The Budućnost Voli basketball players began preparations for the new season on Monday, and today, at a press conference, the club's president, Dragan Bokan, spoke about the club's upcoming challenges, budget, playing staff, the situation in European basketball, and the fans.
Bokan said that Budućnost is important to all of Montenegro.
"I am pleased that today we are opening a new chapter in the history of our club and starting a new competitive season. We are doing this at a time when investments in European basketball are greater than ever. We are facing perhaps one of the most demanding seasons, both due to the quality of our opponents and the huge financial differences between the clubs. This management is entering its 16th competitive season. This is a great period and the best proof of continuity. In those 16 years, the club has gone through numerous challenges, financial difficulties, changes in the competition system and the pandemic period, but it has survived and remained at a high level," said Bokan.
Bokan spoke about the state of European basketball.
"It is important to realistically look at the current state of European basketball. In the Euroleague today, we have about a dozen clubs whose budgets exceed 40 million euros, while some, according to publicly available data, have budgets exceeding 60 million. Even the clubs from the ABA League that compete in the Euroleague have a budget of approximately 30 million euros. This speaks volumes about how difficult it is to maintain competitiveness and how much investment is needed for serious results. Despite this, Buducnost must try to continue the continuity of a serious club, serious management and serious results. We want to continue developing a project in the coming years that I consider successful."
The club's first man pointed out that Budućnost has the support of numerous companies.
"Today, the Buducnost basketball club finances approximately 50 companies operating in Montenegro. I would like to especially highlight our 'golden team', or about fifteen companies that represent key and long-term partners of the club and that enable us to continue. This year, we will gain two more new partners, or new members of the club. The entire Board of Directors, partner team and new support structure will be presented in mid-September at our traditional event. On that occasion, we will talk about the 'golden team' of Buducnost, new strategic directions and cooperation between the club, state and city institutions and businessmen who have been dedicated to financing basketball for a decade and a half."
The conference also discussed assistance from the state and the Capital City.
"The future cannot exist at this level by relying only on one side. This project must be the result of cooperation between the state, local government and the private sector. This is the only sustainable model. The club enters the new season with the support of the Capital City, Monteput, Montenegro Airport, the Voli company and a large number of private partners. Such a financing model and the arrival of new partners have been confirmed in the club's official statements," Bokan pointed out.
Competition in all competitions has never been stronger.
“We face extremely strong competition. In the Eurocup, there are several clubs that have the quality, organization and players at the Euroleague level. In the ABA League, we also have three Euroleague projects, including Red Star, Partizan and Dubai, as well as numerous clubs that are significantly increasing their budgets. Red Star and Partizan have been showing for several years how much money is needed for a club to be able to stay in the Euroleague and achieve serious results there. All of this means that the competition in the ABA League will be extremely high. European competition is also becoming increasingly demanding. That is why we had to make additional efforts and increase the financial capabilities of Buducnost.”
Bokan also presented data on the budget.
"Last season, the net budget for players was exactly around 3,47 million euros, while approximately 2,2 million euros were needed for all other club expenses. This year, we had to make a step forward. In agreement with all members of the Board of Directors, we decided to increase the total budget by approximately 1,2 to 1,3 million euros. The plan is for the net budget for players to be around 4,5 million euros, while approximately 2,5 million euros will be needed for all other expenses. Therefore, the total planned budget of the club is approximately seven million euros. It has been publicly announced before that the budget for the 2026/27 season will be around seven million. Of those 2,5 million other expenses, between 900.000 and one million euros go to the state and local government through taxes, contributions, taxes on players' earnings and other obligations. This is very important to emphasize when we talk about the relationship between what the state invests in the club and what the club returns to the state," said Bokan.
The president of Buducnost said that the club is important to all of Montenegro.
"The basketball club Buducnost is not only important from a sporting point of view. This club organizes matches and sports performances for ten months a year that attract the audience, visiting teams, journalists, sponsors and people from other countries. The club achieves a much broader economic effect through airplane arrivals, hotel accommodation, catering, transportation and payment of taxes on all these services. I am sure that this level of the basketball club Buducnost directly and indirectly brings more income to the state and the city than the state invests in the club. That is why Buducnost is not only important to the fans. It is important to Podgorica, Montenegro, tourism, the economy and the promotion of the country," said Bokan and continued:
"Without the support of the state, the Capital, Monteput, the Airport and the private sector, we would not be able to maintain the club at this level. The support we received through contracts with state-owned companies is particularly important, as is the understanding of people from the Government. We also discussed the infrastructure projects that the club needs. We received a promise that there will be maximum support and I believe that this will be one of the key elements of the further functioning and development of Buducnost."
Bokan spoke about the money allocated for the playing staff.
"The management has invested a lot of effort in bringing in new players. So far, approximately four million euros have been allocated for the playing staff, while around 600.000 euros remain. In agreement with the coaching staff and the sports sector, we have a plan to bring in another player in the position we have estimated we need. Therefore, the planned net budget for players is around 4,5 million, with approximately 2,5 million in other expenses. In this way, we arrive at a total budget of around seven million euros. All applications, contracts, donations and obligations will be implemented in accordance with regulations. I believe that this is an example of what the relationship between the state, local government and the economy should look like," Bokan pointed out.
He looked back on the 16 years he has been at the helm of the club.
"Leading a sports team like this is not easy. It is not easy to lead it for one year, let alone sixteen years. During that period, we went through great difficulties. We had years in which we entered the season without a completely closed financial structure. We went through a pandemic, when we also had to maintain the club, employees and sports system. However, we managed to preserve Buducnost and gain mutual trust with our partners. This must remain a socially responsible story. There must be no hidden or personal interest here. The club must lead a socially responsible, transparent and professional management. That is the only path this sports organization can take. When the state helps and shows trust in the project, then new people, new companies and new partners appear ready to support the club. This year we have a larger budget for players, but we also have broader support from the private sector. Among the partners are serious domestic and multinational companies."
Bokan said that a number of partners have increased their issuances.
"I am grateful to all the companies that support Buducnost, including those that, due to existing marketing and exclusive contracts, cannot always be represented in the way they would like. We build our cooperation on trust, fairness and a long-term relationship."
Bokan also spoke about the players' health care.
"A serious club, especially a club that brings in quality European and former NBA players, must have a serious health system that follows the team throughout the season. A new contract with our health partner should be signed in early September. I expect that this cooperation will be further strengthened and that we will have the best possible health care. Serious negotiations are already underway at the highest level. The new hospital and health facilities are important not only for the club but also for the whole of Montenegro. When foreign players come and see that the club has a well-organized organization, regular salaries, good medical care and serious management, then they want to stay for many years. This is shown by the examples of Yogi Ferrell, Juvan Morgan, Fletcher Magee and other players who have stayed or returned to Buducnost. This is the best proof that the players consider this club a safe and serious place for their career."
The President of Budućnost also spoke about cooperation with the media.
"I would like to send a message to you, the journalists. Feel free to point out any comments you have regarding the organization of matches, accreditations, working conditions, communication with people from the club and the flow of information. We can organize a special meeting or conference where you can give your suggestions. We want to improve communication and ensure that the media receives accurate information in a timely manner. When something good happens, convey that good emotion. When something is not good, then we will discuss it together. Buducnost is open to criticism and cooperation, but it is important that we all have good intentions towards the club. The media is important to Buducnost and we need mutual trust. Thank you to my colleagues from the club, people from the sports sector, the coaching staff, partners and every member of the Board of Directors. We have a difficult season ahead of us, but I believe that we have secured a larger budget, a more serious team and better working conditions."
He called on fans to help the team.
"I am really glad that, after such a successful campaign, we have the opportunity to invite all Budućnost fans to join us. I would like to invite all people who love basketball and sports in general. I am thinking of those who most often watch the games on television, as well as people who may not be in the habit of coming to stadiums or sports halls and following various sporting events live, but who are certainly interested in sports. I would sincerely like this year, as a city and as the whole of Podgorica, to show how much this club means to us. We should send a clear message by filling the 'Mtel Morača Hall', and turning it into a place where people will enjoy spending two hours. We should enjoy sports and the uncertainty of the games. To celebrate victories, but also to learn how to experience and accept defeats. The most important thing is to enjoy and to create even stronger emotions together, which we can pass on to others."
Bokan emphasized that the fan community must expand.
"We need to expand our fan community. Even when we lose, suffer an unfortunate defeat or the team doesn't play well, we need to know how to react more positively and not lose hope. In every job, every family, every life and every team, there are ups and downs. That's how basketball and life simply work. That's why I believe that this could be a nice new beginning. I would invite the fans to come back, because this sports organization and this club truly deserve their support. Maybe this is the right moment to start changing certain habits. When the team wins, everyone says: 'Everyone in Morača.' But when a team loses, people often turn their backs. Either the club is really important to us and we stand by it, or it is not. Let us criticize, but at the same time help. Let us criticize, but continue to come to the games. Let us criticize, but also work together. I believe that perhaps the most important message of this press conference, as well as of the Blue Night that is to be held, is precisely the message to the fans: Come to Morača. Support us. Support the Budućnost basketball club. If the business community supports us and if the majority of our employees support this sports organization, then the fans should support it too.
The team will need support during the ABA League and Eurocup season.
"I would especially like to invite our loyal Varvara fans, who have been sincerely supporting us for decades. This fan group has given a special character and atmosphere to sports in Montenegro, as well as to Podgorica itself. That is why I invite Varvara to come in even greater numbers and to further strengthen their organization. The club will always support them as much as it can and will continue to support their activities. I believe that we must not allow the bond that connects us all to disappear or be broken. So, this is an invitation to all fans, an invitation to Varvara, but also an invitation to people who are not in the habit of coming to sports halls or stadiums. I invite them to come to the Morača Sports Center, support Buducnost and help us create a new image of the club. Let us also try to create a new image of Montenegrin sports as a whole and raise it to a level at which we will be recognized like other European cities, whose residents passionately support their clubs. That is my final message," concluded Buducnost President Dragan Bokan.
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