EuroLeague Basketball, Saran celebrate broadcast partnership in Turkey

The dawn of a new era of basketball broadcasting excellence in Turkey was celebrated on Monday with a press conference to detail Saran Media Group's plans for its first season as the country's exclusive rightsholder for all Turkish Airlines EuroLeague action.

Saran will broadcast both Euroleague Basketball competitions exclusively over the next three seasons after having already started last season with the 7DAYS EuroCup.

All EuroLeague and EuroCup 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.

"I am as always pleased to visit Turkey, as this country has been a big part of the growth of our league since its inception. The Turkish teams and our partners here will play an important role in our plans to bring Euroleague Basketball to the next level," Dejan Bodiroga, Euroleague Basketball President, said. "I would like to thank Saran Group for hosting us and for their support. I cannot think of a better partner to bring our competitions to millions of Turkish fans."

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

"Our broadcasting partners are fundamental to building up our business, and Saran's vision and passion to innovate will be key to reaching new audiences," Marshall Glickman, Euroleague Basketball CEO, stated. "This agreement guarantees the highest production standards to all our Turkish fans and will certainly support our efforts to connect with younger audiences through content."

Europe's most elite basketball competitions now join Saran's portfolio of prestigious sports offerings, including the NBA, EuroBasket, LaLiga, Serie A, Formula 1, MotoGP, NFL and UFC.

"Today, we are delighted to expand our premium sports content range through cooperation with Euroleague Basketball and bring Europe's top basketball leagues to basketball fans in our country," Sadettin Saran, Chairman of the Board at Saran Group, said. "We continue our efforts to provide the highest quality sports content by reaching all sports fans, anywhere and anytime."

Turkish fans have continued flocking to the EuroLeague in recent years. One of the country's flagship clubs, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, became the first EuroLeague champion from Turkey in 2017, while Anadolu Efes Istanbul won the title in each of the last two seasons, becoming just the third back-to-back continental champion this century.

"We are thrilled to add Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup to our wide range of sports," Kenan Saran, CEO of Saran Media Group, said. "We are proud of the success of the teams representing our country in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup, and of the championships won by Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Anadolu Efes Istanbul, and happy to bring their games to 14 million people in Turkey through S Sport and S Sport Plus."

Innovative Saran Media Group platforms to host EB competitions through 2024-25

Euroleague Basketball, Saran celebrate broadcast partnership in Turkey

The annual ELPA Player Representatives Meeting was held in Barcelona on Tuesday to bring together Euroleague Basketball executives and protagonists from all 18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs around the many initiatives underway to enhance the dynamism and the community profile of the continent's top competition during the upcoming 2022-23 season. 

New Euroleague Basketball President Dejan Bodiroga and CEO Marshall Glickman opened Tuesday's meetings with a discussion about ways to work together on improving the league's standing, boosting basketball's place in the entertainment marketplace, and making an even bigger positive impact on communities – all with the active participation and influence of the players.

"After 22 years in which we have seen this league grow, now it is time to bring it to the next level," Bodiroga told the players. "This is a new beginning, and you are a critical piece in the future evolution of the league. Players are the true protagonists of the game and we will work further at elevating your profile, on and off the court. I want to wish you and all of your teammates a healthy and successful season."

"The players' voice should be the most important voice," Glickman said. "This is a players' league. That's what people are paying for, to come see players. And it's not only to see them play: They want to see and feel some connection to the players, and that is really important."

The players received a breakdown of the competition's fan engagement through television, social media and digital avenues, showing where the largest and most active fan bases are. This was followed by a discussion on brand, commercial and social media strategies, including an exchange of ideas on ways to improve the league-player communication or the audiovisual content, amongst others, after which they reviewed a report that looked at medical services across the league and its concussion protocol.

"This meeting is definitely great. We put together a lot of ideas, different minds, to take the next step and make basketball in Europe more popular," Ismet Akpinar of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul said. "This is something that I really like, that players have an influence on our own future. There are already some ideas that are being planned that I had not even thought about. So many creative things to take the next step in the digital world or, like I said, the influence of basketball in Europe and worldwide. This meeting is a step in the right direction and I really like the ideas here."

During a session entitled "Planet: How I can be a relevant voice", the players learned about Euroleague Basketball's sustainability plan and were educated about the opportunity for players to become sustainability advocates. They discussed how important it is for players to join as ambassadors for the climate efforts that Euroleague Basketball and its partners are developing. Each attendee was invited to measure their carbon footprint, choose a sustainable development goal and to commit to making a positive impact in that area. 

"Every basketball player in Europe wants to play in the EuroLeague, so we have to understand the situation that we are in," said Valencia Basket guard Martin Herrmannsson. "We are blessed and happy to be in this situation and we need to take advantage of that opportunity. I think all the players are willing to do whatever to help society. Some guys like it better to be in the spotlight and some guys don't like it, but we have to work together. The players sitting in this meeting have the same goal: expand EuroLeague and make it better as a brand."

Euroleague, ELPA player representatives meet in Barcelona

EuroLeague icon Dejan Bodiroga becomes President and sports business leader Marshall Glickman Acting CEO 

Euroleague Basketball names new leadership

### EuroLeague icon Dejan Bodiroga becomes President and sports business leader Marshall Glickman Acting CEO

### Founder Jordi Bertomeu departs 22 years after the inception of Euroleague Basketball

Euroleague Basketball (EB) announced changes to its senior management on Wednesday, September 14, with a new President and a new CEO appointed by its shareholders.

EuroLeague icon Dejan Bodiroga, who won three EuroLeague titles and multiple individual awards during a legendary playing career, has been named President of Euroleague Basketball, and will also fulfill the role of Director. Bodiroga is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in European basketball history.

Bodiroga brings his deep knowledge and experience into his new role and will focus on increasing the quality of the competition for clubs, players, fans, partners, and all EB stakeholders. His extensive international network provides the foundation for a new strategy focused on improving EB's institutional relationships within the global basketball community, including the EuroLeague Players Association, the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, the Union of Euroleague Basketball Officials, FIBA, domestic leagues, and other basketball-related institutions.

Following his playing career, Bodiroga served as Vice-President of the Serbian Basketball Federation between 2011 and 2015 and subsequently as President of the Competition Commission of FIBA Europe.

“We are entering a new era for EuroLeague,” Bodiroga said. “The past 20 years have seen Europe’s premier basketball competition establish itself as a powerhouse in global sports. I’d like to thank Jordi Bertomeu and his team for their vision and hard work and look forward to continuing to build and expand the impact of EuroLeague and EuroCup.”

Marshall Glickman, G2 Strategic’s CEO and a long-time advisor to Euroleague Basketball, has been named the Acting CEO of EB, Director of its affiliated companies, and Special Advisor to Euroleague Properties. Additionally, he will have a seat on the board of Euroleague Ventures, the league’s joint venture with IMG. Glickman will serve a transitional role and will assist Euroleague Basketball’s shareholders in recruiting a permanent CEO.

Glickman's focus will be on the business side, working closely with IMG to optimize the value of the league and the clubs' collective commercial assets, expand its fan base, integrate European basketball into popular culture across the globe and, ultimately, expand into more key markets.

"Euroleague Basketball is like family to me," said Glickman. "I have always believed that the top pan-European basketball league has tremendous potential, particularly its appeal to the digital native generations. I am thrilled to help our friends at the league office and the best clubs in Europe transition to new leadership. I am grateful to EuroLeague's founder, Jordi Bertomeu, for his leadership, friendship, and support, helping me adapt to European cultures and sporting traditions, and look forward to his counsel and wisdom going forward."

Glickman has an extensive career in the sports industry, including being the President of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and Oregon Arena Corporation, Broadcasting Coordinator for the National Basketball Association, Director of Media Sales for NBA Properties, and Chairman & CEO of Portland Family Entertainment. Glickman has a profound knowledge of the European sports ecosystem, as G2 Strategic has been a business advisor to Euroleague Basketball for 20 years. G2 Strategic's European client portfolio has included LaLiga Santander (Spain), Ligue de Football Professionnel (France), French Tennis Federation, FC Barcelona, Olympique Lyonnais, Stade Rochelle, Stade Français, CSKA Moscow, Association of Tennis Professionals, Tennis Canada, as well as several European sports clubs (PSG, Olympique Lyonnais, CSKA) and tennis tournaments.

Glickman has also played a leading role in the development of several planned or built arenas and stadiums, including Moda Center (Portland, Oregon), Providence Park (Portland, Oregon), Moscow Sports & Entertainment Center, American Airlines Arena (Miami, Florida), Roland-Garros (Paris), and a new arena in Villeurbanne, France.

Glickman has served on several boards in his hometowns of Portland, Oregon, and Bend, Oregon, and has produced live jazz shows for several years.

Glickman and Bodiroga will take over from CEO Jordi Bertomeu, who had been in the role for 22 years.

Bertomeu was one of Euroleague Basketball’s founders in 2000 and has led it since then throughout its continuous growth. Under his management, the EuroLeague rapidly became the most recognized basketball competition outside of North America, gaining a worldwide audience for both the intensity of the competition and its role in forging breakthrough talents. Bertomeu was at the center of decisions on competition structure and rule changes that consistently heightened the dramatic effect of the EuroLeague to make every game count more than any other league of its kind.

Euroleague Basketball broke new ground again in 2016 by creating the first true international European league among major European team sports in a joint venture with media and entertainment giant IMG. As a result, EuroLeague's popularity and commercial performance have experienced significant increases in television viewership, social media engagement and global recognition.

The Euroleague Commercial Assets shareholders would like to thank Bertomeu for his unmatched dedication over 22 years and wish him well in his future endeavors.

The arrival of a new signature Turkish Airlines EuroLeague venue moved a step closer this week as stars and luminaries celebrated the installation of the very first seat to be placed inside LDLC Arena, which will soon become the new home of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne!

First seat put in place at ASVEL's new arena!

The arrival of a new signature Turkish Airlines EuroLeague venue moved a step closer this week as stars and luminaries celebrated the installation of the very first seat to be placed inside LDLC Arena, which will soon become the new home of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne!

Club owner Tony Parker led a contingent of dignitaries to the site of the arena in the Lyon-Villeurbanne metropolitan area, where construction commenced in January. The future arena will open its doors at the end of 2023 with seating for between 12,000 and 16,000 people, depending on the configuration.

"We wanted to build one of the nicest arenas in the world and we are in that process," Parker said. "I hope that this will allow us to enter a new dimension and return to the European elite. This new arena will provide us the opportunity to grow, and to bring in and maintain the best players."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🏟 Pose officielle du premier siège de la future <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLC_Arena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLC_Arena</a> ! <br><br>💬 <a href="https://twitter.com/tonyparker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tonyparker</a> &quot;LDLC ASVEL va franchir un immense pas avec la LDLC Arena !&quot; <br><br>👉 <a href="https://t.co/yjMtlueaWo">https://t.co/yjMtlueaWo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1567422009319071745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tony Parker was accompanied on the site visit by his brother and ASVEL head coach T.J. Parker, players Nando De Colo and Amine Noua, and club present Gaetan Muller. Also attending the festivities were Jean-Michel Aulas, President OL Groupe; Bruno Bernard, President Métropole de Lyon; Laurence Fautra, Vice-President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and Mayor of Décines-Charpieu; and Laurent De La Clergerie, LDLC President.

The arena will set new benchmarks in Europe in terms of technology and the environment. It will also be the largest event arena in France outside of Paris, expected to host between 100 and 120 events a year, including concerts, seminars, trade shows, esports competitions and major sporting events.

Tony Parker touts LDLC Arena milestone: 'One of the nicest in the world'

Some 70 referees – including four new referees – and 17 referee coaches attended the clinic. The annual preseason meeting is the ultimate primer for the referees in preparation for the 2022-23 season.

 

Over four action-packed days, the referees underwent preseason physicals and engaged in workshops, discussions and video reviews dealing with rules and the nuances of officiating games at the highest levels.

 

"This meeting follows our meetings with the head coaches from both of our competitions where we discussed how the game is evolving, and where we need to work in the coming season to ensure we can deliver the officiating that the clubs and fans deserve,” Richard Stokes, Euroleague Basketball’s Director of Officiating said.

 

Among the guest lecturers brought in to assist the referees in their preseason preparations were sports psychologist Mar Rovira, who led a mental skills development group; former EuroLeague head coach Neven Spahija, who lead an on-court session with players and discussed in-game communication; Gregory Rakas from Hawk-Eye regarding the replay system and Gianluca Mazzoncini on physical conditioning. The ABA League's president of the referees' commission Sasa Maricic and the commissioner for delegating referees Srdan Dozai, and the director of referees for Spain’s ACB, Jose Antonio Martin Bertran, were also in attendance.

 

"It also was great to have Neven Spahija with us to share his thoughts and observations and this can only improve our knowledge and understanding of what is expected of us," Stokes added. "We have another challenging season on the horizon with the best clubs in Europe across the EuroLeague and EuroCup and we must be ready to meet that challenge."

There were sessions and video reviews on many topics, including unsportsmanlike fouls, traveling calls, off-ball movement, post play, mechanics and new rules for the 2022-23 season, with former referee Todd Warnick on hand to lead several discussions.

 

"We think as fellow directors of referees, that all points of view from different competitions are important. We wanted to go to the clinic to experience it because we have some of our referees also in the Euroleague," Bertran said. "It was interesting to see that we coincided on many approaches.

 

"I think this kind of event is positive for everyone to learn, especially on a methodology level. Richard Stokes has been leading the referees’ department in the EuroLeague for some years now and he is close and transparent. I know him well and we have a good relationship. Being here has been useful to me to apply some things in the Spanish League. I want to thank the Euroleague for extending an invitation to us."

 

Sunday, the final day of the clinic, included sessions on the court at Arena Stozice, home of 7DAYS EuroCup side Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. When the curtain closed on the weekend, the Euroleague Basketball Officials returned home better prepared to preside over what promises to be another exciting season in both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the EuroCup.

The top referees in continental basketball gathered over the weekend in Ljubljana, Slovenia, for the 31st Clinic for Euroleague Basketball Officials. 

Euroleague officials gather for preseason clinic 

Euroleague Basketball mourns Franco Casalini

Euroleague Basketball expresses its condolences to the Italian basketball family upon learning of the death of Franco Casalini, a continental champion with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, who passed away on Thursday at age 70.

Casalini worked for Olimpia Milan for 18 years, most of them as the team's assistant coach, from 1977 to 1987. When Dan Peterson stepped down as head coach, Casalini helped Molan to successfully defend the EuroLeague title, downing Maccabi Tel Aviv 90-84. He also lifted the Intercontinental Cup trophy with Milan in 1988, and added an Italian League title in 1989. Casalini went on to coach Libertas Forli and Virtus Roma before briefly returning to Milan, reaching the 1998 Saporta Cup final. Casalini also coached SAV Vacallo, which he led to back-to-back Swiss Cup titles in 1999 and 2000.

Once he finished his coaching career, Casalini was a longtime TV analyst for Sky Sports and also for EuroLeague TV, where he became a content director in 2011.

May he rest in peace.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">L’Olimpia piange la scomparsa improvvisa di Franco Casalini a soli 70 anni. Alla famiglia va l’abbraccio più forte di tutti noi. Franco è sempre stato un cuore biancorosso oltre che un leggendario allenatore. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 <a href="https://t.co/66B2LMUHzC">pic.twitter.com/66B2LMUHzC</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1552714767525093378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </center>

With the extension, which runs until the end of the 2025-26 season, Deutsche Telekom will air Euroleague competitions for more than a decade.

The new agreement follows the last extension between them, signed in 2021, and assures that Deutsche Telekom will continue offering and broadcasting all EuroLeague and EuroCup games. Additionally, MagentaSport will broadcast one Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game per round on a free-to-air basis for all German fans.

For one affordable price, German fans will be able to watch not only the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup but also FIBA national teams competitions, German Federation competitions and, of course, the easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga, making Magenta Sport the home of basketball in the country. MagentaSport is available on most connected devices, including TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs.

Euroleague Basketball has managed to grow its fanbase in Germany by 56% over the last three years, including an outstanding 27% jump in the total TV audience and a 39% increase on a per-game basis between the last two seasons.

"We are delighted to extend our partnership with Deutsche Telekom and MagentaSport," Alex Ferrer Kristjansson, Marketing and Communication Senior Director at Euroleague Basketball, said. "MagentaSport has been a true partner in growing the popularity of the sport and of the EuroLeague and the EuroCup in Germany, delivering the games to more and more fans every season, and resulting in unprecedented levels of popularity and audience levels. Germany remains a key market for both leagues and this extension confirms the high potential that both Deutsche Telekom and Euroleague Basketball see in the territory, and the commitment to continue to provide fans with a great experience in the coming years."

"We are deepening an already successful cooperation with our partners in basketball in the long term. Especially the best league in Europe, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is experiencing a steadily growing popularity among the fan community," Arnim Butzen, Deutsche Telekom Vice President Commercial Management TV & Entertainment, said. "MagentaSport continues to bundle the best and largest live offer: with European basketball, the World and European Championships and all matches of the German national team."

Deutsche Telekom and Euroleague Basketball have again strengthened the commitment they forged in 2015 by signing a new agreement that will continue bringing the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup to MagentaSport, the dedicated sports platform of the German telecommunications leader.

EuroLeague, EuroCup to stay on MagentaSport in Germany through 2026

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders met on Friday, July 8, 2022, and made the following decisions:

1. Reviewing and approving the list of participating teams in the 2022-2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup competitions.

2. To modify the EuroLeague competition bylaws with the addition of a new article that regulates the consequences of the application of article 151 (‘Unforeseen circumstances’), more specifically the limitation of the impact on Licensed Clubs’ rights and their participation in governing bodies.

Decisions of the ECA General Assembly

The 20 clubs that will participate in the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup season met on Friday to plan for the new campaign.

EuroCup Clubs Meeting tips off 2022-23 season

The meeting began with a review of the 2021-22 season, which was the first under a revamped model that provides the clubs with more guaranteed home games than ever before, maximizing the fun for their fans and opening more business opportunities for clubs. 

The 2021-22 season delivered, once again, increased TV viewership figures, with the brand-new knock-out rounds leading the way with a growth of more than 50% in audience per game compared to the previous season’s games, according to Nielsen Sports. Digital audiences also increased by 13% in followers, 10% in engagement and 15% in video views, marking an outstanding debut of the new format. 

Attending clubs' representatives were also informed about economic distribution and reviewed the implementation of the Financial Stability & Fair Play Regulations (FSFPR) after one season in force for the 7DAYS EuroCup. The main topics reviewed were:

- The prohibition of overdue payables.
- Minimum participation budget of 2.5 million euros.
- Limitation of expenses allocated to player salaries to 65% of the total expenses of the club.
- Limitation of shareholder contributions to a maximum of 65% of the total expenses of the club.
- An aggregate financial deficit limited to 10% of a club's average budget in a three-year period.

Euroleague Basketball’s senior director of officiating, Richard Stokes, provided a report on referee performance during the 2021-22 season and presented clubs with the conclusions of the [Euroleague Basketball Institute meeting with EuroCup head coaches held last week](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/news/head-coaches-referees-get-a-jump-on-the-2022-23-season).

Clubs also received reports on athlete health and injury tracking, as well as the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic and the revised protocols to be applied by Euroleague Basketball for the 2022-23 season. 