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Mark Cuban snubs FIBA, wants international NBA tournament

  • Thread starter Thread starter rikhardur2
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rikhardur2

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Cuban doesn't care about FIBA, wants to create an international NBA tournament

In a ridiculous paroxysm Dallas Mavericks' owner said he doesn't care about FIBA competition, he will not allow Beaubois to play in Eurobasket 2011 and that he wants to create an international NBA tournament.

Mark Cuban freaked out after his team's win over New Jersey Nets last night, during an interview to Basket News' Pascal Giberne. Here are some extracts from the interview (which can be read in full HERE).

P.G.: Are you annoyed by the fact that Beaubois was injured while playing for Francce NT?

M.C.: I'm not irritated, it can happen, but he won't be playing this summer. His injury must be properly treated, we will be following his progress in the summer, so in order for him to stay healthy he mustn't play. Foot injuries are unpredictable, as we've discovered, so we don't want to take any chances.

P.G.: Is it frustrating that he can't play for you (due to injury)?

M.C.: I think international basketball is a joke to start with. If I had the time and funds I would sign contracts with all National Teams which would establish a company with NTs as shareholders and they would share the money amongst themselves instead of giving $2 billions to the Olympic committee. [...]

So instead of giving our best players for free to their National Teams so the Olympic Committee and GE (General Electric who owns NBC, who owns Olympic Games TV rights) can make free money I would create an International NBA Basketball Tournament which would allow for NBA to make more money and our players could play without any problems.

P.G.: But it's not only Olympics, we also have World Championship, Eurobaskets etc...

M.C.: If the Olympics were just about fans there would be no problem, but it is a multi-billion business. You know what kind of person gives his player for free to another person to make money off them? An idiot. And we are all idiots.

P.G.: But the World Championship and Eurobasket do not generate such profits.

M.C.: Yes, yes. They don't make profit, which is even more stupid. And it is even more stupid because no one watches it. [...]

P.G.: But money isn't everything. What about the sporting interest regarding the competitions?

M.C.: You can create a good competition and generate money. During the World Cup (football), which is more important than the Olympics, they make money and share it with the participants. Nobody knew that the (basketball) World Championship took place, no one watched it. It's crazy!

P.G.: Do you understand that players want to play for their National Teams?

M.C.: Yes, but these events could belong to the NBA and the players could play for their countries. Imagine if we could establish an international tournament with all NBA available, where Dirk (Nowitzki) would play for Germany and the best NBA players would defend the colours of NBA. [...]

P.G.: Have you discussed this project with David Stern (NBA) and Yvan Mainini (FIBA)?

M.C.: I bet FIBA President would have a heart attack if he heard about this. But who cares. I don't care about FIBA. It's a business and we must take care of it by making the best decisions. We must re-create it. It would be cool to have 85 international (NBA) players eligible for this tournament, playing for their countries. [...]

P.G.: It's impossible since there are not enough international NBA players to go around...

M.C.: No, it would be the same (as in FIBA competitions). We don't have a dozen German players in NBA, so the others (non-NBA German internationals) would play for us and not GE (General Electric).

P.G.: So GE wants to make money on your back?

M.C.: Yes, and it doesn't make any sense. We take all the risks and they take all the money. We have the best arenas. The National Teams should not be training for Olympics and World Championships but for NBA International Tournament. And every four years we would have a "bitchin" big tournament. It would be "bitchin" enormous.

[...]

P.G.: Could the 30 clubs owners fund this project?

M.C.: Yes, and in that way everyone would be involved.

P.G.: Would you be less angry if Beaubois got injured during this NBA International Tournament?

M.C.: Yes, because it would be my business. He would have done something beneficial for the organisation. These things happen, people get hurt. But right now they (injuries) have no meaning. If FIBA competitions are so important tell me why free agents never take part in them?

P.G.: Boris Diaw has played in a Eurobasket as a free agent

M.C. Boris is the exception. [...]
http://www.talkbasket.net/news/cuba...ate-an-international-nba-tournament-4014.html
 
There is an established saying for Marc Cuban and such cases for more than 1000 year now: Sancta simplicitas!
 
This is the same guy who alienated Steve Nash by keeping him from playing in the 2002 Worlds. Soon after, Nash would walk, back to the Phoenix Suns. Trust me, Mark Cuban is not as smart as he thinks he is.
 
Obviously, Mark Cuban is a business man first... forgot about how Dirk Nowitzki and other international players got discovered before playing in the NBA.

;)
 
Was he high during the interview?... somebody need to choke this ignorant with his own money.. I don't care if he owns Dallas...
 
M.C.: Yes, yes. They don't make profit, which is even more stupid. And it is even more stupid because no one watches it.
As self-centered prick, he didn't yet realize that there's a world outside that cares...
Einstein sends you regards, Mr.Cuban, you just proved his theory...
 
It is funny to read when Mark Cuban says that the Fiba World Champion was not interested to anyone. Those he is really this stupid? It is not interested in USA!!! but it really important to the rest of the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Me: Mark Cuban Sir?
Cuban: Yes?
Me: Can you please pass whatever it is you are smoking? I want to try it XD:D
 
Do I fully understand Mark Cuban's viewpoint? Yes

Do I agree with it? Nope

Do I think he's crazy? Hell no.

Looking at it from an Owner's prospective where talent he paid millions for gets injured, and injured not even playing for him, yeah I could see why he's pissed.

His goal isn't worldwide embracing of basketball, it's basketball making him money. If Basketball is embraced worldwide, and it makes him money it's a sweet bonus. Yeah he comes off as a greedy ass, but honestly if I was in his position I'd probably be the same :o
 
Well, that's what you know before signing these players. If you don't want to take the risk, just don't sign them. If you sign an international player, live with it!
 
Why do you guys seem surprised with his remarks :D?

This is typical Mark Cuban :cool:

What I do want to see is how will he try to prevent Dirk from playing with the German NT if Nowitzki decides that he wants to play for Germany this summer in Lithuania (since it will probably be his last time representing the NT if they don't qualify to the Olympics as I doubt he will play in 2013 Euro-championship where he'll be 35 years old....)
 
Do I fully understand Mark Cuban's viewpoint? Yes

Do I agree with it? Nope

Do I think he's crazy? Hell no.

Looking at it from an Owner's prospective where talent he paid millions for gets injured, and injured not even playing for him, yeah I could see why he's pissed.
I agree with you here...
And the money distribution from major international tournaments (Olympics, Football World Cup...) should be looked into, but Cuban's view is just arrogant and offensive

His goal isn't worldwide embracing of basketball, it's basketball making him money. If Basketball is embraced worldwide, and it makes him money it's a sweet bonus. Yeah he comes off as a greedy ass, but honestly if I was in his position I'd probably be the same :o
Well, he comes off as a greedy ass, because he is a greedy is.

Well, that's what you know before signing these players. If you don't want to take the risk, just don't sign them. If you sign an international player, live with it!
This. Although there could be a system where the NT-s would be obliged to pay some sort of insurance money to clubs...

Btw, it's ironic that a man who is an incarnation of capitalism is called Cuban...
 
P.G.: Is it frustrating that he can't play for you (due to injury)?

M.C.: I think international basketball is a joke to start with. If I had the time and funds I would sign contracts with all National Teams which would establish a company with NTs as shareholders and they would share the money amongst themselves instead of giving $2 billions to the Olympic committee. [...]

I would love to see this happen. I hate FIBA soooo much its not even funny. They do almost nothing to promote basketball, they give extreeemely little back to the actual NTs. Unlike FIFA for example.

They are just greedy bureaucrats who do nothing else then stuff money into their own pocket... They deserve to have the NTs competition taken away from them just like ULEB took the club competition away from them.
 
Imagine Diamantidis making a dunk after doing 7 steps and everybody shouts WE WANT TACOS when result is 98-87
 
Nothing new here, he has expressed the same opinion plenty of times before.

Presumably he'd like to set up something like this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Baseball Classic despite always being held in the US, attracts less viewership in US than FIBA games. Moreover, America always sends average players.

If Cuban can actually establish such a profitable league, he's my hero. Unfortunately he doesn't really understand some logistics, nor is he fully committed.
 
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