Laporta bets on keeping the EuroLeague in the hands of the clubs

Joan Laporta has made clear his position regarding the future of the EuroLeague: to keep the competition in the hands of its owning clubs. The president of Barça led the azulgrana delegation in the meeting held on Tuesday, October 6, by the shores of Lake Como, where the shareholders of the European league gathered to outline the strategy for the coming years. During the meeting, Laporta made statements reflecting his vision on how the competition should evolve without losing control of those who have built it over decades.

Unity of owners as a priority

The azulgrana leader was categorical in his reflections shared by the EuroLeague itself: "My vision is to maintain ownership of the competition." Laporta explained the reasoning behind this stance, emphasizing the need for cohesion among the shareholder clubs. "We need to be together, stay united, because the EuroLeague has been developing for a long time with this structure, in which we, the owners, make the decisions that matter to our competition," he stated in comments reported by Sport.

For the Barça president, the next step in consolidating this model is to build a high level of trust among the partners. "The most important thing is to build the highest possible level of trust among us to establish a common strategic vision," emphasized Laporta. This commitment to solidarity among the clubs aligns with the strategic agreement reached in the Como meeting, where the shareholders decided to transform the current licenses into franchises and to expand the total number of franchises in the league.

Growth without sacrificing identity

Laporta also expressed support for the EuroLeague to continue expanding. "Most of us think that the best path is to maintain our competition as EuroLeague, make it stronger, and increase the number of participating clubs," stated the president. This vision reflects the owners' intent to strengthen the European league without sacrificing its essence or their control over the strategic decisions affecting its future development.

Other internationally relevant presidents also participated in the Como meeting, such as Tony Parker from ASVEL, Herbert Hainer from Bayern, and Dimitris Giannakopoulos from Panathinaikos, underscoring the importance of this meeting to define the competition's direction.

The NBA as a commercial reference

Although Laporta defends the current model of the EuroLeague, he did not close the door on learning from other experiences. The azulgrana leader cited the NBA as an example in the commercial and management fields. "We must be open to all opportunities that may arise in the world of basketball. It is important to have the mindset to learn from those who have succeeded," he explained. However, he qualified this openness with an important condition: "We can learn many things from others, but we must adapt those new techniques and knowledge to our way of understanding basketball and to our competition."

This stance reflects the existing tension in European basketball in light of advancing projects like the NBA in Europe, which has sparked debates about the future of traditional competitions. Laporta, in his remarks, sought to balance the need for modernization with the preservation of the identity and control of the EuroLeague.

The NBA project on the horizon

The context of the Como meeting cannot be understood without mentioning the NBA's expansion project in European territory, which has generated concern among the owners of the EuroLeague. The presence of this underlying topic in the shareholders' conversations demonstrates that the European league seeks to position itself strategically in the face of possible changes in the global professional basketball landscape.

The Barça centenary and the commitment to return to the top

Laporta took the opportunity during the interview to speak about the Barça basketball section, which celebrates its centenary this year. The president emphasized the club's long-standing commitment to the sport: "For many years, Barça has maintained a very strong commitment to basketball. Our fans have a great passion for this sport, and we are very proud of it."

Regarding sports objectives, Laporta recalled the European titles won by the club in 2003 and 2010, expressing his confidence that the team can reach those heights again. "We want to achieve that again. We are improving our team; we have a new coach and have renewed the roster with excellent players. I believe it will be a very good season," he stated optimistically.

The azulgrana team enters this season with a record of five wins and three losses in the EuroLeague, after defeating Bayern 84-88 in the match played on Tuesday, which demonstrates that the renovations carried out are having an effect in the early stages of the competition.

Upcoming commitments for Barça

The azulgrana team will host Valencia Basket on Friday, October 30, at 20:30 hours, at the Palau Blaugrana, in round 9 of the EuroLeague. The taronja team arrives with six wins and two losses, promising a competitive match between two teams in good form. Two days later, on Sunday, November 1, Barça will visit Málaga in what will be the 150th match between both teams in the history of the Liga Endesa, a milestone that reflects the tradition of this rivalry in Spanish basketball.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Laporta apuesta por mantener la Euroliga en poder de los clubes