief business officers of both EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs for the Euroleague Basketball Business Summit, a highlight of the EB Institute Annual Workshops. In addition to presentations by various leaders in the industry of sports business, the summit will feature the announcement of the Devotion Marketing Awards from the previous season.

On Thursday, July 11, the EB Institute Annual Workshops pause for a day while the scene shifts to Munich, Germany, for the ECA Shareholders Meeting to finalize all organizational aspects of the 2019-20 season and to discuss future projects and strategies. On that occasion, the winner of the Gianluigi Porelli EuroLeague Executive of the Year award will be revealed, as well.

On Friday, July 12, the EB Institute's Annual Workshops finish in Barcelona with the EuroCup Clubs Meeting, to be followed by the 2019-20 EuroCup Draw, which will be broadcast live to fans through EuroCupbasketball.com and the competition's related media channels.

EB Institute Annual Workshops tip off Monday

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The Sports Business MBA by EB Institute class of 2020 came together recently for their second in-person session in Kaunas, Lithuania. The five-day agenda was split into three days of studies at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) and two days of learning from management and staff at Zalgiris Kaunas and Zalgirio Arena.

One key component of the session was the presentation of the students' mid-term papers, which they had prepared with the help of appointed module leaders serving as individual supervisors. In the classroom, students heard lectures on such topics as sports economics, finance, law and governance, while hearing from the head of youth development at the Lithuanian basketball federation and an American Football club in Kaunas.

They picked up practical knowledge by going behind the scenes to learn more about Zalgiris and Zalgirio Arena. The five days also featured some fun and group bonding with a beer tasting session at the Volfas Engelmann brewery and trips to Vilnius for some sightseeing and the Nemencine forest to visit the Soviet Bunker Museum. The session ended at Zalgirio Arena, where the MBA students attended a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game between Zalgiris and Panathinaikos OPAP Athens.

The Sports Business MBA's class of 2020 features students from across Europe, including Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, Greece, Russian Federation, Ukraine and Lithuania. They MBA combines in-person sessions with an e-learning platform.

"The last months have been such a valuable experience for me," Ioanna Beriou from Greece said. "Starting from the end with my visit to Kaunas and touring around Zalgirio Arena to discover from key personnel how everything operates so successfully was really amazing. Learning within a multicultural environment and from inspiring professors is something that empowered me even more. I am really eager to start the next sessions, to further enhance this unique experience."

"The trip to Lithuania means that we have finished the first semester and that we will start with the second one," said Tjasa Pavlic from Slovenia. "It was great to meet the professors and my classmates in person again and talk with them. The session was a wonderful experience, especially because we got a lot of useful information about the operation of one of the best-organized clubs in the EuroLeague and we were able to attend the Zalgiris game against Panathinaikos."

The session from January 14 to 18 was the second of four in-person sessions the students will attend during the course. Their initial meeting took place at Euroleague Basketball headquarters in Barcelona, Spain. They will next meet for their third session at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, in May. There, students will witness what goes into running a world-class sporting event and take advantage of the many global industry leaders in attendance for additional lectures that will further shape their insights into the sports business. The fourth and final session back in Kaunas will take place in January 2020, with the viva exams and graduation ceremony.

Sports Business MBA students learn at Final Four

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The inaugural class of the Sports Business MBA by EB Institute proved a resounding success after 16 months' worth of hard work and scholarship that culminated in mid-January with graduation ceremonies at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The last of four in-person sessions in the MBA program saw all students defend their final theses in front of a commission, led by Rita Bendaraviciene, the university's Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management, that included all six module leaders and a Euroleague Basketball representative.

Thus culminated a unique learning process that had begun at Euroleague Basketball headquarters in Barcelona back in September of 2017, with the students embedded over a week in the day-to-day operations of a major international private sports league. The first session introduced the course modules of Sports Business, Sports Marketing and Sports Communication and included a roundtable discussion with Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO.

The students, who hail from all over Europe, North America and Africa, came together again for five days in January of 2018 at Vytautas Magnus University for in-person classes to augment their ongoing instruction on-line. Two of those days were spent on lectures from Zalgiris Kaunas senior management and site inspections at Zalgirio Arena, among Europe's most-advanced sports and entertainment venues.

Their next stop was last spring's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Belgrade, Serbia, where in addition to going behind the scenes at a major international sporting event in real time, they received lectures from 11 high-profile industry leaders from companies such as AEG, Spalding, Special Olympics, IMG and Desigual. This month, back in Kaunas, their thesis topics ranged from co-branding to IOT ecosystems and event management in developing countries, with each having been developed over months under the guidance of a supervisor, true to the individual counselling ethos of the program.

"Vytautas Magnus University and Euroleague Basketball did an outstanding job to raise this MBA degree programme to the highest level," new graduate Juste Ivaskeviciute said. "Things got very serious from the first weeks. But that is why now it feels so rewarding. It is my sixth year in the sports business field, but the theoretical insights provided by the professionals and industry leaders were unique and inspired to look at my work from different angles."

The unique mix of professionals from the academic and sports words, including stakeholders from industry, leagues and federations, made the first Sports Business MBA by EB Institute a truly ground-breaking endeavor. The second class of the program is currently underway and actively preparing a new group of international students for success in sports business.

"Starting with the second generation, we will convey additional sports business knowledge from six guest professors from La Salle URL, University of Bologna, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, as well as from six industry experts from global companies like Desigual, FC Bayern Munich, Adidas, NBA, Nike, German National Anti-Doping Agency," Dean Bendaraviciene said. "All this mastery is disseminated to an audience from around the world, because of the diverse list of countries of our students, including Canada, Romania, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Ukraine and Russia. This amount of knowledge, depth of experience and geographic breadth confirms our expertise in sports, academic excellence and 360-degree education."



Sports Business MBA by EB Institute produces its first graduates!

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The Union of Lithuanian Sports Federations recently recognized the excellence of the Sports Business MBA by EB Institute, awarding it the organization's prize for that country's best sports initiative in 2018.

The award was voted from among three candidates chosen by the Lithuanian public before the winner was selected by the eight-member Lithuanian Sports Management Awards Working Group. In assessing candidates, the working group took into account the criteria of professionalism, innovation, creativity and management efficiency.

The Sports Business MBA by EB Institute equips students with advanced professional knowledge and skills in the field of sports business management. Taught jointly by Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, and the Euroleague Basketball Institute, it is a truly international educational project, benefiting from an extensive global network of academicians, industry leaders, experts and social partners for contemporary sports business and world-class online learning opportunities.

The Sports Business MBA, which covers three 20-week semesters spread over 16 months, takes its participants on a unique journey to Barcelona, Kaunas and each season's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four host city, the next being Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain in May. Students go behind the scenes at Euroleague Basketball headquarters in Barcelona and at the Final Four while learning from Vytautas Magnus University and industry leaders to obtain a systematic understanding and working knowledge of all major areas of sports business.

The MBA program upgraded a decade-long master's program that had focused on sports management and sent hundreds of alumni from all over the world onward in careers at clubs, leagues, federations, companies, media and more. The two-year-old Sports Business MBA by EB Institute in collaboration with Vytautas Magnus University now takes that initiative forward to help prepare a new generation of sports executives.

Sports Business MBA by EB Institute recognized by Lithuanian federations

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A new class of professionals-in-the-making tipped off the 2018-19 Sports Business MBA by Euroleague Basketball Institute with a week-long opening session that introduced them to the course and gave them a first-hand look at the inner workings of a private international professional sports organization.

The first session of four that the students will have together across 16 months took place at Euroleague Basketball headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, and featured a diverse look at the company's philosophy and operations.

Students from Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain and Ukraine hit the ground running with five full days of classes with professors from Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, and executives from Euroleague Basketball. Among the enrollees are Okeksiy Yefimov, General Manager of 7DAYS EuroCup club AS Monaco; Apostolos Tsagarakis, Technical Director of the International Swimming League and Ioanna Beriou, Director of Sponsorships & Corporate Communications for Onside.

“I was really impressed with the first week of the Sports Business MBA.” said Oleksiy. “It overcame all my expectations. All week long from 9:30 until 6:30 we had a great opportunity not only to listen but also to share opinion and exchange experience with the Euroleague Basketball top management. The lectures and practice sessions that were given by the academicians were great. They have activated all my previous knowledge and let me read and analyze my previous experience totally from a new point of view.” Iaonna said ”I had an exciting first week into the course! We have a great team of students with multidisciplinary and multicultural backgrounds, combined with an exceptional line-up of teachers made it a great learning experience.”

The opening session began with a welcome by Rita Bendaraviciene, Dean at the Faculty of Economics and Management at Vytautas Magnus University. University professors Giedrius Jucevicius, Vilija Biciunaite, and Ausra Pazeraite introduced, respectively, the sports business, sports communication, and the sports marketing modules of the course, while Renata Legenzova discussed with students their term paper requirements.

A roundtable discussion with Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, let the students ask questions about the company. Among the other Euroleague Basketball executives who gave classes, Eduard J. Scott, Chief Operations Officer, focused on the Basketball Operations area; Rowena Younes, Director, Events, spoke about what goes into organizing a EuroLeague Final Four, one of the most significant sports events on the continent; Stephen Dobson, Director, Digital & Content Marketing, addressed the expanding field of sponsored digital content; Jose Luis Rosa-Medina, Senior Director, Corporate Partnerships & Licensing, explained the essential role of stakeholders in sports; Milos Nenadovic, Manager, Business Operations, talked about the evolution of ticketing; Luca Scafati, Director, Business Operations spoke about the EuroLeague Business Operations & Club Services; whilst Yolanda Jaramillo presented the Financial Stability & Fair Play Regulations.

A second session, to be held at the university in January 2018 will include a full day of learning from Zalgiris Kaunas staff at Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas, Lithuania. The students will regroup in May for four days worth of classes with specially invited leaders in the sports business industry and behind-the-scenes access at the 2019 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. The closing session brings the class back to Vytautas Magnus University in January 2020 to defend their MBA Thesis during a Viva and celebrate their graduation ceremony in a basketball heartland.



2018-19 Sports Business MBA by EB Institute second edition up and running

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he application period for the 2018-19 Sports Business MBA by EB Institute is entering its final month and the dates for the four in-person sessions have been set. Applications for the 16-month program, run jointly by Euroleague Basketball and Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), must be submitted by August 26, 2018.

The blended learning MBA allows existing professionals in the sports industry to enhance their knowledge without sacrificing work commitments. It focuses on a modern approach to sports business, consisting of six modules over three academic semesters, including internship and group work opportunities, before submitting a final MBA thesis.

In addition to the six VMU module leaders and Euroleague Basketball senior management who deliver curricular content, six guest academics and six industry experts will share their knowledge and experience to inspire students' minds. The guest academics hail from Pantheon-Sorbonne University in Paris, the University of Bologna and LaSalle URL in Barcelona. The industry experts all work at well-known entities, such as FC Bayern Munich, Desigual, German National Anti-Doping Agency, Adidas, Nike and the NBA, representing companies and organizations at the forefront of the industry.

The course awards 90 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) to graduates. The MBA uses blended learning, featuring the latest e-learning tools offering maximum flexibility and sustained interaction with professors on a unique 14-month journey, with four in-person sessions included.

The opening sessions will be on September 24 to 28, 2018 at Euroleague Basketball's headquarters in Barcelona, Spain. The second in-person meetings will take place at VMU's campus in Kaunas, Lithuania, on January 14 to 18, 2019. The third session will coincide with the 2019 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain on May 15 to 19, 2019. VMU will host the fourth and final session on January 20 to 22, 2020.

Past graduates have gone on to work in many different prestigious roles in the European and international sporting world, including positions with clubs, federations and private businesses.

For more information please visit www.euroleague.net/ebinstitute

Dates finalized, registration underway for next edition of Sports Business MBA by EB Institute

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