First-time pact for European basketball creates clear, unified framework going forward
Euroleague Basketball and the EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA) announced on Saturday the completion of a landmark collective agreement that reinforces the commitment between the league, clubs and players to a clear, unified and safe framework of cooperation among all parties.

The EuroLeague Framework Agreement (EFA), a first of its kind in pan-European basketball and team sports in general, will last until the end of the 2023-24 season. Both sides expect this historic step forward to boost the growth of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and to reinforce the players' role as main protagonists and business partners in the competition.

Negotiations on the agreement began shortly after ELPA was formed in 2018 and focused on providing both sides with a predictable and stable relationship going forward into the future. Among many upgrades in their job conditions, players will be assured of minimum renumeration according to the length of their EuroLeague service, salary payment safeguards, and cooperation in different areas such as season calendar, health and safety protocols, doping tests and rules of the game.

In the wake of the worldwide pandemic that saw fans kept away from arenas and games canceled, there is now a precise system in place which will provide protections for both sides in case clubs will be financially impacted by force majeure situations in the future.

Dispute resolution mechanisms, regulated image and commercial rights, limits on the length and duration of training camp and practices, monthly days off and medical services improvements are among the other features of the agreement. Additionally, Euroleague Basketball will carry out league-wide team-by-team meetings with the players to present rules and guidelines before each new season and to discuss any open issues. The parties have agreed to a Standard Player Contract which will serve to regulate the club-player relationship across the league.

The EFA, which is a compulsory minimum standard for all participating EuroLeague clubs and players, will operate to the extent that it does not contradict mandatory laws and regulations within the countries of the clubs.

"After talking with ELPA consistently over the last years, the confirmation of this agreement today makes it clear to everyone that our clubs and players are now stronger partners than ever in growing this sport we all love," Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, stated. "It is crucial to note that when the league, the clubs and the players know what they can count on from each other, year to year, all of us can concentrate that much better on our primary mutual goal, which is to offer our fans one of the most dramatic sporting spectacles on the planet."

"Since ELPA's founding it has been our priority to reach a collective agreement, which would standardize the relationships between players and clubs across the EuroLeague," Bostjan Nachbar, ELPA Managing Director, said. "This has been a long and challenging process that required a lot of time and effort on both sides. Many of our members, especially the Players’ Board, have unselfishly dedicated their time for the betterment of working conditions for all current and future EuroLeague players. I believe we now have a solid base to work on even more improvements in the future, while at the same time players will have the opportunity to see their careers grow together with the further development of the league itself."



Euroleague Basketball, ELPA announce historic collective agreement

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Euroleague Basketball and Nesine, the sports betting leader in Turkey, have agreed to terms that will extend their cooperation to a full decade. Nesine first became the official national betting sponsor of Euroleague Basketball in Turkey in 2015 and this is the second time the sides have renewed their partnership, extending their collaboration until 2025.

Nesine has played a huge role promoting basketball in Turkey, enhancing fan engagement by offering unique experiences to Turkish fans both inside and outside of the arenas. At the 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Cologne, Germany, Nesine had a protagonist's presence with a focus on in-arena brand exposure and digital exposure. The two companies have begun planning for what promises to be an even more exciting 2021-22 season in which they will further engage with the Turkish fanbase.

"The partnership between Euroleague Basketball and Nesine is a win-win collaboration that has already led to six years' worth of increased exposure and fan engagement for both parties," Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, said. "We appreciate Nesine's professionalism, knowledge and shared views, and this renewal reinforces our mutual commitment going forward."

Since Nesine first joined the Euroleague Basketball family of sponsors, basketball in Turkey has reached new heights with Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Fenerbahce Istanbul each winning the EuroLeague title for the first time and two other teams raising the EuroCup trophy. Over the past two years, interest in the EuroLeague and EuroCup in Turkey have both grown 21%.

"We would like people to be more interested in sports, and for the clubs to have more sustainable success and increased income," Mr. Halit Gulbakanoglu, CEO of Nesine, said. "We are a tech firm that was founded instinctively to give back to sports what we get from sports. In this respect, we are very happy and proud that we will continue our cooperation with Euroleague Basketball, the most important basketball organization in Europe. We will reach a total sponsorship period of 10 years with our new agreement, and our sustainability goal will be achieved. I wish and hope that our cooperation, which we believe adds value to Turkish and European basketball, will be beneficial for both sides and will last for many more years."

The extension agreement with Nesine is the latest renewal of a deal with a Euroleague Basketball partner during the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of our family of partners to our path and an important acknowledgment of the continuous growth of the league.



Euroleague Basketball, Nesine to mark a decade together

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The Euroleague Basketball Finance Panel has rendered its decision concerning the compliance status of Khimki Moscow Region with the Financial Stability and Fair Play Regulations (FSFPR).

The proceeding had been opened on the basis of an alleged infringement of overdue payables under Article 32. a) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code.

The case was referred by the Euroleague Basketball Management Control Commission for the Finance Panel to review the proceeding.

As a result of that review, the Finance Panel has ruled:

1. Khimki is responsible for the infringements contemplated by Article 32. a) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code.

2. Khimki is sanctioned with a limitation on player expenses for the two upcoming seasons it participates in the Euroleague Basketball competitions.

3. The ban on registration new players and coaches in force as a result of a previous proceeding referred to the Finance Panel will likewise apply as long as the Overdue Payables remain outstanding pursuant to Article 2(k) of the Financial Stability and Fair Play Regulations.

Finance Panel resolution in Khimki

Board members sign off guiding principles of first-ever collective agreement with the EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA)
2022 Final Four hosting rights awarded to Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin
The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board members met on Wednesday, July 7, in Barcelona, with team representatives welcoming LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and FC Bayern Munich to the table after they were confirmed as licensed teams.

The meeting concluded with the following decisions:

Financial report: reviewed and approved 2020-21 closing figures and 2021-22 projections.
Clubs' economic distribution: approved main principles for the 2021-22 distribution criteria, giving market pool distribution a higher weight over the total with the objective of reducing revenue uncertainty for EuroLeague clubs.
Players' European Framework Agreement: approved the terms of a landmark first-ever three-year collective agreement with the EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA) that will establish league-wide standards in the working relationship between players and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs. Euroleague Basketball and the ELPA will announce further details on the agreement in the coming weeks.
Final Four: Approved awarding Berlin and Mercedes-Benz Arena with the hosting rights for the 2022 event.
The decisions taken by the Executive Board, together with those taken in its previous meeting, will be brought to the ECA Shareholders Meeting, to be held on July 8, 2021.

ECA Executive Board holds second preseason meeting in Barcelona

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Meeting in Barcelona, the Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders reviewed performance of the competitions during the 2020-21 season and discussed the future, taking the following decisions:

- Reviewed end-of-season data on different topics:

o All competitions completed, with 18 games (5.5%) having been rescheduled in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 21 games (11%) having been rescheduled in the 7DAYS EuroCup, where 2 games (1%) were also relocated.

o Steady growth in audience levels in both competitions, highlighted by:

a 79% growth in EuroLeague regular season and 50% in EuroLeague playoffs live audience figures.
51% growth in EuroLeague social media engagement and 39% in video views, with the Final Four seeing higher growth levels of 82% and 99% respectively. The EuroCup registered 17% growth in social media engagement.
22% growth in EuroLeague interest levels in the competition’s territories compared to 2019, with Spain, Italy, Israel, Turkey, France and Germany driving highest growth rates; 19% growth in EuroCup interest levels in the competition’s territories compared to 2019, with Greece, Spain, Turkey and Italy driving highest growth rates (research conducted by Nielsen Sports in March/April 2021).
65% to 85% of fans willing or highly willing to attend a live basketball game when restrictions are lifted (research conducted by Nielsen Sports in March/April 2021).
- Approved 2021-22 competitions bylaws, which include the following modifications, amongst others:

o Minimum EuroLeague club budget set at €7 million (previously at €5.4 million) from 2022-23 onward.

o Updated EuroLeague shareholders’ contribution limitations:

2021-22: 55% of budgeted expenses instead of 50%
2022-23: 50% instead of 40%
o Transitory EuroLeague and EuroCup marketing provisions that were introduced in the 2020-21 season and help limit impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing available commercial assets for clubs are maintained for the 2021-22 season.

o EuroLeague and EuroCup game technical rules:

Instant Replay System (IRS) review of basket value to be performed during the next timeout or at the end of the quarter to reduce game interruptions, except in last two minutes of regular time and overtime.
Head coaches will be allowed to call one "challenge" per game to ask the referees to review a play within the established IRS reviewable situations.
o Medical and Health & Safety Protocols: reviewed progress of the Team Doctors and EB Medical Officer meetings, including main concepts concerning rule updates on both protocols.

The complete bylaws of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and of the 7DAYS EuroCup will be made publicly available in the upcoming weeks.

- Approved proposed lists of 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup participating teams.

- Approved 2021-22 season calendar:

o EuroLeague to start on September 30.

o EuroCup to start on October 20.

- Approved 2020-21 closing financial figures and 2021-22 projections.

- Approved first-ever European Framework Agreement with the EuroLeague Players Association, which will regulate the working relationship between EuroLeague clubs and players for the next three seasons.

ECA Shareholders hold 2021-22 season inaugural meeting

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Euroleague Basketball’s FanXP Innovation Challenge has partnered with Tech Barcelona to elevate the mentoring program of the event and connect the participating start-ups to a wide-ranging investor network.

With the aim of offering fans the best experience possible, the FanXP Innovation Challenge – staged in collaboration with N3XT Sports – challenges the latest generation of tech startups to join the sports fan revolution with creative and unique ideas. 38 applicants threw their hats into the ring - ranging from arena management to digital fan engagement - to take part in the biggest basketball startup competition in the world, with those entries facing a review by a jury panel before the top nine are selected to join a virtual final event. Content creation platform Slate took the prize among this years’ finalists ImagineAR, LivXp AG, Fanprime, Seyu Solutions Ltd., Sceenic, LiveDuel, FanDome FRM and Clupik.

Supporting the contest, Tech Barcelona is an independent and non-profit association that works to consolidate Barcelona as a technological and digital hub of international reference. Created in 2013, it represents more than 1,000 members - entrepreneurs, founders, executives or investors - and has more than 70 partner companies, leaders in their sector, committed to the project.

Roser Queralto, Euroleague Basketball’s Chief Business Officer, said: “We are committed to staying at the forefront of technology innovations within the framework of professional sports, and partnering with initiatives like Tech Barcelona will help maintain our position as a progressive and forward-thinking organization.”

Didac Lee, Vicepresident of Tech Barcelona said: “The collaboration between Euroleague Basketball and Tech Barcelona is good news for the sports tech ecosystem. Startups and corporations have to work hand in hand to generate the growth dynamics that we want for Barcelona, which is already the third most preferred city for European entrepreneurs, for it to be consolidated as an international hub for the tech and sports industries.”

Euroleague Basketball partners with Tech Barcelona

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Club executives came together this week to make plans for the coming season and beyond with a series of online meetings as part of the Euroleague Basketball Institute Annual Workshops.

The media directors spent several hours on Monday afternoon focused on continuing to engage fans through both club digital platforms and cooperation with traditional media outlets. They briefly reviewed what content initiatives helped boost the EuroLeague's digital audience last season before exchanging new ideas with which to attract new and younger fans going forward through bespoke storytelling and content synergies with third-party creators.

Chief among the goals discussed was the need to make the EuroLeague experience even stronger for fans returning to the arenas next season by meeting all their sports and logistical information needs while consistently adding entertainment value to each interaction.

Jenny Gravia, Media Director for Olympiacos Piraeus, appreciated the opportunity to spend time with her peers from other clubs.

“The meeting was very useful because we have a common goal with EuroLeague which is to grow the league and make more people love basketball,” she said. “We have to do that in collaboration with the league, and the meeting means we can exchange ideas and start new projects. That is a big benefit for all the teams and the league as a whole. For next season, I think fans are thirsty for basketball and want to see their idols from close distance again.”

The media directors joined Lara Toscani Weems, Head of Corporate Communications for Elevate Sports Ventures and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, in a discussion of how to manage and foment media coverage on the business side of basketball by setting priorities, training spokespeople and recognizing off-the-court storylines of interest to general and specialized media.

“Think about challenging your front office executives to think like a publicist. Train them to look critically at every partnership agreement or business initiative with an eye towards relevancy across the media and industry landscape. What makes this deal unique or significant? What new trend does this ticket sales data reflect?" Ms. Toscani Weems said. "Challenge your executives to identify, rank and share their business priorities, as well as their wish list for media placement. What does a win in earned media placement look like to your CRO? A new sponsor? What outlet will make the phone ring in the Premium Sales department? There may be circumstances where local or regional business media coverage will produce more tangible business results than national coverage - our goal is always to drive the business forward; and while doing so, stimulate and inspire the global sports industry ecosystem by sharing our team and league innovation.”

Marketing directors met on Tuesday morning to discuss how to further develop the brand of the competition and its member clubs, with a focus on digital strategies for the modern audience across Europe and the rest of the world. Ensuring the competition is based around sustainability was another point of emphasis, with a roadmap to 2030 following guidelines set out by the United Nations.

“At Fenerbahce last year we started a new era and now we want to connect our past with our future, which is why we started our #YellowLegacy hashtag last year. We will continue with this by opening a club museum and a wall of fame, and at Fenerbahce, our great strength is our digital platforms, especially social media, so we want to be more aggressive with our digital strategy to attract more partners,” stated Murat Tankut, Marketing Manager for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

The results of consumer research carried out by Nielsen were presented, underlining that sports organizations need to think of themselves as competing with separate industries such as music, entertainment and shopping for the attention and interest of fans. The evolution of corporate partnerships and sponsorships was also on the agenda, highlighted by the need to adapt to change in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday afternoon it was the turn of ticketing executives to gather as they look forward to re-opening box offices and season ticket sales for the 2021-22 season, with the focus on ensuring that fans feel safe and comfortable to return to arenas.

Several examples for best practices around the reopening were shared, led by a fan-centric approach to make fans feel important and valued. The importance of clear and consistent communication to keep fans informed and prepared to return to games was emphasized along with ideas for new ways of using technology and offering creative season ticket packages.

The meeting was joined by special guest Chris Heck, President of the Philadelphia 76ers, who offered suggestions for unique ticket selling opportunities both for season tickets and individual games. He also painted a positive picture about the attitude of fans post-pandemic, saying: “People were so eager and ready to go [to games]. With the people who were vaccinated, it was almost immediate, there was no hesitation. In fact, there was probably more frustration that they were still told to wear their masks and there were a lot of restrictions. It reached a point by the end of our season that you would not have thought the pandemic existed.”

Oren Atar, Sales Manager for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, emphasized the importance for clubs of working hard this summer to recover the revenue they lost during a season without fans in attendance, saying: “We were probably the first country to come back to normal reality and we already had a full stadium in the beginning of the June for our domestic league finals. We sold out the whole arena to fans who were thirsty for basketball after a year and a half without their number one passion, and my immediate priority right now is to focus on selling all the season tickets for the 2021-22 season.”



Media, marketing and ticketing executives planning for next season

The winner has been announced for the 2021 FanXP Innovation Challenge, with content creation platform Slate taking the prize in the biggest basketball startup competition in the world.

Nine of the 38 entries were selected for the finals and faced a review by an expert jury, whose members concluded that the best entry came from Slate, a new platform that US pro sports social media teams have quickly adopted to create more engaging content.

Winning team Slate is already working with organizations like the NFL, Fox Sports and the Houston Rockets to level up their social media content. Slate is made up of a team of experienced professionals who have run accounts for major brands.

"We were thrilled to participate in FanXP," Slate Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer Will Brooke said. "The mentorship gave us a veteran sounding board to share and get feedback on our solution, which was combined with keynote sessions where we could learn more about the needs and opportunities relevant to EuroLeague. It’s been great to see they’ve developed a platform for discussing new and innovative ideas in sport!"

The other finalists were Imagine AR, LivXP AG, Fanprime: MyEb+, Seyu Solutions, Sceenic, LiveDuel, FanDome and Clupik.

The members of the jury were Mathieu Lacome (Head of Research and Innovation at Paris Saint-Germain); Didac Lee (Galdana Ventures Co-Founder and former Board Member and Head of Digital at FC Barcelona); Jasmine Robinson (General Partner at Causeway Media Operations); Susanne Timosci (Global Lead Key Account at Bundesliga); Sree Varma (iSportconnect Founder & CEO); Luis Vicente (Group CEO at Eleven Sports) and Gregory Davies (Founder AD!SRUPT!VE!NFLUENCE!).

With the aim of offering fans the best experience possible, the FanXP Innovation Challenge – staged in collaboration with N3XT Sports – challenged the latest generation of tech startups to join the sports fan revolution. All finalists are congratulated for their hard work and outstanding creative ideas.

 Winner announced in 2021 FanXP Innovation Challenge

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2021-22 EL and EC participants approved
FC Bayern Munich and LDLC Asvel Villeurbanne are granted long-term licences
The Euroleague Commercial Assets’ Executive Board members met on Friday, June 18, in Barcelona to discuss several topics. Among the main topics in the agenda were:

• Reviewing the current state of the business, including a detailed recap of the commercial performance over the last five seasons, as well as discussing threats and opportunities ahead.

• Reviewing and approving the 2021-22 Bylaws that regulate both the EuroLeague and EuroCup competitions, including revised Financial Stability and Fair Play Regulations with regards to shareholder contribution limitations in order to allow the clubs to better navigate the post-pandemic financials. Limitations are set at 55% for the 2021-22 season (instead of 50%) and 50% for 2022-23 (instead of 40%).

• Reviewing and approving the list of participating teams in the 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

• Anadolu Efes Istanbul

• AX Armani Exchange Milan

• CSKA Moscow

• FC Barcelona

• Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

• Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

• Olympiacos Piraeus

• Panathinaikos OPAP Athens

• Real Madrid

• TD Systems Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

• Zalgiris Kaunas

• FC Bayern Munich

• LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

• ALBA Berlin (WC)

• Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade (WC)

• Zenit St Petersburg (WC)

• AS Monaco (EC)

• UNICS Kazan (EC)

• Approving the terms between FC Bayern Munich, LDLC Asvel Villeurbanne and ECA for their integration within the ECA ownership, agreeing on welcoming both to the group of EuroLeague licensed teams.

• Reviewing and approving the list of participating teams in the 2021-22 7DAYS EuroCup:

• Boulogne Metropolitans 92

• Buducnost VOLI Podgorica

• Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

• Dolomiti Energia Trento

• Frutti Extra Bursaspor

• Hamburg Towers

• Herbalife Gran Canaria

• JL Bourg en Bresse

• Joventut Badalona

• Lietkabelis Panevezys

• Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar

• MoraBanc Andorra

• Partizan NIS Belgrade

• Promitheas Patras

• ratiopharm Ulm

• Slask Wroclaw

• Turk Telekom

• Umana Reyer Venice

• Valencia Basket

• Virtus Segafredo Bologna

The decisions made at the ECA Executive Board will be brought to the ECA Shareholders Meeting, scheduled to be held on July 8, 2021.