German sportswear giant Adidas has expanded its partnership with Euroleague Basketball to take on title sponsorship of its international junior tournament.
The 2014-15 Adidas Next Generation Tournament will mark the 14th edition of a competition that has grown from eight teams and one city in 2003 to qualifying tournaments held across four months, in as many countries, that offer at least 32 teams the chance to become the junior club champions of Europe.
As in previous seasons, the Final Tournament will feature the four qualifying tournament winners, the reigning champion from the previous season as well as three wild card invitees competing as a parallel event to the Euroleague Final Four. The two finalists compete for the title on the same court where the Euroleague championship game, which this season takes place in Madrid on May 17, is held later on the same day.
The new agreement comes after Adidas in January agreed an expanded two-year partnership extension with Euroleague Basketball that runs through the European club competition’s 2015 season. “By expanding our partnership with Adidas to include our international junior tournament, we are reaffirming our commitment to the young players who are the future of our sport,” Roser Queralto, chief business development officer at Euroleague Basketball, said.
A total of 32 clubs from 15 European countries will be represented in this season's Next Generation Tournament. The campaign commences with the first qualifying tournament in Rome on December 27-29.