Longform 18
Punter balls out as Virtus Bologna take BCL title
Basket City is back baby. With victory in the 2019 Basketball Champions League (BCL), Virtus Bologna ended a 10 year drought of major honours as they ensured another banner would be raised in PalaDozza. Emmet Ryan watched it all in the Sportpaleis in Antwerp Kevin Punter came here to play and the well-traveled man delivered […]
The way of the Warriors
The race was over, then it was alive again, then it was decided. Over the course of 2 games, starting 24 hours apart, the Irish Super League championship was decided in a combination of both the height of drama and the calm of a coronation. Emmet Ryan hit the road to take in all the, […]
Twas the night before the Euroleague Final Four
BallinEurope’s annual state of the Euroleague piece addresses the broader issues affecting the game and, as Emmet Ryan points out, what the league needs to think about next There’s an owner who calls the league CEO everything under the sun. The biggest star in the league is about to bolt for the NBA. The divide […]
Why not Puff?
Puff Summers was supposed to be a banker. He had the grades, he’d gone to a great school, and he was set for a steady and impressive career behind a desk. In his heart he knew he belonged on the court. This Saturday Summers plays in the Irish Cup final for the first time, a […]
A Saturday in Istanbul
As we reach the end of the second day of play in Group D of EuroBasket, Emmet Ryan brings you on a journey of how the tournament is being received in the massive city and the interaction with other parts of life and the rest of the competition. The key thing to bear in mind […]
Well, that went well
Ireland’s basketball history is littered with what might have, might have, might have…and yeah one more, might have beens. That changed over 10 days in Dublin as one golden generation got it all together to give basketball people in this country something to believe in and a tournament that raised the bar. Emmet Ryan looks […]
The IMG factor – The first step in Euroleague’s new era
This is the first full season and the influence of IMG over Euroleague is already more than obvious according to Emmet Ryan. In BiE’s sort-of annual state of the union style piece on Final Four week, we look at how the new look is more than just a change in format Gumption and talent were […]
Let’s do more than lunch – How collaboration can spur European basketball
In part four of our long-form series on the civil war in European basketball, Emmet Ryan looks at the benefits real collaboration between FIBA and Euroleague would bring and examines the obstacles the war has created Check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 It turns out 2 June was THE day in European […]
The Basketball Champions League – FIBA’s brand of hard ball
After a lengthy absence, part three of BallinEurope’s look at the civil war in European basketball continues with analysis of what the Champions League actually means for the sport. For past coverage check out Emmet Ryan’s features on the problems with a closed shop Euroleague and the need for a strong Eurocup FIBA wants back […]
Fighting Football is foolish aka why Eurocup is vital
In the second part of out longform series on the business of basketball, Emmet Ryan looks at the vital role a secondary competition such as Eurocup plays in the overall growth of basketball in Europe. Part one, on the Euroleague proposal for next season, is here Football is big and people with money know this […]
Closing off sense – Euroleague, Champions League, and market stagnation
In the first of a series of pieces looking at the business and marketing of European basketball, Emmet Ryan reacts to the news that Euroleague may fully close off entry to the new 16 team competition The civil war has been ugly. The fans have been left hanging by and large. Money talks, naturally, but […]
A tale of two coaches
Aleksandar Djordjevic and Jonas Kazlauskas had a battle of wits on Friday. It was the Lithuanian supremo who prevailed and is going to the final. Emmet Ryan tells their story This place wasn’t full but it sure was loud. All day the talk was that this was Serbia’s to lose. The only people giving Lithuania […]