Turkish Euroleague Airlines Final Four 2014 presented in Milan

The one-month countdown to the best weekend in world basketball began Monday in Milan, Italy with the official presentation of the Turkish Euroleague Airlines Final Four 2014, which from May 16 to 18 will be the first event of its kind ever held in the global capital of fashion. 

On the eve of playoffs to decide which teams shall compete to become Euroleague champion, a press conference revealing new Final Four details on Monday was followed by an unprecedented gathering of local sports stars and legends from the One Milan legacy project of Euroleague Basketball's corporate social responsibility program, One Team. 

"We have been working since last July, when we announced that Milan was going to be our host, to bring fans the best event possible, and with one month to go, I can confirm that both the fans who visit here and also all the citizens of Milan won't be disappointed," Jordi Bertomeu, President and CEO of Euroleague Basketball, said. "Besides the most interesting basketball games on the continent, they will be able to witness many other different attractions, as we consider the Final Four to be a global concept for the whole city, not only for the foreign or local fans who attend the games." 

The first Final Four in Milan draws on the rich basketball tradition of a region that dominated European basketball over 22 years between 1966 and 1988, spanning the first and last continental titles won by the city's signature club, which hosts its first Euroleague playoff game Wednesday between EA7 Emporio Armani and Maccabi Tel Aviv. 

"The municipality has tried to do its best to organize the main event and all the other events around the games, and many legendary players of other sports contributed to this work," Giuliano Pisapia, Mayor of Milan, said. "I remember the great emotion when its was announced, last July, that the Final Four will be played in Milan, at Mediolanum Forum. 

Now that is a reality, and it will be the first of a series of great sports events, such as the women's world volleyball championships, that Milan will host in the future. But the Final Four is the golden highlight of our sports events, and I want to welcome all the fans and the teams that will be here. But I have to say that I hope our team will qualify to the Final Four." 

Mr. Bertomeu outlined a "golden triangle" of venues that will have Milan living and breathing basketball in its many conceptions - as sporting drama, as a bridge to the future and as an entertaining force for social good - over four days in mid-May. 

The 12,100-seat Mediolanum Forum in the Assago municipality, whose mayor Graziano Musella attended Monday's press conference, will host of the semifinals on Friday and the championship game on Sunday and will be the nerve center of the sporting drama, with a world-class basketball show to match the excellence of the four would-be champions. 

The second venue, the Tensostruttura Lido, within one of Milan's biggest public parks, invites fans to watch for free the world's greatest gathering of young basketball talent, the Nike International Junior Tournament, this year featuring the local Armani Junior Milan team as well as a first South American participant, Team Brazil. 

The third point that completes the golden triangle is Milan's world-renowned Piazza del Duomo, where for the first time the awards ceremony to honor the best players of the season will be held outdoors and in public on Thursday, May 15, giving fans the opportunity to be part of the Final Four celebration with the biggest stars in the European game. 

Immediately after the awards ceremony, Piazza del Duomo becomes the home of the Final Four Fan Zone, a long weekend's worth of family fun featuring non-stop activities like three-on-three tournaments, slam dunk and three-point shooting contests, appearances by sports legends, cheerleading performances and many more surprises. 

The Fan Zone will also shine a spotlight on One Milan, which unites the major clubs and sports throughout the city to help disadvantaged Milaneses become accepted and included in the community through a series of training sessions to build esteem, respect, teamwork and courage. Monday's gathering featured special guests from each of One Milan's participating clubs, representing three different sports in the city. The AC Milan Foundation was represented by Mr. Adriano Galliani, the club's President and CEO; F.C. Internazionale by Mr. Giuseppe Bergomi, a club legend; and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan by Mr. Nicolo Melli, a current player and One Milan Amabassador. 

"I would like to express my gratitude to the Municipality of Milan for its support and collaboration in making possible this event as a whole," Mr Bertomeu concluded. "They are exactly what we look for when evaluating the different cities aspiring to organize a Final Four, a city which is aware of the importance of an international event like this for its positive global impact and for the city's inhabitants." 

While they last, tickets for the 2014 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four remain available at www.f4tickets.com