Euroleague Basketball joins the Valencia Basket and Spanish basketball community in mourning the passing of Martin Labarta, who worked as the team's court delegate during 26 seasons.

Euroleague Basketball mourns Martin Labarta

Euroleague Basketball joins the Valencia Basket and Spanish basketball community in mourning the passing of Martin Labarta, who worked as the team's court delegate during 26 seasons.

"Martin Labarta has left us. A friend, a colleague, a support in good and bad moments, respected and admired due to his integrity, simplicity and values," the club said in a statement. "Everyone at Valencia Basket is deeply saddened and mournful for this enormous loss. You will be our court delegate for eternity."

In his long professional career with the club, Mr. Labarta contributed to the seven titles that Valencia has won and, due to his kindness and professionalism, left a mark on the club that will never be erased.

Euroleague Basketball sponsor Endesa, a leading company in the electricity sector, has responded to the COVID-19 health emergency in Spain by creating a €25 million fund to provide material, services, assistance and infrastructure to the cause, it was announced on Sunday.

Endesa creates €25 million fund to fight COVID-19

Euroleague Basketball sponsor Endesa, a leading company in the electricity sector, has responded to the COVID-19 health emergency in Spain by creating a €25 million fund to provide material, services, assistance and infrastructure to the cause, it was announced on Sunday.

Endesa stated that the fund would be used to inject direct help in material and donations to fight the ongoing effects of the pandemic in Spain, starting with the purchase of respirators and more than 2 million facemasks valued at €10 million, to be made available immediately to the country's health authorities.

Additionally, Endesa will guarantee energy services through generators and maintenance to provisional hospital locations and will provide free electricity to its client hotels that have been converted to receive medical patients at this time.

Finally, Endesa will direct economic donations to institutions, organisms and health centers to help meet their basic necessities and to help relieve both the sanitary and social harm done by the crisis.

The announcement comes after responsive measures that Endesa had previously undertaken, such as foregoing electricity cuts in cases of nonpayment and instituting flexible conditions for small businesses, freelancers and families in need.

Endesa became an official regional sponsor of both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup in 2017 and has been a long-time traditional supporter of basketball in Spain.

Some of the greatest players in recent European basketball history are stepping up to support #EUROLEAGUEUNITED, a global Euroleague Basketball campaign of encouragement in the face of the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19.

EB ambassadors support #EUROLEAGUEUNITED against COVID-19

Some of the greatest players in recent European basketball history are stepping up to support #EUROLEAGUEUNITED, a global Euroleague Basketball campaign of encouragement in the face of the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19.

Joe Arlauckas, Saras Jasikevicius, Theo Papaloukas, Dusko Savanovic, Ramunas Siskauskas and Mirsad Turkcan – all of whom function as Euroleague Basketball Ambassadors – have each recorded messages to double down on the need to adhere to all World Health Organization guidelines until the ongoing pandemic is defeated, as well to support the United Nations Development Programme's goal to encourage physical health and mental well-being around the globe.

The six ambassadors are reaching out from five different countries – Arlauckas in Spain, Jasikevicius and Siskauskas in Lithuania, Papaloukas in Greece, Savanovic in Serbia and Turkcan in Turkey – to show that the widespread threat posed by the pandemic must be battled broadly through behavioral changes designed to avoid infection and save lives.

Their efforts to bring added attention about the WHO directives to Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup fans coincides with Euroleague Basketball's support for the official Sustainable Development Goal promoting good health and well-being around the globe as put forth by the United Nations Development Programme and its COVID-19 campaign at tweetzero.org.

Euroleague Basketball urges all fans to follow the WHO guidelines closely and stay fully informed on the best ways to stay safe and cope with the pandemic until such time as everyone can breathe easy again.

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Wednesday, March 25, to analyze the evolution of the COVID-19 global pandemic in its collective and individual businesses, including the competitions and communities.

ECA Shareholders Executive Board meets to discuss COVID-19 situation

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Wednesday, March 25, to analyze the evolution of the COVID-19 global pandemic in its collective and individual businesses, including the competitions and communities.

Executive Board members agreed that:

- The competitions will resume once the situation allows there to be optimal health and safety conditions for all participants, following the recommendations of the relevant health authorities and local governments.

- Prioritizing the finish of the 2019-20 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season with its existing format, meaning playing the remaining Regular Season, Playoffs and Final Four phases. This would most probably imply ending beyond the originally scheduled May dates, with game frequency potentially being condensed, if necessary. The same priority will be applied to the 2019-20 7DAYS EuroCup season.

- Continuing to analyze potential alternative competition systems that could be activated only if the situation would so require.

- Common policies and principles to be proposed to the EuroLeague Players Association and the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, which include, amongst others: the potential return of players and head coaches to their home cities, and; players and head coaches’ commitments, including adjusted salary payments during the competitions suspensions.

- Making the 2019-20 Financial Stability & Fair Play Regulations more flexible until there is more certainty on the future evolution of the financial situation.

- The importance for all stakeholders (league, clubs, players, coaches, referees, ambassadors) to acknowledge their responsibility as points of reference and/or as sources of inspiration for many, to contribute in a coordinated manner to help combat COVID-19 in every way possible. This may be by raising awareness of how everyone can contribute to mitigate the spread of the virus, by staying as close as possible to those communities in need, or by simply providing those confined at home with some entertaining content around their biggest passion, basketball. The **#EUROLEAGUEUNITED** campaign will aggregate and expand the efforts already made by all stakeholders to support ongoing global campaigns, including #IStayHome or #InThisTogether.

The conclusions of the meeting were subsequently shared with all remaining 2019-20 EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs.

Euroleague Basketball is very pleased to announce a breakthrough partnership with IQONIQ, a new fan engagement platform made for sports and entertainment fans.

Euroleague Basketball partners with IQONIQ to boost fan engagement

Euroleague Basketball is very pleased to announce a breakthrough partnership with IQONIQ, a new fan engagement platform made for sports and entertainment fans.

Euroleague Basketball manages and organizes the continent's two premier men's basketball competitions, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, which cover 42 basketball clubs based in 19 countries with a reach of 200 million worldwide fans and crown their seasons with the EuroLeague Final Four and the EuroCup Finals.

Starting immediately, the partnership makes IQONIQ the exclusive and official fan engagement and loyalty platform for the EuroLeague and the EuroCup for the next four years, until the end of the 2023-24 season.

IQONIQ is a new social media and fan engagement platform that targets the world of sport and entertainment by providing fans with an all-in-one ecosystem that rewards them for their commitment. As opposed to other social media platforms, IQONIQ offers direct benefits for its users, including loyalty program, in-app games and prizes, unique footage, special offers for tickets and merchandise, and much more.

For Euroleague Basketball, the partnership with IQONIQ exemplifies the organization's true commitment to engage with its fans and offer its clubs new and unique opportunities to further their ambitions in connecting with new and younger audiences, as well as with current and potential commercial partners.

For IQONIQ, the Euroleague Basketball partnership represents the third high-profile announcement within a month, following on from similar agreements with AS Monaco and Olympique de Marseille. The IQONIQ app is due to open to users at the start of the 2020-21 season.

**Jordi Bertomeu, CEO of Euroleague Basketball:**

"Partnering with IQONIQ will help us achieve a new milestone in engagement with our fans. IQONIQ offers us the chance to build special relationships within our growing fan base and to bring that community closer together over a shared love of uniquely European basketball at its finest. In the last 20 years since the Euroleague Basketball's inception, we've created a community of fans that we want to continue supporting. Having a fan ecosystem is the next logical step and we are eager to discover with IQONIQ new ways of rewarding our loyal fans."

**Kazim Atilla, CEO of IQONIQ:**

"We are delighted to have signed this partnership agreement with EuroLeague Basketball, one of the most innovative and forward-thinking sports organizations in the world. Through this partnership, all clubs in the EuroLeague and EuroCup basketball competitions will be given unprecedented opportunities to engage with their fans, and vice versa, in new and mutually beneficial ways, further growing basketball across Europe – and the rest of the world – as a result. We look forward to working alongside Euroleague Basketball to fulfil our common ambitions in this regard."

For more information on IQONIQ, please visit www.iqoniq.com.

In the face of the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19 virus, Euroleague Basketball is announcing the creation of a global campaign of mutual support and encouragement led by the clubs, players, coaches, referees, ambassadors and other stakeholders of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup.

#EUROLEAGUEUNITED against COVID-19

In the face of the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19 virus, Euroleague Basketball is announcing the creation of a global campaign of mutual support and encouragement led by the clubs, players, coaches, referees, ambassadors and other stakeholders of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup.

#EUROLEAGUEUNITED extends the support that the league has already provided to global awareness campaigns such as #StayHome and #InThisTogether. The campaign aims to aggregate and coordinate the efforts being made by all stakeholders to raise awareness of how each and every individual can contribute to the fight against the spread of the virus, to provide tips to fans to keep themselves healthy during their home stay, to support communities in need as much as possible, and to simply continue delivering entertaining content around our shared passion for basketball.

With initiatives such as EuroLeague Academy and One Team, Euroleague Basketball has always placed great importance on social engagement, and now more than ever it is vital for its 42 clubs across 13 countries all over the continent to work together within their communities.

Being at home does not mean that basketball must stop completely, and Euroleague Basketball will soon be launching a number of initiatives to ensure that no fan feels isolated or alone. For example, our One Team Ambassadors and coaches are designing special sessions that can be carried out at home, and the continent's top coaches and players will be sharing their expertise, showing how they spend their time at home, participating in special Q&A sessions and challenges, and collaborating in raising awareness around the important recommendations provided by the World Health Organization to avoid further spreading the virus, as well as the United Nations Development Programme's goal to encourage physical health and mental well-being around the globe.

Fans can also come together to relive their fondest memories from the last 20 years, as Euroleague Basketball takes a special look back at the most exciting games and most spectacular individual performances from the past two decades. Full classic game streams, special highlight reels, virtual games, and many more basketball surprises are awaiting fans at Euroleague Basketball's digital platforms during these challenging times.

These are very difficult days for millions of people, but we can all stay together through basketball. We can support each other, keep each other entertained and remember that no matter which team we follow are or where we live, in the battle against the COVID-19 we are all #EUROLEAGUEUNITED.

Euroleague Basketball expresses its condolences to the Real Madrid family upon learning of the death of former club president Lorenzo Sanz, who passed away on Saturday. He is survived by his wife Maria and four children. His son Lorenzo played for Real's basketball team for two seasons and functioned as the technical director of the basketball section of the club for another year, which culminated in the Spanish League title in 2000. The late Mr. Sanz served as Real's director from 1985 through 1995, which is when he became the club president for a five-year term. He presided at Real during a period in which the club enjoyed great prominence in both basketball and football. During Mr. Sanz's term as president, Real won the 1997 Saporta Cup and the 2000 Spanish League titles in basketball, while in football it captured UEFA Champions League crowns in 1998 and 2000 after a two-decade dry spell. Sanz was 76 at the time of his passing. May his memory be a blessing.

Euroleague Basketball mourns Lorenzo Sanz

Euroleague Basketball joins the world basketball community in mourning the passing of Borislav Stankovic, FIBA Secretary General Emeritus, on Friday at his home in Belgrade at the age of 94. Mr. Stankovic's life-long work helped lay the foundation for basketball becoming the global game that it is today.

Euroleague Basketball mourns Borislav Stankovic

Euroleague Basketball joins the world basketball community in mourning the passing of Borislav Stankovic, FIBA Secretary General Emeritus, on Friday at his home in Belgrade at the age of 94. Mr. Stankovic's life-long work helped lay the foundation for basketball becoming the global game that it is today.

"On behalf of the Euroleague Basketball family, let me express our condolences to the loved ones and many friends of the late Bora Stankovic, one of the pioneers of basketball in Europe," Jordi Bertomeu, President and CEO of Euroleague Basketball, said. "His life-long dedication to basketball was an example for everyone, and the imprint he left on our sport will never be forgotten."

Although he spent majority of his professional career as a basketball administrator, Stankovic was first a player in the 1940s, winning two national titles in Yugoslavia and representing the country's national team on 36 occasions. He turned to full-time coaching in 1953, winning three Yugoslav Leagues and a national cup with OKK Belgrade, plus one Italian League with Orasonda Cantu in 1968.

While still a coach, he become Secretary General of the Yugoslavian Basketball Federation and then a Vice-Secretary General of FIBA in 1960. Mr. Stankovic succeeded William Jones, the first Secretary General of FIBA, in 1972, a position he held for 26 years, subsequently becoming the world basketball governing body's Secretary General Emeritus. Among his many accomplishments was the opening of the Olympic Games and World Championships to professional players in 1992, ushering in a modern era of globalism in basketball.

In 1991, Mr. Stankovic was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, as a contributor to the sport, and in 2007, he entered the FIBA Hall of Fame.

May he rest in peace.

Dear Fans,

I want to thank all of you for the passion and commitment that you continue showing Euroleague Basketball in the most difficult situation we have lived in our 20-year history.

Letter to fans from Jordi Bertomeu

Dear Fans,

I want to thank all of you for the passion and commitment that you continue showing Euroleague Basketball in the most difficult situation we have lived in our 20-year history.

Since the very first moment when the COVID-19 virus arrived to Europe, we have taken this issue with the maximum seriousness and meticulously following the instructions of national and regional governments, as well as those of the relevant global authorities. This has led us to take unpopular decisions including playing games behind closed doors or relocating games that damaged our most precious treasure, the fans, and ultimately the escalation has forced us to temporarily suspend our competitions to protect participants and fans as well as to contribute to the efforts that our communities are making to fight the global pandemic altogether.

Our games will be suspended until at least April 11, 2020 and we remain committed to deliver an ending to what has been an outstanding season so far.

If the entire situation has brought anything good, it is more evidence that the Euroleague Basketball family is a unique community that everyone can feel very proud to belong to.

We will continue serving you with content from our competitions across euroleague.net and official social media platforms, where you will also find further updates on the COVID-19 situation. We will also work in close partnership with our rightsholders to entertain fans who find themselves in an unusual situation.

We hope that we can count a “win” and that the competitions can be resumed as soon as possible. Euroleague Basketball will continue monitoring the situation on a daily basis, as our Medical Officer works in partnership with public health experts to ensure that this occurs when the environment is safe to do so. Meanwhile, we encourage you to follow all precautionary measures that are recommended by your public health authorities and the World Health Organization to prevent the spread of the virus as much as possible.


Best regards,
Jordi Bertomeu
President & CEO
Euroleague Basketball