Matteo Cazzulani Presents New Book on NBA Europe and Rome Basketball Future
Basketball in Rome is changing as historical tradition meets interest from American investors in potential new club projects.
Memories of titles won in the 1980s, alongside more recent appearances in the Scudetto finals in 2008 and 2013, are beginning to exclude younger generations and feel rather dated, particularly following the bankruptcy of Virtus Roma in 2020 which relegated the capital to the margins of major basketball for six years.
On Monday, Nov. 9, at the San Paolo bookstore on via della Conciliazione, foreign correspondent Matteo Cazzulani presented his new book, “Fino alla fine. NBA Europe e le basket city." The event focused on how European basketball is changing and Rome's potential role as discussions continue regarding NBA Europe and the Euroleague.
The presentation featured remarks from Valerio Bianchini, honorary president of BC Roma, and Mario Arceri, director of Basket Magazine. Panelists debated the recent Rome derby and the necessary groundwork local clubs must perform to maintain fan engagement, specifically targeting youth sectors.
Valerio Bianchini Stresses Grassroots Investment for Rome Clubs
Shifting the focus to the Italian capital, Valerio Bianchini recalled encounters with veteran supporters from Banco di Roma and Virtus who passed their fandom down through generations. “There is a passion that is like an underground torrent that occasionally explodes,” Bianchini said during the panel, noting that the response to the derby against Maxima Roma met expectations but requires careful cultivation.
Bianchini emphasized that both local organizations must offer technical support to youth clubs. BC Roma is actively establishing footholds within existing Under-13 structures across the city to track the development of young players.
BC Roma Plans Continuation Regardless of NBA Europe Decisions
An advisory board combining American and European figures supports the venture.
“There will still be a BC Roma team that will continue its adventure,” Bianchini stated regarding potential choices by the NBA.
The Evolving Landscape of NBA Europe and Coexistence
The NBA Europe model has been structured by United States basketball executives as a semi-open tournament competing with the Euroleague, importing elements of the American system including permanent venues and investors, commercial centralization, modern infrastructure, and a global product dimension.
Over recent months, aided by mediation from the Euroleague and its new CEO Chus Bueno, the project has moved closer to the existing ecosystem, making a coexistence between the two worlds appear more realistic today than a fracture.
Unlike Milan, Athens, or Istanbul, the Italian capital lacks a club already stably within the Euroleague orbit possessing a consolidated structure and European identity, leaving no one inside or around a club who needs convincing.
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