The first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague opening night in Villeurbanne, France in almost a decade was celebrated on Friday with a special press conference prior to the Round 1 matchup between LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and visiting Olympiacos Piraeus. Attending the press conference for the occasion were Tony Parker, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne President and controlling shareholder; Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO; Jean Michel Aulas, President of Olympique Lyonnais, whose club is now a minority shareholder in ASVEL; and Gaetan Muller, ASVEL's Managing President.

ASVEL celebrates EuroLeague return with press conference

The first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague opening night in Villeurbanne, France in almost a decade was celebrated on Friday with a special press conference prior to the Round 1 matchup between LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and visiting Olympiacos Piraeus. Attending the press conference for the occasion were Tony Parker, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne President and controlling shareholder; Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO; Jean Michel Aulas, President of Olympique Lyonnais, whose club is now a minority shareholder in ASVEL; and Gaetan Muller, ASVEL's Managing President.

The last time that Astroballe arena was host to a EuroLeague game was on January 7, 2010, but this season French champion ASVEL is playing with an associated wild card that brings the best club basketball in Europe back to France's third-largest metropolitan area. ASVEL played five EuroLeague seasons last decade and before that reached as far as the Final Four, in 1997. The return of ASVEL means that French basketball, too, has returned to the EuroLeague for the first time under its new round-robin format, bringing the continent's best players and teams to the dedicated fans of the Lyon-Villeurbanne area once again.

Read below the statements from the press conference guests.

**Tony Parker, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne President and controlling shareholder**

"First of all, I just want to welcome everybody. I want to welcome Jordi. I really appreciate your presence here in the first round of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague here in Villeurbanne. We're really excited. It's been 10 years that we didn't have a EuroLeague game here and three years that France didn't have a EuroLeague game. So it's a special day. I am very proud that ASVEL and the country of France is hosting a EuroLeague game again. I'm very happy to be playing Olympiacos, too. We've had a lot of battles with the country of Greece, so it's great to play against them.

"This is an important night with all the events that have happened during the week, with all our teams, Jean Michel naming me emeritus ambassador, with the opening of the Academy, and we close it tonight with the participation in the Euroleague. Our objective was to participate in the EuroLeague. We talked with Jordi back in 2014, and with Gaetan we have developed a relationship based on trust, explaining our vision and the fact that they can count on us. We have worked very hard, and today we can say that all the hard work was worth it."

**Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO**

"It's a great day for us as well, very special as Tony has said, because this is exactly the moment we have been waiting for since 2014. So this is the moment, and we are very happy to be here today. But probably the headline is that after many years we have another EuroLeague game here in Villeurbanne. But I believe that this is not the most important thing today.

"In our opinion, the most important thing is that today is the beginning, the beginning of this long path that will take ASVEL Villeurbanne to joining the European basketball powerhouses of the future. That is good news for the French fans, excellent news for French basketball, and amazing news for European basketball, as well.

"We had many conversations, many meetings in the last five years. We had the opportunity to share a well-designed project with an excellent level of commitment and fulfillment. And when sometimes people ask us, 'Why ASVEL?', the answer is very simple. For tradition, for the passion and for the ambition of this club and this project. We trust in this vision, we believe in the ASVEL management, and we believe what we will have ahead of us will be a story of success.

"The recent partnership with Olympique Lyonnaise will bring this project to another level. I want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Mr. Aulas for believing in basketball and for believing in EuroLeague. And I want to finish by saying it's a very great moment for us and ASVEL to start walking this path. It's the moment that we are designing the EuroLeague of the future with a select group of 16 teams that will have a long-term presence in the EuroLeague. And to design this future, ASVEL will be part of the conversation. I think this is crucial for the future of the club."  

**Jean Michel Aulas, President of Olympique Lyonnais**

"I am very honored to be here tonight with ASVEL and with Jordi representing Euroleague Basketball. We have had an exceptional week with Tony, presenting the Academy with Gaetan, too. There is a synergy that we haven't had to force. Tony has this characteristic of a champion. We have around 50,000 spectators for our football games and the fans have immediately mobilized for Tony, Gaetan and the team, which is something that has been organic, behaving like a family, something spontaneous. Besides the fact that we have built a road, it has happened in a spontaneous way."

 **Gaetan Muller, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne Managing President**

"In 2014, we had 400 season-ticket holders and now we have 1,700. We have more than tripled. It is very important to have the fans of Olympique Lyonnais on our side. Tonight, we will live one of the most important moments in ASVEL's history. Playing the EuroLeague is very important for us. Watching our team playing in the EuroLeague is definitively one of the most important moments in our history."



Turkish banking giant adds basketball to sports portfolio
Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce a new global sponsor, DenizBank, whose long-time support of the development and enhancement of sports in Turkey will now gain even greater impact through its relationship with the top club basketball competitions in Europe.

DenizBank becomes Euroleague Basketball global sponsor

Turkish banking giant adds basketball to sports portfolio

Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce a new global sponsor, DenizBank, whose long-time support of the development and enhancement of sports in Turkey will now gain even greater impact through its relationship with the top club basketball competitions in Europe.

With their global sponsorship agreement, which starts with the upcoming 2019-20 season and lasts three years, with an option for three more, DenizBank has taken an important step to support basketball in Turkey and beyond. The bank will be a global partner of Euroleague Basketball and its signature competitions, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup.

To celebrate that partnership, Denizbank is launching a season-long advertising campaign that will feature EuroLeague stars Jan Vesely and Kostas Sloukas of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Krunoslav Simon and Bryant Dunston of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Ante Tomic of FC Barcelona, Sergio Rodriguez of AX Armani Exchange Milan, and Will Clyburn of CSKA.

Among DenizBank's international markets is Germany, where it boasts 16 branches in major cities, with a third of those in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, where the upcoming 2019-20 season will culminate with the 2020 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four being held in Cologne.

Hakan Ateş, DenizBank's CEO, said: "An exciting partnership has started between our bank and a championship that is followed in more than 200 countries around the world. By saying yes to sports and this global sponsorship, we have established our presence in this field on a more solid foundation. We are happy to contribute to the popularity of basketball within society in a broader sense. As DenizBank, we have been doing our best to contribute to the cultural and social development of the youth that we see as the future of our country from the first day we were founded. It is our social duty to assure that sports are embraced by a wider segment of society and to contribute to raising successful athletes of the future. I hope this partnership would bring good luck and prosperity to the parties and Turkish sports."

Mr. Ateş recalled that interest in basketball started in Turkey in the 1980s with The White Shadow series on TV, for which he worked as a voice actor. That initial interest has grown with the increasing success of Turkish teams in Euroleague Basketball competitions, contributing immensely to the development of the sports spirit and awareness. In recent years, Istanbul teams Fenerbahce Beko and Anadolu Efes have been constants in the EuroLeague Playoffs and Final Fours, while Darussafaka Tekfen and Galatasaray Doga Sigorta have won EuroCup titles, which is a great source of honor for Turkish basketball and has led to a tremendous increase in attraction to basketball among young Turkish people.

Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, said: "It is a pleasure to welcome DenizBank as our new global partner. Denizbank has an excellent reputation among all its loyal customers as one of the biggest banks in Turkey and other countries and territories. With this new agreement, we open an outstanding promotional window for Denizbank with our accumulated audience of 3.13 billion during last season, while supporting them with their continuous development and enhancement of sports."

DenizBank sees its new collaboration with Euroleague Basketball as vital for its mission to enhance the sports culture in Turkey and to contribute to the future of Turkish sports and athletes. DenizBank has extended its support to various sports, starting with football, and on a pan-European scale has previously sponsored the CEV Volleyball Champions Leagues for both men and women.



Turkish banking giant adds basketball to sports portfolio

Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce a new global sponsor, DenizBank, whose long-time support of the development and enhancement of sports in Turkey will now gain even greater impact through its relationship with the top club basketball competitions in Europe.

The technology giant Lenovo has become an official sponsor of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, the premier basketball competitions in Europe, for the 2019-20 season.

Lenovo Turkey is new, official Euroleague Basketball sponsor

The technology giant Lenovo has become an official sponsor of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, the premier basketball competitions in Europe, for the 2019-20 season.

As such, Lenovo will be the regional sponsor for all games of Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in the EuroLeague, and those of Galatasaray Doga Sigorta, Darussafaka Tekfen and Tofas Bursa in the EuroCup.

The agreement marks a strong starting point for a partnership between two true elites of their industries who come together first in a country, Turkey, where both are driving forces. Lenovo was recently confirmed to be the market leader in laptop sales in Turkey, just as Euroleague Basketball has become a success story of Turkish sports, with Fenerbahce winning the EuroLeague and Galatasaray the EuroCup within the last four seasons. Turkish fans drive some of the highest attendance and social media numbers in Euroleague Basketball.

Just like the top players on the continent, Lenovo is built on strong performance, excellence and speed, and has chosen Euroleague Basketball as part of its commitment to sports properties that share the company's values and quality.

Emre Hantaloğlu, General Manager of Lenovo Turkey, said: "As Lenovo, we continue our investment in sports that require high performance, in Turkey and worldwide. Within this scope, we are proud and happy to be the official sponsor of Euroleague Basketball, which organizes basketball at the highest level in Europe. I would like to extend my best wishes for our sponsorship to be beneficial with the high performance of our brand in technology during the greatest organization we watch in the basketball field in Europe."

Roser Queralto, Euroleague Basketball Chief Business Development Officer, said: "As a market leader and one of the most forward-thinking brands in the world, Lenovo is a perfect fit for our sport in general and Euroleague Basketball in particular. There is endless potential for us to work together at growing our shared commitment to delivering the highest performance at all times."

As part of the call to #BeActive during the 2019 European Week of Sport, the grassroots brand of Euroleague Basketball that focuses on the development of youth tournaments across the continent, EuroLeague Academy, threw its support behind European School Sport Day on Friday.

EuroLeague Academy supports European School Sport Day

As part of the call to #BeActive during the 2019 European Week of Sport, the grassroots brand of Euroleague Basketball that focuses on the development of youth tournaments across the continent, EuroLeague Academy, threw its support behind European School Sport Day on Friday.

EuroLeague Academy saw 44 school teams and more than 650 students participate in its tournaments during the 2018-19 season in Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Athens and Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.

A series of new steps in the Financial Stability and Fair Play Regulations (FSFPR) has been introduced by Euroleague Basketball to protect the long-term viability and sustainability of the clubs and the competition in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.

Fair Play steps added to improve competitive balance

A series of new steps in the Financial Stability and Fair Play Regulations (FSFPR) has been introduced by Euroleague Basketball to protect the long-term viability and sustainability of the clubs and the competition in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.

Among the new FSFPR provisions passed by ECA Shareholders when they met in July in Munich are increased transparency mechanisms, improved club budget valuation criteria, and progressive reductions in the maximum shareholder contribution allowed to a club's total budget, from the current 65% to 40% in the 2022-23 season.

Additionally, a new sanctions structure has been established for when a club exceeds the maximum shareholder contribution allowed. The amount of the penalty will range between 10 and 180 per cent of the overspend, depending on the severity of the violation. The penalties will be distributed among the other participating clubs, helping to improve the competitive balance of the competition.

The FSFPR complement other approved league-wide initiatives, such as EuroLeague BOCS, that are focused upon maximizing club revenues through knowledge sharing and consultancy services.

Finally, it also was agreed that each club's commercial partnerships will be evaluated by external consultants in order to prevent inflated valuations of deals.

Euroleague Basketball and the Union of Euroleague Basketball Officials (UEBO) have reached a history-making framework agreement, the first of its kind in European team sports between an organization and its referees.

Euroleague Basketball, referees reach four-year agreement

Euroleague Basketball and the Union of Euroleague Basketball Officials (UEBO) have reached a history-making framework agreement, the first of its kind in European team sports between an organization and its referees.

The framework agreement covers the next four seasons, during which time the referees collective will provide independent services to the clubs to officiate all Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup games.

Among other things, the agreement covers game fees for the referees and guarantees all referees a minimum annual amount from their game fees. It also provides an insurance policy for the referees and support for them when they stop officiating in international club competitions governed by Euroleague Basketball.

The referees are bound by the agreement to comply with the Euroleague Basketball Officials Regulations, In-Arena Code of Conduct and disciplinary code.

As has always been the case until now, the referees will be available to officiate in other basketball competitions.

"This first-of-its-kind agreement with our referees is another step toward guaranteeing fans that the quality of games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup will remain strong going forward," Eduard J. Scott, Euroleague Basketball’s Chief Operations Officer said. Referees, together with players and coaches, play a vital role in the growth of club basketball at the highest level in Europe. All our stakeholders can be assured that a strong level of professionalism will continue to characterize the officiating in the EuroLeague and EuroCup competitions."

The agreement was signed on Wednesday by UEBO president Sasa Pukl at Euroleague Basketball headquarters in Barcelona.

"The signing of this agreement today is surely a historical moment for referees," Pukl said. "Such an agreement is a first in European and international basketball competitions. It is a historical moment, first of all, for all 71 Euroleague Basketball referees who will benefit from this agreement, but also for future generations of EB referees. All 71 of us are looking forward to an even closer cooperation with players, coaches and everybody else in our competitions."

euroleague-basketball-referres-agreement-eb19

Ensuring a fun, welcoming and safe atmosphere for all people attending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup games will be the focus of several new measures that have been put in place by Euroleague Basketball for the coming season, including the introduction of the new Euroleague Basketball In-Arena Code of Conduct.

In-arena code of conduct introduced for 2019-20 season

Ensuring a fun, welcoming and safe atmosphere for all people attending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup games will be the focus of several new measures that have been put in place by Euroleague Basketball for the coming season, including the introduction of the new Euroleague Basketball In-Arena Code of Conduct.

The EB In-Arena Code of Conduct and the other league-wide collective initiatives, regulations and standards that will be deployed in the coming months are aimed at standardizing the fan experience across all arenas at top-quality levels and making it second-to-none in the world of sports.

The code of conduct was approved by all EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs over the summer. The key principles in the code of conduct are to show respect to all fans, players, coaches and staff, referees and arena personnel; to refrain from abusive, disruptive and/or foul language and behavior; to never disrupt or interfere with the normal operations of the arena or the game being played; and to comply with requests from arena or club personnel regarding arena policies and emergency procedures.

Anyone who witnesses a failure to adhere to the code of conduct is encouraged to report such violations to security personnel and/or through any other channel made available by the home club. Euroleague Basketball is also in the process of establishing a reporting mechanism. To preserve an enjoyable and safe environment for all, Euroleague Basketball, clubs and local authorities reserve the right to expel any person who violates the In-Arena Code of Conduct, as well as to deny entry to any arena.

Security personnel from Euroleague Basketball are in the process of visiting cities with EuroLeague and/or EuroCup teams to meet with the local clubs, authorities and security bodies in each. Over the past week, Euroleague Basketball staff have held preparation meetings in the cities of Athens, Istanbul and Belgrade to meet with the EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs, arena management, private security companies, public authorities and police. The code of conduct was discussed in the meetings, as were the measures needed to prevent the recurrence of security incidents, hence ensuring the best possible atmosphere during games for all people attending to enjoy.

Euroleague Basketball will monitor the implementation of the in-arena code of conduct across all games in both competitions.

"We want to provide an unforgettable experience for everyone who attends a EuroLeague or EuroCup game, regardless of the result on the night," said Eduard Scott, Chief Operating Officer at Euroleague Basketball. "To do that, we value the support of all relevant stakeholders to create a great environment for our games."

You can find a link to the Euroleague Basketball In-Arena Code of Conduct below. Euroleague Basketball thanks all fans, players, coaches and staff, referees and arena personnel in advance for cooperating and adhering to it!

Euroleague Basketball is celebrating the 2019 European Week of Sport by calling on all basketball fans to #BeActive by practicing physical activity that leads to personal and community wellbeing.

Euroleague Basketball celebrates fifth annual European Week of Sport!

Euroleague Basketball is celebrating the 2019 European Week of Sport by calling on all basketball fans to #BeActive by practicing physical activity that leads to personal and community wellbeing.

The annual campaign, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, runs from Monday, September 23 through Sunday, September 30. In the previous four editions, more than 40 million people in 42 countries have participated in more than 100,000 events as part of what is the largest public-funded sports initiative in the world.

The European Week of Sport is for everyone – regardless of age, ability, background or fitness level – but especially for the 46% of Europeans who say they never exercise or play sports.

Euroleague Basketball began sending the message that being active promotes healthy living at the ninth One Team Annual Workshop in Barcelona, Spain earlier this month. The 42 participating clubs in this season's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup will be echoing that message this week through their own communications platforms. Euroleague Basketball also promotes physical activity to its staff by providing wellness sessions on a weekly basis.

Additionally, EuroLeague Academy, the grassroots brand of Euroleague Basketball that focuses on the development of youth tournaments across the continent, will support the European School Sport Day on Friday. EuroLeague Academy saw 44 school teams and more than 650 students participate in its tournaments during the 2018-19 season in Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Athens and Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.

"Euroleague Basketball has supported the European Week of Sport since its inception because we share the same values, namely the encouragement of healthier lives and communities through sport," Roser Queralto, Euroleague Basketball Chief Business Development Officer, said. "Physical activity is proven not only to help individuals feel better, but to bring people together, break down barriers and promote inclusivity, as we have seen clearly in our own programs, One Team and EuroLeague Academy."

The smell of the new season was in the air over the weekend in the capital of Lithuania, which hosted the 28th Clinic for Euroleague Basketball Officials. The annual event brought together the 71 referees who will officiate games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup this season with 16 referee coaches and a host of league officials and special guests to prepare for the coming season.  

EB referees use clinic to gear up for season

The smell of the new season was in the air over the weekend in the capital of Lithuania, which hosted the 28th Clinic for Euroleague Basketball Officials. The annual event brought together the 71 referees who will officiate games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup this season with 16 referee coaches and a host of league officials and special guests to prepare for the coming season.  

Real Madrid head coach Pablo Laso; Monty McCutchen, the NBA's Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training; and Scott Butler, the Head of Referees in Australia's NBL, all joined Richard Stokes Euroleague Basketball’s Senior Director of Officiating, in sharing insights and guidelines for the new season with the officials.  

The weekend in Vilnius saw the referees undergo independent physical examinations to ensure that every official was in peak form before the first whistles are blown for the 2019-20 campaigns. Topics addressed included fitness and training issues by the medical support staff as well as presentation and court presence led by veteran official Olegs Latisevs. In addition, the points of emphasis discussed with EuroLeague and EuroCup head coaches earlier in the summer were presented to the referees and referees coaches who will support them this season including faking and flopping, behavior, violations, contact situations and mechanics by Richard Stokes. There were also sessions related to matters of instant replay and communication conducted by Euroleague Basketball staff members.

"It was a pleasure to be involved in the referees' preparation for the forthcoming season," McCutchen said. "Their professionalism and commitment to serve the game at the highest level was evident throughout the meeting, as well as their desire to grow. Personally, it was a joy for me to work with this group in Vilnius and I look forward to doing so again."

Iztok Rems, the ABA League's Commissioner for Delegating Referees; Algimantas Pavilonis, the Head of Referees for Lietuvos Krepsinio Lyga; Boris Schmidt, the Head of Referees in the easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga; and Tomasz Kudlicki, the Polish Basketball League's Referees and Commissioners Manager, attended the clinic as well.

"We have had a good start to our season with both the people that were able to be with our officials and the guidelines and expectations that were discussed," Stokes said. "It is so important that we are all on the same page with a clear vision of how we need to work each season and our work with the head coaches and now the referees completes the process to begin what I am sure will be both a challenging and exciting season ahead of us."