Today in PBC CSKA Euroleague marketing consultant Marshall Glickman has meet with Russian journalists. Arrival of one of the key figures of the strongest continental basketball league is connected to the beginning of the preparation to the Moscow Final Four which will take place in the our capital next season.
During the conversation Glickman told about the marketing work of the Euroleague and answered the questions:
- One and a half year ago CEO of the Euroleague Jordi Bertomeu has call me and asked if I want to come to Barcelona and help them. My first answer was: What is the Euroleague? I thought that I will spend there only 4 months but I staying here more that year and I’m going to work several years more. It is fine opportunity for my family to see Europe.
One of the men whom I met in the beginning of my work was CEO of CSKA Sergey Kushchenko. We understood each other too early. We understand that basketball must have fans. They can be dividing into two categories. They are some peoples who come to basketball because they like this sport. For other it is another question: Where shall I go today evening? Due to this category (children, women, families) the attendance of the games grows. Kushchenko understands it very good.
I have very optimistic forecasts about the Euroleague. I’m looking at this project from the business point of view. My target is to help the Euroleague into the league of the business. My first idea was the ticketing program. Now only 4 clubs including CSKA understood that they really need it and they took part in this program.
Why Final Four will take place in Moscow? Thanks to its management and marketing. Moscowis a huge city with set of the opportunities, very much suitable for Final Four. During our yesterday meeting with Gomelsky and Kushchenko so many ideas were born that I couldn’t write all of them. And I want to tell about it in Barcelona as soon as it possible.
I have visited more then 2000 games in NBA and I can say with the confidence that I never saw such atmosphere on the games as in Europe on Final Four. If you will visit the final of the play-off of NBA, you will not see such passion as we saw last spring in Barcelona.
Do you really trust that tribunes in Moscow will gather full for ordinary games of the Euroleague?
- No, I’m not. But it is our main target. Peoples like to come to basketball with their families, because it is good friendly atmosphere here. They can come with children who like laser show and sound, all that CSKA is doing here.
Are you getting your ideas from NBA?
- I spend many ears in NBA and USA. We get some ideas from there, we generates new ideas. I’m searching for the information from different countries. I’m looking at cricket in England, at NHL, at rugby and other sport competitions. We investigate the experience of many competitions and generate our own.
Can some Euroleague clubs to play in NBA championship and why?
- Now I can say only no. The level of the European basketball is very high. Last year Barcelona could defeat Memphis. The problem is other. NBA has a very good organization. Clubs understand that they must work well in business. NBA is looking at Europe but wewant to work here our self. I would like to see more peoples like Sergey Kushchenko. I would like to clone him to all other clubs if I can. He understands that it is business but he works with the pleasure.
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