EuroLeague 2336
Reset or reload: Crvena Zvezda at the Euroleague crossroads
With their exit to FC Bayern in the play-in round of Euroleague, Crvena Zvezda’s season in basketball’s big show has come to an end. Emmet Ryan on the complex challenge ahead for the Belgrade club. It was a game where neither side seemed capable of maintaining composure when in front. In the end, it was […]
Will Fans Buy in to NBA Europe?
It’s time for the fifth and final part of our series, NBA Europe: The Grand Experiment. This final article on the cultural battle — the emotional, tribal, and unpredictable part of any sports venture. In short, it’s about the fans. The NBA and FIBA may have the branding and the resources, but without fan buy-in, […]
Can NBA Europe Win on TV?
At the end of the day, the NBA Europe project is focused on generating revenue. Part 4 of our series on FIBA and the NBA’s new basketball league focuses on the broadcast and media strategy — arguably the single most important financial pillar for NBA Europe. We break down the potential for success, the very […]
Will Europe’s Top Clubs Join NBA Europe?
Part three of our series addresses the critical question of club participation. No matter how strong the NBA’s branding is, if the continent’s biggest teams don’t join, NBA Europe will struggle to command legitimacy or fan interest. Today we explore who might join, who likely won’t, and the complicated choices those clubs face. Read part […]
Can NBA Europe Take Over?
Part two of our series, NBA Europe: The Grant Experiment, digs into the structural conflict at the heart of the NBA’s ambitions in Europe — namely, the decision to go around EuroLeague rather than partner with it. Emmet Ryan explores who really controls European basketball, what the NBA wants to change, and whether NBA Europe […]
The High Price of NBA Europe
The NBA and FIBA plan to launch a pan-European league in time for the 2026/27 season. The idea is as ambitious as it is unprecedented. Both organisations are betting on a belief in basketball’s untapped commercial potential on the continent. Emmet Ryan on just how expensive it is going to be for NBA Europe to […]
Everyone’s Ready for TJ Shorts — He’s Still Winning
TJ Shorts is 5’9” (175cm), or at least he’s listed as such. He never played at a level like Euroleague before this season. Shorts isn’t even on a team that was rated going into the campaign. He was also supposed to be a known basketball property before stepping up to this level. Yet all he […]
NBA’s Europe Play Must Bridge Euroleague and FIBA
The NBA plan for Europe seems to have hit a wall. Euroleague says it is open to negotiating with the basketball powerhouse. FIBA believes any NBA involvement in Europe must go through it. Emmet Ryan writes that any successful entity really requires the support and collaboration of both. The NBA is back in talks with […]
Olympiacos Outlasts Panathinaikos – A Euroleague final preview?
It was one of the most enjoyable Greek basketball derbies in a long time. Olympiacos outlasted Panathinaikos to make it eight straight wins for the Reds over the Greens in Euroleague. Emmet Ryan on how we might have just seen a preview of the championship game in Abu Dhabi. That was, simply, great. Obviously, Panathinaikos […]
Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, and marketing a feud
It’s got the fans. It’s got the personalities. Then there are the stakes. Few rivalries in basketball can compare to that of Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. Yet, is Euroleague doing enough to build on its most marketable rivalry? The rivalry that makes the rest of Euroleague come to a standstill is renewed on Friday. Basketball in […]
The 5 Greatest Performances in Irish Basketball History
There’s no prizes for guessing the top choice in this selection but Emmet Ryan has scoured the archives in hard mode. Who will join Claire Melia in this ranking of the top 5 individual singles game performances in basketball by Irish citizens? Welcome to hard mode. That’s how I’d best describe this. The easy choice […]
Olympiacos impress but questions remain in Euroleague chase
There are different kinds of problems in basketball, or really sport, or actually life in general. These can be divided into bad problems and good problems. Emmet Ryan believes Olympiacos have good problems. Their win over Partizan showed that. In Euroleague, even good problems can cause headaches Despite the sterling efforts of the commentators, Olympiacos […]