FIBA 1217
It’s time for a divorce
If only everyone could love a World Cup medal the way Kenneth Faried does Not all marriages are built to last but that doesn’t mean we forget the good times. Emmet Ryan on why basketball and and the Olympics need to change their relationship status Rio 2016 gets under way today and for all the […]
Croatia head to Rio with house money
The potential of Croatia’s national team hasn’t been a secret but most of that generation is too young to be relevant in Rio, Emmet Ryan looks at how a side somewhat ahead of schedule has a free run in these Olympics Croatia looks like it is going to be great, like proper fantastic. In Dario […]
LIVE: Ireland vs UNC Tar Heels
BallinEurope brings you live and free coverage of the Irish senior women’s team against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. The Irish women head into this game on the back of a second place finish at the European Small Countries Championship, their first participation in international hoops this decade. The Heels come to Dublin […]
Now come the questions
Irish basketball made it’s comeback last week at the FIBA European Small Countries Championships, now Emmet Ryan says the questions are what the next steps will be There was a lot to take in last week. Huge highs came early for both teams before deflating finishes were followed by a realisation of what this is […]
Did I tell you about that time Ireland played a game or two?
The long wait is over. The opponents, the locations, and the competitive nature of the games really didn’t matter. The important thing was that Ireland is back on the map, writes Emmet Ryan “Do they play basketball in Ireland?” “Is basketball big in Ireland?” “I didn’t know they had basketball in Ireland.” It’s always friendly, […]
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 […]
At least we weren’t outnumbered
Hopes of an upset were dashed early in Dublin but Emmet Ryan still found plenty of solace as Hibernia Basketball went down at the hands of Bakken Bears There are away fans in FIBA Europe Cup? Wow, didn’t see that coming. Bakken Bears had around 30 boisterous fans in Dublin for a game that carried […]
LIVE: Bakken Bears vs Hibernia Basketball
History will be made in Denmark today as an Irish basketball team plays in a European club competition for the first time in over 20 years. Hibernia Basketball open their journey in the FIBA Europe Cup on the road against Bakken Bears. The Irish outfit are big outsiders at 40/1 to win but they could […]
The Ballin After – FIBA Europe Cup special
It’s been over 20 years since Ireland had a team in European club competitions. That changes on Wednesday 28 October when Hibernia Basketball, a combined team from Ireland’s top two divisions, plays in the FIBA Europe Cup. In this special edition of The Ballin After, Emmet Ryan speaks to the players about the road ahead […]