Laporta defends the unity of owners in the Euroleague

Joan Laporta, president of the FC Barcelona, has defended the necessity for Euroleague clubs to work together to build a common strategic vision that consolidates the future of the European competition. During the meeting held in early October in Como, Italy, the Blaugrana leader shared his perspective on the challenges and opportunities that European basketball faces in the coming years.

The meeting in Como brought together presidents and owners of different teams in the competition with the aim of reinforcing confidence in the project and sharing their perspectives on future development. Laporta considered this meeting essential to consolidating the current model and taking advantage of the growth opportunities that arise for European basketball in a context of transformation in professional sports.

The Importance of Strategic Unity

Laporta highlighted that the Euroleague has been developing for a long time under a structure in which the owners make decisions in the interest of the competition. According to the Blaugrana president, this model has invaluable worth and represents a unique opportunity for European basketball. However, he insisted that the current moment requires building the highest possible level of trust among owners to move forward with a unified strategy.

In his statements, Laporta emphasized that the meeting in Como represented a crucial turning point. He considered that most owners are committed to the goal of unifying the strategy and vision of the competition. The position of the Barça president is clear: to maintain the Euroleague as a competition, strengthen it, increase participants, and explore potential opportunities that arise, while always keeping the door open to useful initiatives for the competition and preserving its ownership.

Coordination Between Institutions and Clubs

The Blaugrana leader also referred to the contacts held between representatives of the clubs in other institutional meetings. Laporta mentioned that during the General Assembly of Football Clubs in Copenhagen, the Euroleague owners took the opportunity to discuss basketball and strengthen their joint position. According to the president, there is a shared willingness to strengthen the group of owners and move in the same direction to consolidate the future of the competition.

Coordination among institutions has allowed the owners of the Euroleague to share a common spirit and a very interesting agenda. Laporta stressed that the best way to strengthen the group is to stay united, avoiding divisions that could weaken the collective stance in the face of future challenges or changes in the landscape of European professional basketball.

The Historic Commitment of Barcelona to Basketball

Laporta asserted the trajectory of the FC Barcelona in basketball and the deep bond the section has with its fans. The president recalled that the Blaugrana club is celebrating this year the centenary of its basketball section, a milestone marking a hundred years of history in the sport. Barça organizes multiple events throughout the season to link the past with the present and the future, recognizing the historical importance of basketball within the entity.

The president expressed his confidence in the sports project for this season, marked by the arrival of a new coach and the renewal of the roster with excellent players. Laporta highlighted that basketball is the second sport of the club, after football, and that Blaugrana fans are deeply connected to this discipline. The club has won two Euroleagues, the last in Paris in 2010 and the previous one in 2003, achievements that he considers wonderful and that motivate him to seek new titles in the future.

Cooperation, Growth, and Learning from International Models

Laporta insisted that cooperation among clubs is essential to elevate the level of the Euroleague, improve the spectacle, and strengthen the connection with fans. In his view, unity must be the foundation upon which the competition's growth and social impact are built. The president argued that this is the only way to make a difference and ensure fans are more engaged with European basketball.

Despite his willingness to maintain the current structure of the Euroleague, Laporta defended the need to study successful models like that of the NBA, especially in areas like marketing and promoting the spectacle. The president emphasized that any initiative must adapt to the identity and understanding of basketball that is unique to the Euroleague, avoiding the mechanical copying of systems that work in other contexts.

Laporta explained that the owners of the Euroleague must be open to potential opportunities arising in basketball, prepared to listen to others and learn from people who have succeeded in professional sports. However, any innovation must be conveyed while maintaining the mindset and understanding of basketball that characterizes the European competition. The goal is to develop European basketball with the willingness to learn from others, but without losing its own identity.

The Secret of Success: Talent, Work, and Trust

Laporta also explained that Barça's sports success results from a combination of trust in the project, constant work, and a commitment to talent. The club has managed to train and develop historic players in both football and basketball, such as Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro, who have succeeded worldwide. Behind these achievements lies much work, dedication, and a special sensitivity towards what sports mean in people's lives and communities.

The president emphasized that the secret lies in believing in the sport, in one's own abilities, in the people involved in the project, and in the methods employed. This philosophy has enabled Barça to maintain a high competitive level for decades and position itself as a reference institution in European basketball.

Beyond his institutional responsibilities, Laporta asserted his personal bond with basketball. The president recalled that his passion for the FC Barcelona began during his childhood when at four years old he would go to Palau Blaugrana with his grandfather and father. This Blaugrana feeling has marked his entire life and is why he enjoys watching football and basketball matches, considering both as a way of life.

Laporta evoked names of players who have marked different generations of Blaugrana fans, such as Thomas, Carmaichel, Nacho Solozábal, Chicho Sibilio, Epi, Juanito de la Cruz, and Audie Norris. The president recalled that fortunately, he won the Euroleague in 2003 just when he became president, at the age of 39, and that later, in 2010, it was magical to win in Paris in a wonderful match against Olympiacos. These memories reflect Laporta's deep emotional commitment to the club's basketball and his determination to once again conquer European titles.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Laporta defiende la unidad de propietarios en la Euroliga