ATHENS (Greece) - With thrilling action taking place for the Semi-Finals on Friday and the Final on Sunday, Saturday has always been a day full of events during the Basketball Champions League Final Four.
This season's edition, the BCL Final Four, powered by SUNEL, wasn't an exception.
Right after the Awards Ceremony, where the best protagonists were celebrated at the bottom line of Season 9, the usual roundtable with International media featuring the BCL CEO Patrick Comninos took place in Athens.
"Firstly, I wanted to thank Mr. Konstantinos Zygouras and the entire SUNEL family. It is the first time we are having a presenting partner, and that is a testament to the collaboration we're having with SUNEL," he opened.
"I'm very proud to lead the BCL team that delivers at such a high level in such a short time. The next year, our 10th anniversary, we hope to have the hosts announced in advance."
"For us, concluding our Ninth Season, with two games left, it's been another welcoming experience. The competition still grows, and we have moved into a young adulthood. We are very excited about what is coming up next. We are finishing Season 9, but are already looking ahead to Season 10," Comninos said.
Touching on the current ecosystem of basketball in Europe, the Basketball Champions League CEO assured that the competition will stay in the future.
"The BCL won't disappear. It will continue to develop and to play a pivotal role in this new ecosystem, but develop is a key word."
"We've been doing this within our community, we have been growing, adapting, and adjusting, we will continue to do this in what we believe will be this ecosystem. We will continue to represent the entirety of European basketball. We need to recognize the needs of the domestic leagues and safeguard that there is an open enough system that allows teams to dream of making it to the very top," Comninos added.
"We need to protect the domestic leagues, we need to protect national teams. Regardless of what happens in the future, the BCL will remain, and our ecosystem will continue to grow. Media and commercial interests will continue to grow. When it comes to the BCL, we offer a competitive competition system, which in some of the more demanding domestic leagues suits needs very well."
"We see how teams like La Laguna Tenerife and Unicaja are performing in the domestic league and international competition; Unicaja has won five titles the recent years, this is among other due to the fact that our ecosystem environment allows them to balance. We do not antagonize the domestic leagues, we want them to be strong, consistent, to produce not only good teams, but great players," he said.
Heading to the Championship Game between Unicaja and Galatasaray, the CEO emphasized the strength of the two finalists.
"The BCL Final includes arguably two of the best teams in Europe. It should be a great game, with players who will for sure go on to bigger and greater stages," he said.
"I invite fans to come out for tomorrow's game: you don't get the chance of seeing this level every day. Tomorrow we have a great opportunity to witness another great final for us in the BCL, and to make another step in delivering a Basketball Champions League Final Four of the highest quality."
The press conference was opened by a statement by Konstantinos Zygouras, CEO of SUNEL, the official partner of the Basketball Champions League Final Four played in Athens.
"Last night, we witnessed a thrilling and emotional basketball experience. The energy, the passion, but also the respect between players and fans, captured exactly what BCL stands for," he said.
"This weekend isn't just about the trophy, but about the ecosystem we create around this game, the experience we offer, and the legacy we have," Zygouras continued.
"What you experienced last night it's only the first glimpse of what this arena is becoming. What you see today it's only the beginning, but the shift is visible. SUNEL Arena is evolving into much more than just a sports venue; our goal is to create a living destination that brings together sports, culture, and innovation."
Comninos also talked about the developing stories regarding the NBA, the EuroLeague and the upcoming changes in European basketball. You can rewatch the whole roundtable here: