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By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
Paulius Motiejunas will step down as CEO of the EuroLeague in the coming days, as Chus Bueno has been officially announced as his successor.
Just hours after his departure was made official, the Lithuanian executive posted a lengthy message on his LinkedIn profile, in which he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the EuroLeague for three years and also reflected on the milestones achieved during his tenure.
Paulius Motiejunas’ farewell
After consideration by the ECA Board, my duties as CEO of Euroleague Basketball come to an end.
While this may sound like sad news, my overwhelming feeling today is one of pride and gratitude. The last three years have been incredibly intense, demanding, and deeply rewarding. I have learned immensely, and together with an outstanding management team, clubs, and partners, we have made meaningful and measurable progress.
During my tenure, we achieved milestones that speak to both growth and sustainability – always with the long-term interests of European basketball in mind.
- 44% growth in overall revenues
- 50% growth in team economic distributions
- 50% growth in sponsorship revenues over the last two years
- 3x-5x increase in Final Four value compared to the previous most successful edition
- 3x growth in content views, reaching more than 1.1 billion
- 4x growth in ELTV revenues • Unlocked the Middle East market, expanding the league’s footprint and exporting the European game to an entirely new region
- Launched the new FFP Competitive Balance Standards, a first in European sports
- And perhaps most importantly, built a revamped front-office structure – fit for purpose, resilient, and ready to take the league to the next level, regardless of who sits in the CEO seat
None of this progress was ever about one individual. It belongs to the fans – the ones who fill the arenas, stay up late, argue, celebrate, and pass the love for this game from one generation to the next. They are the soul of European basketball. Alongside them, the Euroleague Basketball team, the clubs, and our commercial and strategic partners work relentlessly behind the scenes to strengthen the league.
European basketball today stands at a crossroads. Its growth and increasing value naturally attract external interest. The responsibility is to ensure this growth remains rooted in our culture, traditions, and collective model, rather than becoming a tool for external control or short-term financial gains that do not revert into further investment in European basketball. Protecting European basketball is not about resisting change; it is about shaping it wisely, from within, and with unity.
From the sidelines, I will continue to support the success of European basketball and of Euroleague Basketball, confident in the strong foundations that have been built and in the people who will carry this work forward. Thank you for the journey. The mission continues.
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