After a season without Turkish teams, Galatasaray and Darussafaka Dogus are expected to play in the EuroCup next season and it looks like Besiktas will join them.
Even despite the recent comments that the Besiktas president made towards EuroLeague Basketball.
President Fikret Orman recently criticised the competition, calling it an “organisation of robbery” and even seemed to play down Fenerbahce’s triumph as they became the first Turkish team to win the EuroLeague trophy in history.
“There is this Spanish company and they created this venture named EuroLeague,” Orman explained. “They gave minor shares to clubs. Who is the major shareholder? That Spanish company. Is it a federation? No. It’s just a company. And they get these Turkish sponsors. Nine different sponsors. They say ‘If they give more money, we can let Dogus in this year’. Next year, ‘more money, please’.
“Who owns the television rights? This company. Who gets the sponsorship money? This company. And who pays the money for team trips and all other expenses? The club pays for them. It’s not an organisation like Champions League or Europa League in football. There is no proper income out of it. Who gets the all money then? That Spanish company.”
But despite Orman’s rant on live television in Turkey, Besiktas look likely to gain an invite into next season’s EuroCup.
It’s unclear if Besiktas will accept this invitation, or if the club will compete for one more season in the Basketball Champions League. The path into the EuroLeague comes via the EuroCup.
