José Antonio Querejeta's Dominant Reign
José Antonio Querejeta is a former basketball player and now serves as the president of Baskonia, something he has done since 1988. This season marks the 50th year of the club's existence and Querejeta has been the man running the show for most of these years. Querejeta's 34-year reign makes him the longest-serving president of the Euroleague by quite some margin.
When Querejeta took over the club in 1988, the club was limited financially and did not have any glory to its name. However, since Querejeta has taken over he has achieved 5 appearances in the Euroleague Final Four, another runner-up in 2001 in the first year of the top competition, 4 ACB Leagues, 6 Copas del Rey, 4 Super Cups, and 1 Recopa. Querejeta took this club to a new level with the signings of former European stars, former NBA players, and other international players. A large reason for his early success in the transformation of the club was converting the club into a limited liability club, allowing for more financial potential.
Other achievements of Querejeta include converting the club's arena from a capacity of 5,000 to 15,500 and winning executive of the year in 2005 and 2016. Querejeta has been able to transform this club from a small city into a consistent offensive powerhouse squad since his reign began, with teams fearing to play this passionate club. While they remain more limited than clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid, Querejeta has been able to work with what he has to the best abilities possible.
Can you think of any American teams who had a change of ownership or power that experienced a similar change in the reputation of the team?
https://www.noticiasdealava.eus/baskonia/2022/10/29/josean-querejeta-34-anos-pie-6172871.html
ReplyDeleteMost recently, the change I'd highlight being similar to this one is the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. Matt Ishbia bought the team and immediately swung a trade for Kevin Durant (one of the best players of all time, and a former league MVP). This changed the team's trajectory, and while it's only been about two weeks since this has happened, it'll be interesting to see if they follow a similar path to Baskonia. Only time will tell if success will happen for both of these clubs in the short and long term.
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned, only time will tell with Ishbia's big move to acquire Durant. The team has certainly changed its reputation over the past few years after years of being at the bottom of the league. Big moves certainly require big results so I am excited to see what happens!
DeleteIt's pretty impressive to boast that you've had the longest serving president in the EuroLeague. It seems as though he has made a lot of executive decision that have increased the appeal of the team such as the increase in the stadium size and transforming the club into an LLC. I'm curious to see how many other EuroLeague teams tried to follow suit and convert their clubs to LLC's in order to maintain more financial support.
ReplyDeleteFor a team like Baskonia that does not have a market as large as Barcelona and Madrid, it is always interesting to see how teams like this leverage themselves to the best financial position possible. Baseball reminds me of this a lot because for example, Steven Cohn taking over the mets has completely altered their future because of his financial commitments to the team.
DeleteI love when the president or owner of a club is a former player, given the amount of passion and transperency in their ambitions. (Generally improve the club) This situation is unique however, as not only did José Antonio Querejeta transform the club from a team on the cusp of failure, to pernially succesful club, but he also transformed the financial capabilities. I do not have any similar examples other than Jordan taking over the hornets, yet he has not turned the results around yet. (His main goal he outlines) Neverless, the duration of his tenure and his financial tactics have proved a role model for future develoment strategies for poor financial and performing clubs. Really enjoyed this article.
ReplyDeleteI think Jordan taking over the Hornets is slightly different, but I do see the resemblance with a former player taking over a team. Jordan's move seemed to be a move of a financial commitment (the value of the team has risen nearly $1 billion since his purchase). On the contrary, Querejeta journey was not as easy and his former experience with the squad showed his love for Baskonia, something he has stuck with loyally.
DeleteIt is amazing that a man with a passion for the sport can have such an impact on a team's performance. Seeing a president that has experience in the sport and also doesn't just have money on his mind is reassuring in an age where many clubs seem to be money-making machines and that is it. Though I can not think of any American teams with similar situations when thinking about the buyout situation of Manchester United I see quite the opposite. Those interested in buying that club do have any football experience and seem to be interested in the growth of their own businesses.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting to see that the same executive have this long of a tenure as there is typically so much turbulence in American sports. I think a lot of the time a change of ownership can be important for faltering franchises, as seen these past few years for the Mets in baseball. Since Steve Cohen has bought the team, they have been at the top of payroll and have ben more competitive than in years past. This shows how important it can be to have good executives and ownership in sports and the role it plays.
ReplyDeleteI think it's so cool that the president was a former basketball player! I think experience playing the sport in which you have that powerful position in definitely contributes to their ability to create a successful club. It's evident that Querejeta has brought great success to the club and really put his effort into its improvement. I find it very admirable that he has been in the position for 34 years, it really shows his commitment!
ReplyDeleteI think coaches who have experience playing at the level they coach for bring something unique to the table. Personally, I think it serves as a competitive advantage. It really seems as if Querejeta has put forth lots of dedication and effort into Baskonia`s program and has contributed to lots of success for the club.
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome just how much Querejeta did for the club. The fact that he is a player gave Baskonia a strong foundation when he took over. Being involved with basketball like that for a long time gives someone a solid amount of knowledge prior to taking over and Baskonia made a smart move signing him on. His resume since he took over speaks for itself and it will be awesome to see what more he can achieve.
ReplyDeleteTo me the story of Querejeta reminds me a lot of Billy Bean the American baseball executive for the Oakland Athletics. Billy Bean is also the main character of the movie Moneyball and has a similar background as Querejeta. He was a former professional MLB player and then moved into management of an MLB team. They both have also been extremely loyal to their organizations as Querejeta has been the with the team for so long and Billy Bean is now the executive vice president of the Athletics and has been with them for almost three decades.
ReplyDeleteOne prime example of an ownership change affecting the reputation of the team can be seen in the NY Mets. After Steven Cohen, a hedge fund founder, bought the team the Mets went from a medium spending team to now a top 3 highest pay roll in the MLB. It will be interesting to see if this high spending approach pays off in the future.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting hearing about how a former player was able to become the president years later. This is a major trend in American sports, which is shown by former players such as Michael Jordan. He is widely considered the greatest of all time, and he is now the owner of the Hornets. I am curious to see if the high spending approach pans out well for the team!
ReplyDeleteOne team would be the Golden State Warriors, who were purchased by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber in 2010. Before the change in ownership, the team had only made the playoffs once in the previous 16 seasons and was struggling financially. However, under the new ownership, the team was completely transformed. They hired new management, brought in talented players, and built a new arena. They went on to win three NBA championships in five years and become one of the most dominant teams in the league.
ReplyDeleteJosé Antonio Querejeta's accomplishments as the president of Baskonia are truly impressive. One example I can think of of an American team changing ownership which had positive results is when the Golden State Warriors were bought by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber in 2010. Under their ownership, the team underwent a complete transformation, from being a perennial losing team to a championship-winning franchise, similar to what José Antonio Querejeta did for Baskonia.
ReplyDeleteI think One example of an American team that experienced a change in reputation under new ownership is the Golden State Warriors. In 2010, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber purchased the Warriors and quickly made changes to the team, including hiring a new coach and general manager. The team went on to win three NBA championships in five years and became one of the most dominant teams in the league, with a reputation for excellence and innovation. The change in ownership was a major turning point for the franchise and helped to establish the Warriors as a powerhouse in the NBA.
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