Jake Cohen Argues EuroLeague Lags in Broadcast Presentation

In a published column, 12-year EuroLeague veteran and former player representative Jake Cohen argues that European basketball possesses a world-class product on the court yet severely lags behind American sports counterparts in broadcast presentation, revenue generation, and wage growth.

Inside the Barcelona Front Office Meetings

Writing about his annual attendance at EuroLeague headquarters meetings in Barcelona, Cohen explains that he volunteered for the assignment when no other team representatives wanted to go. During one session, after the league CEO presented on how the league was doing and requested feedback on potential improvements, Cohen raised his hand to deliver a critique of the competition’s packaging.

Cohen notes that the league sells out 20,000-seat arenas in Greece, 15,000 in Serbia, and 10,000 in Lithuania and Israel for every regular-season game. Despite those high attendance figures, most member clubs reportedly lose money while league and wage growth stall.

We have an amazing product.

We have the best basketball in the world.

Jake Cohen

Creating The Players View Alternative Broadcast

During that same meeting, Cohen specifically criticized the league web broadcast setup, which at the time relied on a single off-site broadcaster in the United Kingdom working without a color commentator. He suggested hiring newly retired Greek legend Spanoulis as an analyst or adopting a ManningCast-style alternative broadcast format.

Following the presentation, EuroLeague Chief Marketing Officer Alex Ferrer Kristjansson approached Cohen to gauge his interest in launching such a project. Partnering with close friend and former teammate Michael Roll, Cohen developed The Players’ View, serving as the EuroLeague’s version of the ManningCast.

Over two seasons and two Final Fours, the broadcast duo called games around Cohen’s active playing schedule. The production featured prominent basketball guests, including Sofoklis Schortsanitis and Tyrese Rice, while working alongside producer Ellie Borgman.

Lessons for Post-Playing Careers

Reflecting on the broadcast experience, Cohen advises current professional basketball players preparing for life after their playing careers to actively seek out opportunities within the industry. He credits his own broadcasting stint to the decision to raise his hand in a corporate meeting and speak up.

A lot of players have asked me, What can I do to prepare for life after? Raise your hand. Get in the room and speak up. You never know, they might hand you a mic and a TV show.

Jake Cohen