Euroleague Basketball, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and Infront Sports & Media announced in Beijing on Wednesday morning that CSKA Moscow and Benetton Treviso will be the Euroleague representatives in an historic tournament to take place in the China from October 1 to 3 of this year. The Euroleague Basketball/Team China Tournament is the first step in a recent partnership agreement between the two competitions that contemplates tournaments, clinics and related activities meant to build a relationship that enhances the growth of basketball worldwide. CSKA, the current Euroleague champion, and Benetton, one of modern European basketball's most successful teams, will be joined in the tournament by the Chinese national team. "I’m sure that our teams will offer to the Chinese fans competitive and spectacular games playing with Team China," Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu said. "Euroleague Basketball is looking forward to making these projects come true, and we know that there is a lot to learn from Chinese basketball. We wish to learn, but also to share experiences that will be beneficial far everyone involved."
"Basketball in Europe has its own characteristics," Mr. Bertomeu told an estimated 65 media members who attended the press conference at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Beijing. "Basketball in Europe is fundamental skills. Basketball in Europe is a team game, rather than individual. Basketball in Europe is the passion and devotion of our fans: devotion for the team, for the club, for their colors, because we have teams with more than 100 years of history. We consider fans to be the key factor in the success of the league, and we are constantly striving to offer them the best opportunity to enjoy the experience of the Euroleague."
Mr. Bertomeu was joined at the press conference by CBA Executive Vice President Li Yuanwei and Infront CEO Philippe Blatter.
"The Chinese Basketball Association sincerely welcomes the cooperation with Euroleague and is looking forward to carrying out more cooperation," Mr. Li said. " The world has seen the very rapid development of European basketball. During the 2006 World Championship, Team Greece defeated Team USA, and Team Spain beat Team Argentina and ultimately won the championship. These brilliant achievements show the strength and rapid development of European basketball to the world, and all those achievements are related to the high-level Euroleague matches."
Mr. Blatter of Infront expanded on the aims of the partnership.
"As a result of this partnership both the CBA and Euroleague will have the opportunity to exchange respective experiences and basketball know-how via an extremely broad and extensive technical development platform," Mr. Blatter said. " Among others, and in collaboration with FIBA World, this platform includes refereeing programs, training camps both in Europe and in China, coaching clinics as well as marketing and managerial workshops solely developed to enhance critical basketball areas."
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