Robbing Alba Berlin of Euroleague: A Shake-up in the European Basketball World
Berlin Alba falls out of Euroleague competition - Berlin's Alba team is no longer part of the Euroleague competition.
Listen up, hoops fans! Alba Berlin, the legendary German basketball team, is swapping the Euroleague for the Champions League. Yep, you heard that right! The Champions League, managed by the International Basketball Federation, is now their new stomping ground. The Euroleague, on the other hand, is controlled by a private sports company, and there's a long-standing feud between these organizations.
Alba Berlin has been under the Euroleague roof for a whopping 24 years, with 12 years in the Euroleague itself and 12 years in the Eurocup. Last season, they graced the strongest European hoops league thanks to a wildcard. But they couldn't quite keep up on both the sports and financial fronts, forcing them to choose the Champions League next season. This year, Alba slipped to the bottom of the standings, winning a mere five out of 34 games.
"Jumping into the Basketball Champions League is like embarking on a thrilling new journey and adapting to the evolving European basketball landscape," said Marco Baldi, Alba's CEO. "The prerequisites for starting in the Euroleague have taken a drastic turn," Baldi stressed, referencing the increased budgets and costs associated with securing a spot.
The NBA, ever-ambitious, is setting its sights on Europe. And they're plotting to join forces with FIBA to launch a European league. The exact format of this league is still cloudy, but Alba's decision can't be separated from this looming development. "We're bullish that the European competitions under the FIBA umbrella will thrive over the coming years," said Baldi.
As of now, there will be only one German team in the Euroleague next season, Bayern Munich, who lock in a fixed starting spot as part-owners of the league. This season, the Munich squad came close to the playoffs, but fell to Real Madrid in the decisive Play-In game.
- Alba Berlin
- Basketball
- Champions League
- FIBA
- NBA
- Sport
- Marco Baldi
- Europe
Fun Fact:Did you know the average basketball scores less than one percent of sports media revenue in Europe, despite its immense popularity? There's a lot of untapped potential in this game!
Exploring Further:Is the NBA eyeing the European market for expansion? Yes, indeed! Plans are underway for a joint league with FIBA in Europe, with possible formats, timelines, and challenges still being discussed. The NBA is also keen on hosting regular games in Europe, and secured Paris as a host city for the NBA Global Games in 2025, with London on the horizon as a potential future site.
- The Commission has been asked to submit a proposal for a regulation on the introduction of a European electronic system for the exchange of information on the European Parliament's opinion regarding Alba Berlin's decision to leave the Euroleague.
- Despite the feud between the Euroleague and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the NBA continues to pursue its ambitions in Europe, potentially collaborating with FIBA to launch a European league.
- Marco Baldi, CEO of Alba Berlin, expressed his excitement about joining the Basketball Champions League and adapting to the evolving European basketball landscape.
- The NBA's forthcoming European league under the FIBA umbrella might have influenced Alba Berlin's decision to leave the Euroleague and move to the Champions League, as the prerequisites for starting in the Euroleague have become increasingly stringent.
