With a heavy heart, Euroleague Basketball joins the world basketball family in mourning Dusan "Duda" Ivkovic, the two-time EuroLeague champion and dean of the coaching profession, who died in his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia, on Thursday, six weeks before his 78th birthday.

After following his late older brother Slobodan into coaching at age 25 in 1968, Mr. Ivkovic served at the head of benches around Europe in different five decades from 1978 to 2017. He coached at 12 pro clubs in his native Serbia, Croatia, Greece, Russia and Turkey, as well as leading the Yugoslav and Serbian national teams in three different decades. His impact on the sport and his status among his fellow coaches was such that he served as president of the World Association of Basketball Coaches in the mid-2000s.

"We at Euroleague Basketball are beyond sad to know that a close friend and a true giant of our sport, Duda Ivkovic, has left us too soon," Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball CEO, said. "It is no exaggeration to say that Duda impacted European basketball as much as any coach ever, growing up in one of the cradles of the sport, Belgrade, and taking many teams to the heights of success. Even more than his accomplishments, however, Duda will be remembered as a true leader to his thousands of players and to generations of coaches. Basketball has lost one of its pioneers, but Coach Ivkovic's legacy lives on in a thriving European game that he helped lift to where it is today."

Mr. Ivkovic, a relative of the world-renowned inventor Nikola Tesla, grew up on the same street in the Belgrade neighborhood of Crveni Krst as the open basketball courts belonging to Radnicki, the club where he would coach youth categories from 1968 to 1978, when he moved across town to Partizan, with whom he won the Yugoslav League and Cup, as well as the FIBA Korac Cup, in his first season at the head of a bench.

Mr. Ivkovic alternated between Serbia and Greece for the next decades, then started winning titles in bunches with four Greek teams in between 1990 and 2001. His first Greek League title came with PAOK in 1992 and his first EuroLeague crown with Olympiacos in 1997, when he won the national league and cup, as well, for a triple crown. He then added a FIBA Saporta Cup title in 2000 with AEK Athens.

In 2002, Mr. Ivkovic moved to Russia and led CSKA Moscow into three consecutive EuroLeague Final Fours while winning the national title each of those seasons. He moved next to Dynamo Moscow, with whom he won the 2006 EuroCup, making him the only coach ever to collect four different European competition trophies. But he was far from done.

Younger generations will remember Mr. Ivkovic as the mastermind behind one of the most unlikely EuroLeague titles ever won, when he guided Olympiacos to an upset of his old team, CSKA, in the 2012 championship game despite trailing by 19 points with 11 minutes left to play. He took a break from coaching after that but came back to lead Anadolu Efes Istanbul for two seasons before retiring officially in 2017. He was honored soon after as the first and still-only coach to be named an official Euroleague Basketball Legend.

In addition to his long list of championship victories as a club coach, Mr. Ivkovic had another one as head coach of Yugoslav and Serbian national teams, starting with a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Yugoslavia went on to win FIBA EuroBasket gold medals in 1989 and 1992 with Mr. Ivkovic on the bench, while in between his team climbed to the top of the sport globally by winning the 1990 FIBA World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He would add another EuroBasket title with FR Yugoslavia in 1995.

Rest in peace, Duda.

Euroleague Basketball mourns Dusan Ivkovic

Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce that ELEVEN Sports has joined the Euroleague Basketball family by becoming the OTT platform broadcaster for its competitions in Italy, thereby ensuring that all Italian fans will enjoy elite broadcast coverage of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.

ELEVEN Sports will broadcast all Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup games once those seasons begin on September 30 and October 19, respectively, bringing more than 500 fixtures to all Italian fans. The agreement will run until the end of the 2024-25 season, which will mark the 25th anniversary of Euroleague Basketball. All games with AX Armani Exchange Milan, Dolomiti Energia Trento, Umana Reyer Venice and Virtus Segafredo Bologna – plus other selected games – will have Italian commentators calling all the action of the two top pan-European basketball club competitions on ELEVEN Sports.

The new agreement with ELEVEN Sports will increase the choice of elite basketball sources being offered to Italian fans following the recent announcement that SKY Italy will broadcast EuroLeague and EuroCup games in the country until 2023-24 on an exclusive basis for linear rights and a non-exclusive basis for digital rights.

ELEVEN Sports was founded in 2015 as a multinational group operating sports television channels and OTT services with a combination of linear and digital channels that now reach millions of fans wherever they are and generate billions of views every month.

"We are very proud to welcome ELEVEN Sports to the Euroleague Basketball broadcasters family, widening the options for our Italian fans to watch all our games," Alex Ferrer Kristjansson, Euroleague Basketball Marketing and Communication Senior Director said, said. "Italy, a traditional basketball market, has experienced renewed interest in our sport over the last years, and it is our intention to bring our games as close as possible to all our tifosi."

Euroleague Basketball's importance in Italy has shown solid and continuous growth in recent years, with fan interest jumping 36% and TV audience growing an outstanding 390% over the last three seasons.

"EuroLeague and EuroCup represent the excellence of European Basketball" stated Giovanni Zurleni, Delegate Administrator of Eleven Sports Italy. "We are very proud of broadcasting these two top competitions and this is a demonstration of the growth of Eleven while becoming a big media destination for both local and international sports; we have a big focus on premium rights, maintaining an important space for lower level championships. We want to involve, satisfy and entertain all the fans on a global sports community".

ELEVEN Sports to broadcast all EuroLeague and EuroCup games in Italy

Players from Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs came together in Barcelona on Wednesday to meet with Euroleague Basketball executives. A wide range of topics was covered, all aimed at making sure that players are fully involved in the ongoing growth of the league.

The first item on the agenda was an overview of last season, followed by an explanation of the competition's structure. The players were then given an insight into the league's financial performance, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The processes involved in putting together the game calendar were also explained, followed by a medical report.

The players were also introduced to the development of Euroleague Basketball during recent seasons including a 22% growth in the level of interest in the competition since 2019, with background context on how basketball performs compared with other sports, the results of surveys conducted with fans and the performance of the league's digital platforms.

Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball CEO, was happy to welcome the players to the competition's headquarters, telling them: "The objective of this meeting is to explain what we are doing and why we are doing it, giving you [players] the opportunity to share this information with your teammates. I would like to highlight that despite the difficulties we had last season, we keep on working together to bring once again the best and most exciting basketball season to all our fans."

Danilo Barthel of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul believes it is vital that players have clear lines of communication with the competition's executives, saying: "It's really important that the players from each club meet to discuss different topics and share their opinions, and also get to know the future plans of the EuroLeague, to understand in which direction the league is going."

Players also took part in the annual One Team Workshop to find out more about the great work done by clubs to support their local communities.

ALBA Berlin star Luka Sikma said: "One Team is so important because as athletes, we have a platform that not a lot of people have access to, and to use that to do good in the communities is huge. One Team has grown throughout the years, so it's something that's very important and part of our responsibility as players and clubs to invest back in the communities."

The meeting was also a rare chance for players from all over Europe to gather in the same place to share their opinions on the league.

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens team captain Ioannis Papapetrou explained: "As players we all have respect for each other, and it's nice to come here and discuss some different topics that we don't have time to discuss on gamedays when we usually meet. Some guys are already friends, we know each other and we've been together all these years, and some others are newcomers into this and it's great to spend time with them and get to know them better personally."

Players and executives meet to discuss upcoming EuroLeague season

The online broker to expand its penetration in the European market
Euroleague Basketball is pleased to welcome Brokereo as its official CFD (Contract for Difference) partner for the 2021-22 season. Founded in 2020, Brokereo has been steadily gaining ground in the online trading industry.

The online broker of a new generation, Brokereo will have a bold presence in Europe's premier basketball competitions, which offer the perfect pan-European showcase to increase Brokereo's penetration into the European market.

"We are very proud to welcome Brokereo to the Euroleague Basketball family. The online trading industry has experienced enormous growth in recent years," Roser Queralto, Euroleague Basketball Chief Business Officer, said. "Brokereo is a dynamic company that has taken a fresh approach to the online trading of CFDs, aiming to provide a new experience to its customers just like Euroleague Basketball has been evolving over the years to provide the best possible experience to all its fans."

Brokereo's marketing strategy dovetails with Euroleague Basketball in that it has a special focus in onservicing Western European countries. The EuroLeague has enjoyed a rapidly growing presence in Western Europe. For example, fan interest in Germany and Italy has risen 39% over the past two years.

"Our platform is all about putting your skills into action and enjoying the experience as a whole, which is very much in line with the Euroleague's approach," Denys Denisov, Brokereo's Executive Director, said. "We also share the vision of building a top-tier brand and product that sets a benchmark for others to follow."

Brokereo becomes official CFD Partner of Euroleague Basketball

A total of 72 referees, six of them making their Euroleague Basketball debuts, gathered last weekend in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to take part in the 30th Clinic for Euroleague Basketball Officials. The three-day clinic was filled with educational workshops and meetings with referee coaches to prepare for the 2021-22 season.

"This is the first time in 24 months that we have been able to get together face to face with all of our officiating group and, although we worked differently last year through the season, it is important to have this group meeting in one venue to make sure we are on the same page, with the same approach for the upcoming season," said Senior Director of Officiating Richard Stokes. "Our discussions with the head coaches in the summer were productive and this also feeds into how we want our competitions to be officiated, as their feedback is one of the elements that drives our progress."

A host of special guests delivered lectures to aid the referees in their pre-season training. They received insights on mental preparation from sport psychologist Mar Rovira and feedback on their physical preparation with Dr. Nenad Dikic. All the officials went through a battery of medical tests to check that they are ready for the season with Dr. Dikic and his team.

"The clinic's structure was strategically designed to boost the desire of learning, improving and stretching the referees' abilities in an environment of freedom and collaboration within the crew. We put the focus on teamwork on the court, splitting the referees into small groups and they developed a great understanding of what on-court teamwork means," Rovira explained. "Sharing this time in Ljubljana with them reassured me that they are aware of the importance of the mental side of officiating and that they are going to use the resources we are implementing for them."

Coach Ettore Messina of AX Armani Exchange Milan also spent time at the clinic and conducted a session on the court covering play actions and movements that present challenges for the referees as well as how the modern game is evolving and being played.

“Referees are a big part of our league, they dedicate time, effort and professionalism to the game," Coach Messina said. "As a coach, providing them with a different perspective and getting their feedback in return, in this setting, gives both sides the chance to better understand each other. Hopefully, this kind of cooperation will put everybody in the best possible position to make the games better and enjoyable, especially for the fans."

The group included six new referees for the 2021-22 season; Steve Bittner, Maxime Boubert, Guido Giovanetti, Leandro Lezcano, Adar Pe’er and Vassilis Pitsilkas have been added to the list of referees.

"We had three referees retire in the summer, but we have been following five of these referees for some time and so we felt it was an opportunity to bring them in because we believe they can help us in the long term. The sixth moved from South America to Europe and is a very experienced referee and so this was also a great opportunity for him and us to work together," added Stokes.

The three days included presentations on many aspects of the criteria applied in contact situations as well as discussions on the application of the rules and protocols covering instant replay and the new coach's challenge that will be used this season. In addition, Euroleague Basketball’s IRS has been upgraded, thus representatives from Hawk-Eye Innovations were also present to assist the referees in gaining experience in using the platform.

The ABA League's president of referees commission Sasa Maricic and the commissioner for delegating referees Srdan Dozai were also in attendance as was Algimantas Pavilonis of the Lithuanian League.

"Our officials are an important part of the game, but the main protagonists are the clubs and their players. That’s who the fans come to see and we have ensured that on any given night, the best performing team wins," summed up Stokes. "The competitions are becoming more competitive each year and both the EuroLeague and EuroCup will take another step forward this season, so it is important to prepare as fully as we can over these three days. We have high expectations from our officials for this season as we should every season."

Referees meet in Ljubljana for 30th clinic

New partnership starts in 2021-22 for EuroCup, 2022-23 for EuroLeague

Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce that Saran Media Group has been chosen as the new TV partner for its competitions in Turkey, ensuring that the country's countless fans will enjoy elite broadcast coverage of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup for years to come.

Turkey's central role in the soaring popularity of the EuroLeague and EuroCup – which together have crowned four Turkish champions over the last six seasons – will be joined to the growth story of a new partner, Saran, which was founded in 1995.

Saran will begin broadcasting all EuroCup games featuring Turkish teams in the upcoming 2021-22 season and will do the same for the country's EuroLeague teams starting in 2022-23. Saran will continue broadcasting both competitions until the end of the 2024-25 season, which will mark the 25th anniversary of Euroleague Basketball.

"We are happy to announce Saran as the new home for the top European basketball over the next few seasons," Jordi Bertomeu, CEO of Euroleague Basketball, said. "Saran will continue to serve the ever-growing EuroLeague and EuroCup communities in Turkey with great games and high-quality production, but I'm sure that the collaboration will go well beyond that, as Saran is completely aligned with Euroleague Basketball's off-the-court philosophy and values, too."

Turkish fans have continued flocking to the EuroLeague in recent years, with TV audience numbers and fan interest jumping 21% each over the last three seasons. One of the country's flagship clubs, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, became the first EuroLeague champion from Turkey in 2017, while another, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, won the 2021 Final Four and will enter the upcoming season as reigning champ.

All games featuring Turkish teams will be aired on Saran channels S Sport and S Sport2. Additional international games are to be featured on both channels as well as Saran's OTT platform S Sport Plus. S Sport and S Sport2 are carried by the major Turkish pay TV platforms D-Smart, TV+, TiviBu, Kablo TV and Vodafone TV – reaching over five million pay TV households.

Alan Kenan Saran, CEO of SARAN Media Group, said: "We are excited and proud to be partnering with the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and EuroCup to bring the highest quality of European basketball to millions of our dedicated and deserving sports fans on our S Sport channels. The EuroLeague has never been more popular in Turkey with the impressive recent championship seasons of Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahce, and through S Sport's outstanding editorial and production team we will ensure that the popularity and the brand continue to grow."

Saran Media Group becomes broadcast home of Euroleague Basketball in Turkey

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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.