# Euroleague'e Final 4 allocation.



## Zelena Hracka (Dec 16, 2002)

The euroleague commitee decided last year to announce the cities that will host the EL F4 for the next 3 years. I think this tactic is wrong. By doing this it gives the chance to the teams of those cities to invest a lot of money and be prepared for that event (in which hopefully and most likely, if you take into consideration the amount of money invested, they will participate). 

However having the local team in the F4 reduces the level of the tournament. That's because there is a definate favourite, there is the advantage of the homecourt, and a number of other pros in favour of the home team. 

The tactic used by UEFA, which involves the announcement of the city that will host the final half way through the tournament is much more plausible. Most of the times, cities that have teams in the tournament in question are eliminated, allowing a more fair final (if one of the teams of the candidate cities reaches the final). 

Now you can see that since the F.C. Barcelona people knew that they'll host the F4, they invested a huge amount of money, bringing home Bodiroga, Femerling, Fu^cka, Pesic etc. Now they are the No1 favorite for the F4, and while there, they will be the No1 favourite to win it, irrespectively of which team is actually the best.

We know so many examples of this happening in the past. Last year it was even more annoying because EL decided half way through the season to give the F4 to Bologna, the home of the No1 favourite to win the trophy: Virtus. Eventually, they didn't win it but I think it wasn't a fair thing to do. 

Having the home team participating in the final 4 is necessary only for Volleyball and Waterpolo tournaments, because there are hardly any fans of the other teams travelling to the F4 city. Basketball doesn't need this.


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## Reznor (Jan 17, 2003)

*a digagreement*

History isn't with the home teams when it comes to Euroleague Final Four. 

Until the last season no hosting team has ever qualified to the F4 of the EL. And this is a matter of more than a decade. Hosting the F4 was a jinx! 

and let's check what happend last season. Virtus got to be the host, while they were, by far, the best euroleague team, and defending champion. But still thing the F4 hosting curse was bigger than Messina. They reached the finals, but that's about it.

I agree that calling the city in mid-season is a good idea, in general. but since last year the Euroleague showed the fair play isn't their top priority, by placing the F4 in Virtus' home court (if Bologna was a must, there's another arena there of a less likely team to win the trophy). So since I don't trust the EL to make fair picks in mid-season, I rather have them call it ahead. 

Going with "basketball cities" as Bologna, Barcelona & Tel Aviv is a good idea imho. one thing you don't want to have is empty chairs in the Final Four, and since the popularity of European basketball isn't at it's pick, and even teams like Pao manage to bring no more than 1,500 fans with them... u need to make sure some locals will join the party as well.

I'm not sure how it works in the NCAA, but there as well you got, sometimes, a situation where one of the teams that host is also one of the 64 teams.


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## Zelena Hracka (Dec 16, 2002)

Does anyone know where the *Joke-Cup's F4 * will take place? I think FIBA waits to see which teams will qualify for it in order to allocate it to one of them. Just exactly as FIVB (volleyball) and FINA (waterpolo) do. Another proof of the level of the competition. But I guess that if FIBA doesn't give the F4 to a city that is represented by a team, the games will be watched only by the teams' benches.

Go FIBA Go.


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## Reznor (Jan 17, 2003)

u were right. They are still waiting to see who's gonna qualify and then make up their mind. 

the location of the Final Four of Adriatic League is yet to be decided as well, although they already know at least 3 of the 4 qualifying teams, and need to play it on first week of March I think.


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