At a meeting in Barcelona on Monday, the Euroleague Commercial Assets executive board presided over a review of developments in the current season while looking ahead to potential changes in future years. CSKA President Andrey Vatutin and Vice-President Natalia Furaeva took part in the meeting.
The board heard about financial, attendance, audience and similar results for the ongoing 2010-11 season. Board members were given a season review including a report complimenting teams on the high level of sporting competitiveness throughout the season. The board wasgiven this season's attendance results, highlighted by a 24.6% increase in attendance at Turkish Airlines Euroleague games, as well as an average increase of 11% in arena capacities. Euroleague Basketball also reported that a record 59 television partners had broadcast Euroleague games to 168 countries through the end of the playoffs round.
Regarding the administration of the competition, members discussed an initial calendar proposal, which included a proposal to change the Euroleague Qualifying Round. The change would compact three rounds played over as many weeks before the 2010-11 season into simultaneous three-day weekend events with two groups of eight teams each producing one qualifier each for the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season. Besides saving time, cutting travel costs and promoting more dramatic games, the proposal avoids a tight competition calendar. The calendar proposed a Turkish Airlines Euroleague season starting on October 19 and includes two possible dates for the Turkish Airlines Final Four 2012: the weekends of May 4 to 6 of May 11 to 13. Additionally, Euroleague Basketball reported on issues and inconsistencies in the current collection of official statistics of the competition, reiterating the importance of this field as it affects many different areas of the image of the competition, including sponsors, fans, players, clubs and media. Euroleague Basketball made proposals on improving the collection of official statistics and will be working on a global proposal to improve the overall statistical offerings of the competition.
To finalize, representatives at the meeting were presented with some modifications in the competition by-laws that establish the objective framework for the collective health of the competition, including stricter financial requirements for club registration in both competitions (Eurocup and Turkish Airlines Euroleague), arena facility requirements, television production needs, including improvements in the instant replay, and marketing needs.
VTB Teams:
League&Tournament:
