The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Monday, June 22, to discuss proposals to be presented at the upcoming ECA Shareholders Meeting in July.

ECA Shareholders Executive Board discuss Financial Fair Play, stakeholder framework

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Monday, June 22, to discuss proposals to be presented at the upcoming ECA Shareholders Meeting in July.

The Executive Board proceeded to:

* Approve the 2019-20 Euroleague Basketball financial closing, with economic club distribution being reduced by 14% compared to the pre-season forecast, despite total revenues being reduced by 30% following the season cancellation due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The amount distributed to EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs corresponds to 100% of the forecasted market pool distribution as well as 100% of the forecasted sports pool distribution for the games played until March 12

* Review progress of the conversations with the EuroLeague Players Association and the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, with the goal of reaching short form European Framework Agreements with both collectives

* Review improved Financial Stability & Fair Play Regulations to be applied from the 2021-22 season onwards, with the objective of increasing clubs’ sustainability as well as competitive balance. Previously approved regulations apply for the 2020-21 season. The main proposals include establishing player salaries based on Net Basketball-Related Market Revenues. The proposals will be further discussed at the next Executive Board meeting that will take place in early July 2020

* Reject Panathinaikos Athens’ request to transfer its EuroLeague Club License, due to the fact that no guarantee has been provided by the club that it will fulfill all associated commitments towards the other ten licensed clubs and Euroleague Basketball. Clubs also reiterated the statement previously issued on June 12

* Approve the 2020-21 7DAYS EuroCup Team List, selecting Dolomiti Energia Trento to replace Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt who have withdrawn from the competition

All decisions taken by the Executive Board will be presented at the ECA Shareholders Meeting for formal approval, to be held on July 9, 2020.

In light of the recent statements made by Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, ten EuroLeague Licensed Clubs wish to express the following:

Statement by 10 EuroLeague Licensed Clubs

In light of the recent statements made by Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, ten EuroLeague Licensed Clubs wish to express the following:

1. All ten clubs, with no exception, have believed in the collective Euroleague Basketball project and continue to believe in it.

2. The clubs remain united and strong together, having achieved success thanks to this unity.

3. The positive evolution of the EuroLeague in the past 20 years, and most especially in the last decade, has only strengthened this belief and the determination of the group to continue building on its success and bringing European basketball to the next level. This growth has been outstanding with regards to reach, awareness and following of the EuroLeague, but also regarding the economics around it. This has attracted numerous business partners to the EuroLeague ecosystem who see the property as the perfect tool to drive additional growth for their organizations.

4. Since 2000 the EuroLeague Licensed Clubs have established the highest standards of integrity. These include financial, regulatory, transparency, disciplinary and officiating aspects, to mention only those that have been questioned. Such governance standards can be compared only with those of the best sports organizations in the world.

5. The EuroLeague, according to every projection and analysis, continues to enjoy an immense potential for future growth. The clubs remain fully determined to continue taking all necessary steps to bring European professional club basketball to the next level and to deliver the highest-quality competition on the continent to an ever-increasing fanbase.

6. All clubs express their firm desire for Panathinaikos Athens to continue on the EuroLeague path because the club has been an integral part of this venture over the past 19 years. However, the repeated grave and unfounded defamations made by Mr. Giannakopoulos will not be tolerated. The clubs will take any action that they deem necessary to protect the reputation and integrity of their collective and individual properties, and to ensure that the club complies in full with every obligation to which it has committed itself as a member of the group.

Signed by: Anadolu Efes Istanbul, AX Armani Exchange Milan, CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Olympiacos Piraeus, Real Madrid and Zalgiris Kaunas.

Dear fans,

This is the most difficult letter that I have ever had to write to you.

Due to the international pandemic that is devastating communities across the world, we have had to cancel the 2019-20 seasons in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup.

Letter to the fans from Jordi Bertomeu

Dear fans,

This is the most difficult letter that I have ever had to write to you.

Due to the international pandemic that is devastating communities across the world, we have had to cancel the 2019-20 seasons in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup.

Of course, it is an extremely sad moment for all of us. It hurts even more because, thanks to you, this had been the most successful season, in all areas, of our history. We witnessed more of you cheering in our arenas and saw more of you engaging with our content than ever before. For that, we are truly thankful. Your faith inspires us to continue, as always, basing our decisions on doing what is best for the fans.

There are times when organizations are required to stay true to their beliefs. Above and beyond any other interests, we seek to protect the integrity of our competitions. To assure that, the health and safety of everyone involved in making the games great must come first – as it has in this moment. Such values are paramount, and even under trying circumstances such as these, we shall always strive to keep them front and center.

I am extremely proud of how the entire Euroleague Basketball family has reacted during this crisis. Our players, coaches, clubs and commercial partners have shown how committed they are to our communities and to the sport of basketball. We applaud all of them, as we do the many people who have been in the first line of defense against the virus. We know from you, the fans, that no one succeeds without great support, and to see the communities where we play staying united these last two months has been an especially touching reminder of the values we all share through our mutual love of this sport.

Since we suspended our competitions on March 12, you have stayed close and showed how much you wanted basketball to come back. We are saddened that, due to forces beyond our control, we could not make it happen as soon as we all wish. Nonetheless, in the upcoming months, while we focus on getting back on the court stronger than ever for the 2020-21 season, we will continue to bring you ways to enjoy this unique brand of basketball through content offerings on our communications channels.

We at Euroleague Basketball are fans at heart, just like you. We cannot wait to see the players back on the court, the games in action again, and, most importantly, hearing you cheer. Together, we will enjoy all of those moments again soon.

In the meantime, I wish all the best for each and every one of you.

Best regards,
Jordi Bertomeu
President & CEO
Euroleague Basketball

Following the announcement on Monday of the decision by the Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board to cancel the 2019-20 season in both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu met in a video conference call with media members from across the continent to address the cancellation and to take their questions.

Jordi Bertomeu press conference following season cancellation

2019-20 EuroLeague and EuroCup seasons cancelled

Current EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs confirmed places for 2020-21 season

2020-21 EuroLeague and EuroCup seasons to start on October 1 and September 30, 2020, respectively

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Monday, May 25, for the fourth time since the season was suspended on March 12 due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) global pandemic.

ECA Shareholders Executive Board announces decisions regarding 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons

### 2019-20 EuroLeague and EuroCup seasons cancelled****

### Current EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs confirmed places for 2020-21 season****

### 2020-21 EuroLeague and EuroCup seasons to start on October 1 and September 30, 2020, respectively****

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Monday, May 25, for the fourth time since the season was suspended on March 12 due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) global pandemic.

Following the decision taken on March 12 to temporarily suspend all Euroleague Basketball competitions, the league, clubs, players and all stakeholders have maintained their willingness and continuous efforts to resume the competitions.

Having explored every possible option, the Executive Board has made the decision to cancel the 2019-20 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup, as well as the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament and EuroLeague Academy due to the following considerations:

* The health and safety of our athletes, fans, staff, partners and local communities remains our top priority

* The varied evolution of COVID-19 in different EuroLeague and EuroCup territories does not guarantee that all teams can hold their training camp and prepare for official games under the same conditions

* The above has resulted in local authorities imposing differing restrictions on the movements of their citizens, with no guarantees that all teams can travel to and from the designated location

* A reduced training camp schedule compared to the previously approved three weeks minimum would cause an increased injury risk for players

* For reasons of sporting integrity, all competition system modifications including a reduced number of teams were discarded

* Despite elaborating an exhaustive medical protocol for the competitions, the medical protocols currently being implemented by public health authorities require a period of self-isolation for any player, coach or referee that tests positive for COVID-19. Therefore, during the past two and a half months the necessary guarantee that the competitions could be completed regularly in July has not been obtained

* Our decision not to modify self-imposed deadlines – late May for taking a final decision and late July to finish the competitions – in order to avoid changing and impacting the 2020-21 calendar, including domestic league games as well as national team games in summer 2021

In keeping with our continued values of sports integrity and fairness, the Executive Board decided not to recognize any team as the champion for the 2019-20 EuroLeague, nor the EuroCup.

Euroleague Basketball thanks the many cities and regions that have shown their commitment to basketball in recent weeks, including volunteering to host the remaining EuroLeague and EuroCup games with maximum health, safety and operational guarantees, including in several cases, full government support. These candidates have put forth enormous effort and displayed great determination to ensure that every detail was in place to hold a safe and successful end of season.

Statement from Euroleague Basketball President & CEO Jordi Bertomeu:

"Without a doubt, this is the most difficult decision we have had to take in our 20-year history. Due to reasons beyond our control, we have been forced to cut short the most successful and exciting season in European basketball history. This comes after two and a half months in which all the league's stakeholders maintained their determination and exhausted every possible avenue in trying to deliver a complete and uniquely special season to our fans, whose passion is the driving force for all our efforts. That is our commitment and our passion every single season, and so falling short due to forces beyond anyone's control is what saddens us most. Nonetheless, record-breaking data showing how much our fans enjoyed the games to date gives us more energy than ever to start planning for an even better 2020-21 season.

"I am especially proud of how the EuroLeague and EuroCup communities have remained united in incredibly tough times. Proud of our clubs and their ownership for the courage in their decisions and for their generous contributions to their communities in such difficult times. Proud of our commercial partners, who have shown their continued commitment to and belief in our brand and what it represents. Proud of our players, coaches and referees who have been supportive and understanding throughout. Proud of our fans, who have remained close to us and have constantly expressed how much they wanted the competitions to come back. This is an extraordinary community, and we are privileged to be a part of it.

"Obviously, we had many motivations to resume the 2019-20 season, but in such an exceptional situation, we have to put people’s health first and ahead of any other interest: our players, our coaches, our referees, our clubs, their staff, our league staff, our broadcasters, and all of their families. By doing so, we stay true to our beliefs and what we stand for.

"In the coming months we only have one mission: to do everything in our power to help our communities come back stronger, and to build the best version of ourselves – on and off the court – for when we can be reunited with the fans. This is not an end, but rather a new beginning.”

Additionally, the Executive Board agreed on the following with regards to the 2020-21 season:

* The 2020-21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season will count upon the participation of the same 18 teams, namely: ALBA Berlin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, AX Armani Exchange Milan, Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Khimki Moscow Region, KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Olympiacos Piraeus, Panathinaikos OPAP Athens, Real Madrid, Valencia Basket, Zalgiris Kaunas and Zenit St Petersburg

* The 2020-21 7DAYS EuroCup season will reserve guaranteed spots for the eight teams that qualified for the 2019-20 quarterfinals, namely: AS Monaco, Partizan NIS Belgrade, Promitheas Patras, Segafredo Virtus Bologna, Tofas Bursa, Umana Reyer Venezia, Unicaja Malaga and UNICS Kazan. The remaining 16 spots will be awarded to teams qualifying through their domestic leagues’ final standings. As in previous seasons the EuroCup Board will propose the final team list for approval by the ECA Shareholders Meeting

* 2020-21 EuroLeague training camps will run for extended durations compared to previous seasons in order to allow players to recover their physical and mental shape in time for the new season

* The 2020-21 EuroLeague and EuroCup seasons will start on October 1 and September 30, 2020, respectively, as previously approved. The league and clubs will continue to monitor the evolution of COVID-19, staying in close contact with governments and public health authorities to ensure optimal conditions for all participants when the season starts

* EuroLeague Basketball and its clubs will devote all possible efforts and launch league-wide and individual actions to support their community’s recovery efforts


* EuroLeague Basketball will explore opportunities to organize a season-opening charity event to celebrate the EuroLeague’s return to the court


Euroleague Basketball thanks all clubs and players for the incredible and unparalleled spectacle they have put on the floor during the 2019-20 season. All league stakeholders want to express their special gratitude to all the fans who continuously and tirelessly support their clubs and the league. Once again, this season the fans have set all-time records, and their support encourages players, coaches, referees, league and club managers to continue to offer the best of the best in elite competitive basketball. Among the 2019-20 EuroLeague season data highlights*:

* 15% growth in fan interest across EuroLeague markets, with a positive trend in each one. France, Israel, Turkey, Spain and Germany registered the highest growth rates

* 15% growth in TV audience, with impressive rises in France, Italy, Israel and Germany

* Double-digit growth in digital platforms, including followers, reach, video views and engagement, as well as in unique users, pageviews and sessions on euroleague.net

* 12% growth in attendance and 75% of average arena occupancy


*The data, sourced from Nielsen Sports, Blinkfire Analytics and EuroLeague clubs, in order to be comparable audits covers the October-to-March period of each of the last two seasons and therefore excludes the end of the regular season, the playoffs and the Final Four, which traditionally bring further percentage increases in all metrics. In some cases, data from the unfinished 2019-20 season surpasses that of the entire 2018-19 season.

All decisions taken by the Executive Board will be presented at the ECA Shareholders Meeting for formal approval.

Euroleague Basketball and its member clubs continue working on a daily basis to plan together all the different scenarios that are possible during the current period of suspension of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, as well as to lay the groundwork for future improvements in the competitions.

EB, clubs continue focusing on future progress

Euroleague Basketball and its member clubs continue working on a daily basis to plan together all the different scenarios that are possible during the current period of suspension of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, as well as to lay the groundwork for future improvements in the competitions.

Since the suspension of both competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an agenda of phone calls and video conference meetings has been observed to keep the business of basketball running despite the lack of games at the most elite level in Europe.

Among the initiatives underway are periodic video conference meetings sharing basketball operations matters amongst EuroLeague clubs and the league. The meetings have been attended by the general manager or sports director from all 18 EuroLeague teams. The main item has been the discussion of COVID-19's impact on the competitions and the preparations needed to overcome its interruption, both in the short term as well as with regards to players, calendars, domestic leagues preparations and bylaws for the 2020-21 season.

Additionally, the media directors at all 18 EuroLeague teams held a virtual meeting together to address both the communications response to the current situation, ways in which the fans can be informed going forward to the eventual restart of the competition, and the coordination of the successful #EUROLEAGUEUNITED campaign. Soon after the suspension of the competitions, Euroleague Basketball and the clubs created the #EUROLEAGUEUNITED campaign to raise awareness of the precautions needed to keep people safe. That effort included players, coaches, referees and other stakeholders who also joined forces on both traditional and social media to send messages of perseverance and solidarity to Euroleague Basketball fans everywhere. #EUROLEAGUEUNITED has had more than 14 million video views since it was launched, with an estimated 61 million people reached and 3.5 million engagements among EuroLeague fans, teams and players.

Likewise, EuroLeague BOCS (Business Operations & Club Services) has recently held rounds of video conference meetings with the chief business officers at the 18 EuroLeague teams to share insights on how each is handling the pandemic; to unify strategies to make venues safe and comfortable for spectators once restrictive measures are eased; and to think of innovative ways to keep fans and partners engaged during the pandemic and beyond.

Euroleague Basketball referees will be sharpening their skills over the next four weeks with a stimulating timetable of online events as part of the new Officiating Webinar Program.

Euroleague Basketball officials learn through new webinar series

Euroleague Basketball referees will be sharpening their skills over the next four weeks with a stimulating timetable of online events as part of the new Officiating Webinar Program.

The first event took place on Wednesday with a guest appearance from English Premier League soccer referee David Coote. He explained how top-level soccer referees deal with players and coaches during games, especially the type of communication they adopt as part of their overall game management.

Next week will see the first in a number of presentations from sports psychologist Mar Rovira, who will explore the benefits of mental training to maximize the on-court performances of referees. Rovira is a former Spanish international who has already been part of the Euroleague Table Talk series, discussing the psychology of retirement for professional athletes.

The next scheduled online guest is one of the continent's most knowledgeable and successful coaches, Ettore Messina. The AX Armani Exchange Milan coach will share his extensive experience of working in the NBA, comparing the different styles of referees and discussing which methods could be transferred across the Atlantic.

Euroleague Basketball's Senior Officiating Director Richard Stokes explained that this new series of events is the start of an ongoing program, saying: "It is our intention to add to this program in the weeks following. We are planning to make this an integral part of our support and education for all our referees, even when we are able to return to the court."

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Thursday, April 23, for the third time since the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Executive Board approved two main topics.

ECA Shareholders Executive Board approves ELPA settlement agreement, draft dates for potential season resumption

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Thursday, April 23, for the third time since the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Executive Board approved two main topics.

Firstly, a settlement agreement has been reached between EuroLeague clubs and the EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA), establishing a number of minimum obligations and guarantees for the rest of the 2019-20 season for both clubs and players.

Whilst the competitions remain suspended:

* Players will be able to return to their home cities temporarily at their responsibility, recommending that players follow government and public health authorities’ guidelines

* Pending 2019-20 player salary payments are postponed

If the health and safety conditions necessary for all participants exist, the 2019-20 EuroLeague season will resume. If this is then completed:

* Player contracts for the 2019-20 season are extended until 31 July 2020

* 85% of player base salaries for the 2019-20 season will be paid by clubs, no later than 15 August 2020

If the 2019-20 EuroLeague season is canceled and not completed:

* player contracts for the 2019-20 EuroLeague season are considered finished

* for multi-season player contracts, obligations for clubs and players will resume as of 1 July 2020

* 80% of player base salaries for the 2019-20 season will be paid by clubs no later than 15 August 2020


Euroleague Basketball, the Management Control Commission and the Finance Panel will continue to monitor all parties to ensure that they comply with their obligations listed above.

Conversations with the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board (EHCB) remain ongoing, with the goal to also reach a league-wide settlement agreement.

Regarding the settlement agreement with the ELPA, Jordi Bertomeu stated: “This is an important agreement for the league. I want to express my gratitude to all the players as they have understood that they are an integral part of the solution to the crisis we are all facing. Their decision as members of the ELPA and today’s settlement agreement is another step towards ensuring that the league and its clubs remain in position to grow once the COVID-19 crisis has passed. All stakeholders are suffering together as a team, and I am proud that the entire Euroleague Basketball family remain united in these difficult times both financially but also for public health.”

Secondly, the clubs unanimously approved draft 2019-20 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 7DAYS EuroCup operational dates:

* 24 May - Deadline to take the decision to resume and complete the EuroLeague and EuroCup competitions, or to cancel them

* 29 May to 11 June - Quarantine (if necessary)

* 12 June to 2 July - Training Camp

* 4 to 17 July - EuroCup games in central venue

* 4 to 26 July - EuroLeague games in central venue


As explained last week by Euroleague Basketball’s President & CEO Jordi Bertomeu, the EuroLeague calendar includes the remaining 54 Regular Season games plus a single-elimination Final Eight, all in one central venue. The 2019-20 7DAYS EuroCup will include the Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals, either in a two-game basket average or in a single-game elimination format, all in a different central venue. Games will be held without spectators.

Executive Board members unanimously agreed that the competitions will only be resumed if the public health authorities and relevant local governments allow them to. Euroleague Basketball will continue talks with the ELPA, the EHCB and the Union of Euroleague Basketball Officials (UEBO) as it continues to elaborate the return-to-play medical protocols, providing the necessary health and safety measures by the league and clubs for all participants.

Good afternoon to everyone. Thank you for joining us today. And I wish you all good health, you and your families in these difficult times. It's already a month since we suspended the competitions, one month when we could not have the opportunity to talk to you as I usually do when we have games, and I have the opportunity to go to the games. So probably it's time to share with you our thoughts, our ideas, and also to listen to your questions or any qualification you want to know.

Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, press conference

Good afternoon to everyone. Thank you for joining us today. And I wish you all good health, you and your families in these difficult times. It's already a month since we suspended the competitions, one month when we could not have the opportunity to talk to you as I usually do when we have games, and I have the opportunity to go to the games. So probably it's time to share with you our thoughts, our ideas, and also to listen to your questions or any qualification you want to know.

Clearly, we are in a moment of great difficulty for everyone, for communities, for businesses, a moment never seen before at a global level. Probably, we don't have to think about ourselves. There are things more important than us, and this is the health of our communities.

We should wait and see the evolution of the pandemic in each of our markets, but give priority to what really matters, which is people's health. As I said, we were forced to suspend our competitions, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, on March 12th. We did it hours before it was public, the first case of COVID-19 of a Real Madrid player, a few hours later than the NBA, days before UEFA suspended its competitions, and the week that many other competitions were suspended and when the World Health Organization confirmed the pandemic.

Since that day, we have been working in detail to confirm the impact of this crisis on our clubs, their players, their economy and, most importantly, their communities. We have been talking with all of them permanently, in groups and individually. We have held two board meetings to assess the situation. We have adopted measures to alleviate the situation of our referees. We have been in permanent contact with the players and coaches Associations to look for solutions that help our clubs to be viable in this moment of difficulty. And we expect to have specific results from these conversations soon.

Together with our partners IMG we are evaluating the impact of the suspensions on our economy, but I already anticipate that it's is still too soon to have conclusions because this depends on the final scenario, and if we can resume playing or not, and in the case that we could finish, in which conditions. I want to take advantage of this opportunity to express my gratitude for the loyalty, understanding and collaboration we are enjoying from our partners, both media partners and sponsors.

We are thinking about our communities, our fans, and we believe that once again our mission, our purpose as a league, is to offer something that they want and long for: basketball of the highest quality.

And we want to resume our competitions. Perhaps our fans will not be able to attend games in person, but our television and marketing partners will be our allies to bring them what they expect, especially in these difficult moments that we are living in Europe.

We want to do it, but we will do it only when the health conditions permit. We will not jeopardize the health of our players, coaches or referees. We will not jeopardize the health of our fans, and we will not jeopardize the health of our teams or the arena staff or ourselves. No one.

But if we can guarantee there is no risk, and only when we can guarantee the health of all people, then we will come back and resume the season. And we want to finish in the current format. So, we want to keep the regular season, playing six remaining rounds. We want to play playoffs and Final Four. And we have a protocol ready that includes: three days for players to go back to their cities; two weeks quarantine; and at least two weeks training before the start of the competition.

Today we can say something that is obvious: the Final Four will not be able to be played on the 22nd and 24th of May in Cologne. It's uncertain that it will be able to be played later. We are in permanent contact with Cologne, with the municipality and with LANXESS Arena to look for alternative dates.

In this context, it is obvious that we are going to proceed with the reimbursement of the full amount of money of those who have bought tickets through the official channels, and they will maintain the priority to buy again the tickets if the event can be played with fans on another date.

We also need to anticipate that perhaps we cannot keep the current format. This is a possibility. We are a European competition and we have more constraints than domestic leagues. I think this is obvious. Therefore, as we have already advanced, we are working on an alternative plan that includes resuming the regular season in a country with a facility ready for our games, and probably to substitute the playoffs for a Final Eight that will replace as well the Final Four. But the most important condition will be to have guarantees for the health of our teams.

Obviously, we are also working on alternative plans for our 7DAYS EuroCup. Because it's less complex: there are only eight teams left in the playoff places, indicates that if the EuroLeague can be resumed, the same will happen with the EuroCup. Just like with the EuroLeague, we are also working on two scenarios, including one with a central venue to play the final of the competition.

We continue monitoring the COVID-19 evolution in all club markets. We are working on budgets for the alternative plans in both competitions. We are working on a daily basis with basketball and other team sports competition organizers in Europe and North America to establish high-level medical protocols for return to play. We are reviewing medical facilities to support all clubs, as well as other elements that are necessary to provide a safe and healthy environment for all participants. We have draft calendars, including dates and tip-off times, if we can proceed, with the decision taken by the clubs.

We have been working on all these things, but to date, such a decision cannot be made. During the month of May and probably towards the end of the month, we will have enough developments that will enable the clubs to take a well-informed decision.

For us to fulfill this objective, I am convinced that we are going to count on the complicity of our players and coaches. They are also suffering these moments of uncertainty and difficulty. But I am certain that their commitment with the fans is total and I think that they will make necessary sacrifices to make it possible in case we have the opportunity, and I want to thank them in advance.

And I will also like to thank the effort that our clubs, owners, players, coaches, ambassadors and officials are making to try to be as close as possible to our fans in these difficult days. I am very proud to see countless initiatives and donations that are emerging from all collectives, who understand their influence in the community and their duty to return what they give us.

Although we are now concentrated on making as much as possible to help the fans and our communities to spend this time in the best possible way, we also need a steady commitment to keep looking for ways in which the Euroleague family can help these damaged communities and they start over again even stronger, with more solid and sustainable principles.

We are also thinking about the future. The sports industry will have consequences from this crisis, that is obvious. It's clear that this is a time of uncertainty, but we also have certainties.

We know that we must get out of this crisis better prepared, with clear ideas, and great determination. I have a strong belief that this crisis, the new situation and difficulties that we and our clubs are facing, will give us stronger arguments to go ahead with our projects, that are not stopped, and even more, I believe that the crisis will definitely help us to solve structural problems that we have had for years.

But will be time to talk about this. Now, we are going to continue to concentrate on our communities with the collaboration of our clubs, our players, our coaches. We are going to be centered in making these times of difficulties more bearable, in giving them the hope that soon we will be together in a basketball arena. This is our dream.

I wish to finish by expressing our gratitude for your collaboration and your understanding. I imagine that these days your task is also even more difficult, so we have to look for ways to help you too, as well. Thank you again for joining us today.

Among the other issues that Bertomeu addressed were the following:

**On scenarios for resuming the EuroLeague**

"We believe that we cannot [play] later than the end of July. We are absolutely against playing games in September and October. That will impact and jeopardize the following season. We will have problems. So we already have every season problems with calendars. So postponing games to September-October, we can only increase these problems. And that's why we believe we have to avoid this negative impact on the 20-21 season, in many areas. Access criteria to leagues, game scheduling, teams' preseason, players' holidays. All these things will be disturbed with us playing games in September and October. So we discard this scenario. The last possible date to play EuroLeague games should be the end of July, in my opinion."

"We want to finish in the current format. So, we want to keep the regular season, playing six remaining rounds. We want to play playoffs and Final Four. And we have a protocol ready that includes: three days for players to go back to their cities; two weeks quarantine; and at least two weeks training before the start of the competition. We also need to anticipate that perhaps we cannot keep the current format. This is a possibility. We are a European competition and we have more constraints than domestic leagues. I think this is obvious.. Therefore, as we have already advanced, we are working on an alternative plan that includes resuming the regular season in a country with a facility ready for our games, and probably to substitute the playoffs for a Final Eight that will replace as well the Final Four. But the most important condition will be to have guarantees for the health of our teams."

"Obviously, we are also working on alternative plans for our 7DAYS EuroCup. Because it's less complex: there are only eight teams left in the playoff places, indicates that if the EuroLeague can be resumed, the same will happen with the EuroCup. Just like with the EuroLeague, we are also working on two scenarios, including one with a central venue to play the final of the competition."

**On the Final Four and those who purchased tickets already**

"Today we can say something that is obvious: the Final Four will not be able to be played on the 22nd and 24th of May in Cologne. It's uncertain that it will be able to be played later. We are In permanent contact with Cologne, with the municipality and with LANXESS Arena to look for alternative dates. In this context, it is obvious that we are going to proceed with the reimbursement of the full amount of money of those who have bought tickets through the official channels, and they will maintain the priority to buy again the tickets in the that the event can be played with fans on another date."

**On criteria for cities and venues if there are Final Eights**

"For sure we will need arenas that in this moment are prepared for playing EuroLeague games terms of infrastructure, so that's the first restriction. And second, we also have to see which markets have been more impacted by the crisis, by the virus. So in this particular moment, that's impossible to assess. But as I said the most important thing is to see these conditions in terms of sanitary conditions for our players, then facilities and then trying to create an environment that can be more close to the normal environment in terms of safety for all of our teams. To make this announcement today is impossible because it's too early, but we are working on different alternatives as I said because I mentioned that we are working on the budget, working on all these things so of course, we have ideas, but there are many, many options at this moment. And it's too early to say which one or start to speculate which destination we can have to play these tournaments."

"We are not building this case in a bubble. We are really taking into account what’s happened in each one of the countries, so, as I said, we are following the evolution of the virus in each one of the countries. So, if the question is about the alternative plan, we have to choose a country that can host these events. Of course, as I said, one of the main aspects to be taken into consideration is to evaluate how much the virus has impacted this particular country, but not only this, if the country, the market and the city, is able to provide the sanitary requirements that we are going to ask in order to keep all of our group of players, coaches, referees, teams and all this group of people that in this case will be moving to this market in safe conditions. So it's what we are doing at this moment. We are working and talking with different cities, in order to see options and availabilities of hospitals, for example, as well as we are working on budgets and things like that."

**On timeline of decision making about the current season**

"As I said, we have to take the decision in May, not earlier than middle May and probably more close to the end of May. So this is the scheduling that we have in front of us. But as happens in many things in these circumstances, those timelines can be changed and not postponed, not earlier than in the end of May for sure, because as I said we are monitoring all the countries and so we have some information from Germany that is different from what we have in Italy, so we are trying to keep ourselves up-to-date about everything that's happening in our markets. Let’s say, it's very dynamic, the current situation, so to make predictions is just risky and probably it's not worth it to do it. But we can say at the maximum have to make a decision by the end of May."

**On the situation of the players**

"I am convinced that we are going to count on the complicity of our players and coaches. They are also suffering these moments of uncertainty and difficulty. But I am certain that their commitment with the fans is total and I think that they will make necessary sacrifices to make it possible in case we have the opportunity, and I want to thank them in advance."

"As a matter of principle we're not going to even plan to resume the competitions if we don't have 100 percent guarantees of the safety of our players, our coaches, referees and all the people involved in our games. So this is clear. So the question is more about how to convince them. Because we assume that the conditions will be there. And the only thing we can do is with transparency. Offering them the possibility – it's what we want and what we will do if that's the case, which I hope will be the case – offering them the opportunity to be able to go together with us see how we're going to organize this event, so this has been part of, is part of the conversation that we already had with the union of players, so we won't involve them of course in the decision, because the decision belongs to the clubs, but we will do everything possible to make them comfortable with the decision. But for this, there will be fundamental transparency. And we will exercise 100 percent transparency in the measures that we're going to take in case we can resume the competition. We will share all of them with the players and in order to be sure that they are comfortable. And only when that will happen, we will proceed."

**Crisis impact on league economy, sponsors and partners**

"It is probably too early to see how this will finish and if it will have a significant or a less significant impact on our economy. But I am confident because we enjoy this loyalty and commitment [from our partners], because all these conversations are in the framework of understanding the situation, understanding that we have to see different ways to finish the competition. All of them believe that it is better to finish the competitions, we have no exceptions in this point of view. When we will see how it's going to finish is when we will be able to have a more accurate assessment of the impact. But definitely we share with them. But the most important thing, I am sorry I have to insist on that, is to have guarantees that the competition will resume if there are 100-percent guarantees that the health of our players is protected. This is the main driver, the main thing to take into account when taking this decision. If we can guarantee this, then other elements can be taken into consideration."

"Regarding Turkish Airlines, after 10 years of working together, we have a high level of understanding. And despite the fact that we already signed two contracts in these 10 years, and we agreed a month ago that it is clear the common wish to keep working together for the next years, and understanding, as you said, that they have difficulties, and probably the tourist sector and airlines will be probably one of the sectors that will be more affected, but I think that will be transitory, and our agreement with Turkish Airlines has been always looking mid- to long-term. So I am sure that in the mid-term all this situation will be solved, and I am 100 percent sure, confident, and – based in our relationship and our conversations with Turkish Airlines – that we will continue together for the time being."

"Regarding IMG, as you can imagine we are talking together every day and we share from each one's responsibility how this is impacting our partners as I said at the beginning, but there is no reason to be concerned about something that all the companies are doing. Because not only is IMG cutting salaries and the management, we at the EuroLeague level did the same. With the workers, the EuroLeague staff and also, as probably you know, also with the management. So what IMG is doing is approximately what all the companies are trying to do in order to minimize and to resist better the crisis at this particular moment. So the group is a very big group with interests in many different sports businesses across Europe and worldwide and I am sure that they will have to face different problems, but this is the advantage of being in a partnership with a strong and a big company. So we don't have any reason to care about the future, of course, we both will adapt the future to the needs, especially in the short-term, but this is something that is normal in any partnership. So we don't have any reason to be scared about the future or our relationship with IMG."

**On next season**

"I am optimistic regarding the next season. So being also realistic, probably we will have to adapt ourselves to new conditions in socializing, in our relationships, in going to venues or events with massive attendance. So probably protocols in terms of safety and sanitary conditions of these events will be different. I think this is realistic to foresee. I hope we will start the season playing games with our spectators. This is my hope. If we cannot, then we will have to once again be flexible and for the time that this will not be possible, we will find solutions. But I hope that this situation will finish with the 2019-20 season and will not affect 2020-21."