Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi has played host to some of the best moments in regional basketball, and you can expect more of that when the Final Four in the knockout stage for the EuroLeague, being held this weekend at the Etihad Arena.
The top clubs in Europe’s elite basketball league are in the capital. Such is the hype that tickets sold out within seven hours of going on sale in February, according to the league and co-organisers with the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) – Abu Dhabi.
The agency International Management Group (IMG) had brokered the deal for the Final Four to be staged outside of Europe for the first time.
This year’s semi-final lineup will see Panathinaikos, the most successful club in the tournament’s history with seven titles, take on Fenerbahce Beko on Friday at 7pm.
The second semi-final at 10pm sees rookie side Monaco face the club with the most experience at this stage – Olympiacos, with 13 appearances and three titles.
“My phone has been ringing left, right and centre with calls from people wanting to get in,” said Saood Al Hosani, Undersecretary at DCT Abu Dhabi, about his life since the official announcement in January, a month after Aletihad had broken the story.
“In the overall tourism strategy, sports and entertainment play a significant role and a major share when it comes to events. We are glad to have this partnership with EuroLeague Basketball, and it is important that we continue to capitalise on the investments we have made on the game itself because we see it as not only a tourism play, but also to continue this integration with community and sports development here in the city and the country," he added.
This year’s tournament features a development component, with the staging of the youth equivalent – the NextGen Finals – where eight boys’ teams will slug it out on May 22-25 for the Under-18 title.
The future LeBron James or Luka Doncic could emerge of the eight sides, one of which will be the host team, Dubai Basketball.
The senior team of the Dubai outfit, meanwhile, is having a stellar debut in the Adriatic league (ABA), beating Cedevita Olimpija Slovenia 85-76 on Tuesday night to reach the semi-finals.
Abu Dhabi has also hosted pre-season games for two teams from America’s NBA, in addition to a Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League for school children.
Speaking exclusively with Aletihad along with Al Hosani was the Chief Executive Officer of the EuroLeague, Paulius Motiejunas, who has been focused on uniting the shareholders behind plans for future growth in key markets beyond Europe, while enhancing the game experience at arenas, on television and on digital platforms.
Established in 1958, the league has gone through various iterations under different organising bodies and formats. This weekend’s Final Four will be the 25th year of the format under EuroLeague Basketball.
“It is our 25th anniversary, so we have lined up a lot of activities. A long list of celebrity players and former stars will also be seen off the court,” said Motiejunas.
Commenting on the deal for Abu Dhabi to host the Final Four for three years, according to basketball media reports, Motiejunas said, “We are really happy to open up a new market, which we have never visited in the Middle East, especially.
“We believe we are the best basketball league in the world... our slogan ‘Every Game Matters’ follows us everywhere, so we wanted to unlock and bring this passion here in Abu Dhabi. We have one year and we will sit down to talk right after this event and hopefully come back.
“We need to not forget that we have European clubs and European fans. For sure, Abu Dhabi is the best place for people to travel and to experience a wonderful city with all the attractions. But we also cannot forget our roots. So it would be hopefully nearby, not every year in a row for three years, but every other year we could be back here in Abu Dhabi.”
When the EuroLeague returns, Al Hosani predicts the sport will have seen significant more development.
“Today, because of deals like the NBA and EuroLeague, the players participating in the games [in the UAE] have increased by 60%. This is always part of our priority and we’re evolving with our partnerships all over to make sure to have the right impact on the community,” he said.
“The fans have increased by 25% since we collaborated with the NBA. And hopefully we will see more of that happening by adding to the community here. We are really happy with the overwhelming exposure that we’re getting with the final this weekend. I mean, this is the best time. I feel everyone really want to be a part of it.”
