Dan Peterson lashes out at the two new Roma teams: “It’s not good for anyone”

The demise of Vanoli Cremona and Germani Brescia and the emergence of two new Roman teams ahead of NBA Europe have infuriated Dan Peterson, who did not hold back on his criticism on the sidelines of an event.

“I’m against the idea of selling sports rights, for a thousand reasons. Sports rights are earned; they’re won on the court, not with a check or a bank transfer,” Peterson explained. “Is Trapani going bankrupt? Get rid of the team and bring up the one below it. If Cremona wants to give up its title and doesn’t have the money to play in Serie A, it can leave and make room for those who’ve earned it,” according to Il T Quotidiano.

“Do you know what the truth is? That Lombardy has lost two important pillars, and that’s not good for anyone,” continued Peterson, who then turned his attention to Brescia: “I hope basketball in Brescia doesn’t disappear. I’d like to see it start over—I don’t know where, but I hope to find out soon. It’s sad that a program that reached the semifinals and a championship final—results of the highest prestige for a city that can’t be compared to other basketball hotbeds—has to disappear,” according to statements reported by Il Giornale di Brescia.

“For me, it’s terrible; I come from the court, and this move hurts the entire Italian basketball scene. You earn a spot in Serie A on the court, not with a bank transfer. Let me use Cremona as an example. If the club chooses to shut down, then someone from Serie A2 should be promoted. We need a law from the government, CONI, or the FIP itself to prevent the mechanism that is now being put into place.”