Chairman of the Board of directors of SEB BBL Ojars Kehris (Latvia), Vice chairmans of the Board of directors of SEB BBL ????‚? arunas Kliokas (Lithuania) and Peep Aaviksoo (Estonia), Chairman of the Board of SEB Baltic Banks Presidents Viesturs Neimanis (Latvia), Julius Niedravas (Lithuania), Mart Altvee (Estonia) and Head of the Eastern European Banking Mats Kjaer took part in conference. Also representatives of the best BBL clubs participated - Ralfs Pleinics (BC ???¢?¢??¬?…?Ventspils???¢?¢??¬?), Jonas Vainauskas (BC ???¢?¢??¬?…?Lietuvos Rytas???¢?¢??¬?), Gediminas Navikauskas (BC ???¢?¢??¬?…?Zalgiris???¢?¢??¬?) and Ivar Valdmaa (BC ???¢?¢??¬?…?Ehitustoorist???¢?¢??¬?) Chairman of the Board of directors of SEB BBL Ojars Kehris: ???¢?¢??¬?…?I am very pleased to announce that we have had a very successful first Baltic Basketball League season with an excellent Final Four in the Vilnius ???¢?¢??¬?…?Siemens???¢?¢??¬? Arena and with a spectacular final between Zalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas. The best approval of the first year success is the recently signed agreement between BBL and SEB Banking group about our cooperation for the next 3 years. It means that for at least 3 years we will have SEB Baltic Basketball League. Now we have established BBL as a separate legal entity with a new director from Lithuania, Mindaugas Balcunas. We have good news from all participating teams; they are increasing budgets, some substantially. Many cities involved are building new sport arenas. These are good news for fans, good news for Basketball, good news for Sport in general. There are good news across the board except for one - Riga. However we hope that if not this year, then in the near future when there will be a Riga Arena with 12 thousands spectators???¢?¢??¬?¢??¢ seats basketball will be back on track in Riga as well???¢?¢??¬? Director of BC Ventspils - Ralfs Pleinics: ???¢?¢??¬?…?Today, after the first successful year of the BBL, we are at the turning point of basketball development in the Baltics and everyone is now looking upon us, waiting to see witch way we go - do we continue our hard work to prove that basketball is the sport No.1 in the Baltics and be strong as an international organisation;- or do we give up the hope of a united sports management???¢?¢??¬? Chairman of the Board of SEB Latvijas Unibanka, President- Viesturs Neimanis: ???¢?¢??¬?…?We did a long and not always easy journey to establish and maintain the biggest sports fair across the three Baltic countries. Initial idea was very simple- to find something for the first time, something unique, common for our countries that lives their own language???¢?¢??¬? Head of the SEB Eastern European Banking- Mats Kjaer: ???¢?¢??¬?…?We made a great start for SEB Baltic Basketball League ???¢?¢??¬?¢?? during its first season SEB BBL became an event ???¢?¢??¬?…?Nr.1???¢?¢??¬? in sporting life for all three countries. First season became a very powerful and emotionally charged introduction when our banks in Baltic countries switched to SEB brand this spring. There had to be found something out of different languages, legal systems and so on, but - at the same time common in minds of people that they will accept. Then the idea came on sport, and now you know which one is it! Only after we realised that it also could be used to show very clearly the presence of strong SEB brand in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. In that extent it is the most evident ???¢?¢??¬?…?win-win???¢?¢??¬? situation. By one hand ???¢?¢??¬?¢?? it is great for SEB brand to be recognised by values which otherwise are always connected to the sport ???¢?¢??¬?¢?? passion and commitment, the spirit of competition and fair play. It is great because these are values match to our bank in global scale. By other hand it is only natural that SEB - the most widely represented bank in region, decides to be as close as possible to foundation and supporting for such an unique pan-Baltic project as the Baltic Basketball League is."

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