AEK, Partizan and Zielona Gora join Basketball Champions League as competition expands

19 August 2016

MIES, Switzerland (Basketball Champions League) - Basketball Champions League (BCL) announced on Friday that it has accepted the late admission requests of AEK Athens (GRE), Partizan KK Belgrade (SRB) and Zielona Gora (POL) into the Basketball Champions League’s inaugural 2016-17 season. It also confirmed a modification of the competition system by increasing the number of Regular Season teams to 40.

The BCL administration examined each case individually and, upon consultation with the Board of Directors, took the decision to accept these three top European clubs into BCL with the aim of further strengthening the competition along the established principles of participation based on sporting merit and inclusiveness towards a pan-European competition. 

BCL took into consideration a number of key sporting principles when assessing the process of including these new clubs into the BCL 2016-17 season, while maintaining the result of the recent Draw and respect of the calendar. 

Based on the above, the format of the Basketball Champions League for the upcoming season will be modified in the following manner:

• Total participation: 40 teams divided into five groups of eight teams each.
• The four Regular Season groups (A-D) that were produced at the Draw of July 21st will remain intact with regards to their final composition.
• A new group (E) of eight teams will be created.
• Group E will include the new entries AEK Athens (GRE), Partizan KK (SRB), Zielona Gora (POL), and five teams from the Qualification Rounds that will now advance directly into the Regular Season: Besiktas Sompo Japan (TUR), Dinamo Sassari (ITA), MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (GER), Proximus Spirou Charleroi (BEL) and Szolnoki Olaj (HUN). 

These five teams were selected after considering the overall strength of the national league; participation of teams from that league into European club competitions; presence and performance of each team in European club competitions in recent seasons.

The detailed competition schedule of Group E will be announced once the entire schedule of the Regular Season is confirmed.

The direct participation of these five teams into the Regular Season, affects the Qualification Rounds as certain games will no longer take place. The pairings produced at the Draw have not been affected and the potential final composition of the Regular Season groups remains intact. 

QUALIFICATION ROUNDS 

The revised Qualification Rounds will consist of the following matches: 

Qualification Round 1

• Kataja (FIN) vs Sodertalje Kings (SWE) (winner to participate in Group B).
• SL Benfica (POR) vs Varese (ITA (winner to participate in Group C).
• FC Porto (POR) vs Juventus Utena (LTU) (winner to participate in Group D).
• Igokea (BIH) vs KK Mornar Bar (MNE) (winner to participate in Group D).
• Donar Groningen (NED) vs BC Tartu (EST) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)
• Rilski Sportist (BUL) vs Tsmoki-Minsk (BLR) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)
• CSM CSU Oradea (ROU) vs Prievidza (SVK) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)
• Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP) vs U-BT Cluj-Napoca (ROM) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)

Qualification Round 2

• Winner of Donar Groningen (NED) vs BC Tartu (EST) will play against Bakken Bears (DEN) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group A.
• Winner of Rilski Sportist (BUL) vs Tsmoki-Minsk (BLR) will play against Ironi Nahariya (ISR) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group A.
• Winner of CSM CSU Oradea (ROU) vs Prievidza (SVK) will play against Lukoil (BUL) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group B.
• Winner of Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP) vs U-BT Cluj-Napoca (ROM) will play against Muratbey Usak (TUR) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group C.

COMPETITION SYSTEM MODIFICATION

The inclusion of 40 teams in the Regular Season of the BCL has brought a modification of the Play-Offs accordingly:

• 24 teams, instead of 16, from the Regular Season will qualify for the BCL Play-Offs which will be concluded in two rounds (two additional dates added in the calendar: February 7th and 21st). These will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th placed teams of each Group (total of 20 teams) and the four best ranked 5th placed teams.
• The top eight teams (the five Group winners and the three best ranked 2nd place finishers) of the Regular Season groups will qualify directly to the Second Round of the BCL Play-Offs.
• The remaining 16 teams will face each other during the First Round of the BCL Play-Offs with the eight winners qualifying to the Second Round of the Play-Offs.
• The next eight placed teams following the qualification of the top 24 teams to the Play-Offs will continue into the FIBA Europe Cup.

Draw results in for inaugural season of Basketball Champions League

21 JULY 2016

MUNICH, Germany (Basketball Champions League) - The Official Draw Ceremony for the 2016-17 season of the Basketball Champions League took place on Thursday in Munich, Germany.

Here are the results of the draw.

Qualification Round 1
Region A
Game 1: Bakken Bears (DEN) vs Dinamo Sassari (ITA)
Game 2: FC Porto (POR) vs Juventus Utena (LTU)
Game 3: SL Benfica (POR) vs Pallacanestro Varese (ITA)
Game 4: Donar Groningen (NED) vs Tartu University (EST)
Game 5: KatajaBasket (FIN) vs Södertälje Kings (SWE)

Region B
Game 6: Rilski Sportist (BUL) vs Tsmoki-Minsk (BLR)
Game 7: KK Igokea (BIH) vs KK Mornar Bar (MNE)
Game 8: CSM CSU Oradea (ROU) vs BC Prievidza (SVK)
Game 9: Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP) vs U-BT Cluj-Napoca (ROU)

Qualification Round 2
Region A
Game 1: MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (GER) vs Winner of FC Porto/Juventus Utena
Game 2: Winner of SL Benfica/Pallacanestro Varese vs Szolnoki Olaj (HUN)
Game 3: Winner of KatajaBasket/Södertälje Kings vs Proximus Spirou Charleroi (BEL)
Game 4: Winner of Donar Groningen/Tartu University vs Winner of Bakken Bears/Dinamo Sassari

Region B
Game 5: Muratbey Usak Sportif (TUR) vs Winner of Petrolina AEK Larnaca/U-BT Cluj-Napoca
Game 6: Ironi Nahariya (ISR) vs Winner of Rilski Sportist/Tsmoki-Minsk 
Game 7: Lukoil Academic (BUL) vs Winner of CSM CSU Oradea/BC Prievidza
Game 8: Winner of KK Igokea/KK Mornar Bar vs Besiktas Sompo Japan (TUR)

All Qualification Rounds 1 and 2 games are played in a home and away format with the action getting underway on 27 September 2016. The eight (8) winners of Qualification Round 2 qualify for the Regular Season, joining the 24 pre-qualified teams in the main draw.

Regular Season
Group A: Banvit (TUR); Fraport Skyliners (GER); Aris BSA-2003 (GRE); ČEZ Basketball Nymburk (CZE); Helios Suns Domžale (SLO); As Monaco Basket (FRA); Winner of Donar/Tartu vs Bakken/Sassari; Winner of Rilski/Tsmoki vs Nahariya. 
Group B: Pinar Karsiyaka (TUR); Umana Reyer Venezia (ITA); Avtodor Saratov (RUS); Maccabi Rand Media Rishon Lezion (ISR); Khimik (UKR); Le Mans (FRA); Winner of Kataja/Södertälje vs Proximus; Winner of Lukoil vs Oradea/Prievidza. 
Group C: Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne (FRA); EWE Baskets Oldenburg (GER); PAOK (GRE); Neptunas (LTU); Rosa Radom (POL); Ventspils (LAT); Winner of Usak vs AEK/U-BT Cluj; Winner of Benfica/Varese vs Szolnoki.
Group D: SIG Strasbourg (FRA); Sidigas Avellino (ITA); Iberostar Tenerife (ESP); Telenet Oostende (BEL); Cibona (CRO); Mega Leks (SRB); Winner of Igokea/Mornar vs Besiktas JK; Winner of Riesen vs Porto/Juventus.  

The Regular Season consists of four (4) groups of eight (8) teams each, with games played home and away in a round robin system. The four (4) best ranked teams from each group will advance to the Play-offs. The action will tip off on 18 October.

The draw was carried out in such a way as to prevent teams from a same country facing each other in the Qualification Rounds 1 and 2 and in the Regular Season.

Legends of European basketball, Richard Dacoury and Dino Meneghin, were on hand to assist in the draw procedure. Distinguished guests, including members of the Basketball Champions League's Board of Directors and representatives from all 49 participating teams, were in attendance for the special occasion. 

Official Draw Ceremony for first-ever Basketball Champions League season to take place on Thursday

20 JULY 2016

MUNICH, Germany (Basketball Champions League) - The Official Draw Ceremony for the 2016-17 Basketball Champions League will take place on Thursday at 14:00 CETin Munich, Germany.

Here are the procedures for the Draw: 
The 2016-2017 Basketball Champions League competition will consist of 32 teams. Twenty-four (24) teams have pre-qualified for the Regular Season, with the last eight (8) teams set to qualify through two Qualification Rounds. 

The competition starts on 27 September 2016 with the first of the two Qualification Rounds.

Qualification Round 1
Eighteen (18) teams will be divided into two (2) groups - known as Region A and Region B - based on geographical principles. The teams will be drawn into pairs and play home and away games. 

There will be one pot of 10 teams/balls in Region A and one pot of 8 teams/balls in Region B. Five (5) pairs will be drawn from the first pot and four (4) pairs from the second pot. The first drawn team in the pair will play the first game at home. Teams from the same country will not play each other.

Qualification Round 2
There will be four (4) pots.
Pot 1: This pot will consist of three (3) teams from Region A directly qualified for Qualification Round 2 and the winner from the Qualification Round 1 pairing involving Dinamo Sassari.
Pot 2: This pot will consist of the remaining four (4) winners of Qualification Round 1 from Region A.
Pot 3: This pot will consist of the four (4) teams from Region B directly qualified for Qualification Round 2.
Pot 4: This pot will consist of the four (4) winners of Qualification Round 1 from Region B.

The seven (7) teams that are given a bye to Qualification Round 2 are:

The eight (8) winners of Qualification Round 2 will qualify for the 2016-17 Basketball Champions League competition and join the 24 pre-qualified teams in the main draw. No teams from the same country will be drawn into the same group.

Regular Season
Twenty-four (24) teams have directly qualified for the 2016-17 Basketball Champions League Groups. The Regular Season will tip off on 18 October. 

These 24 teams have been divided into six (6) pots - known as Pots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

The aim of the Draw is to have four groups each of similar quality consisting of six (6) teams with no clubs from the same country playing in the same group. All teams will then be placed into four (4) Groups - A, B, C and D.

The eight (8) pairings from Qualification Round 2 will also be drawn into the Regular Season Groups. The pairings involving teams from countries that already have pre-qualified clubs for the Regular Season - Turkey, Italy, Germany, Lithuania, Israel and Belgium - will be drawn first in this order to avoid the possibility of teams from the same country being in the same Regular Season groups.

The draw for the 2016-2017 Basketball Champions League season will be completed once all teams have been drawn.

The Official Draw Ceremony will be streamed live on the Basketball Champions League’s YouTube Channel and on the competition's official Facebook page. Also, for the first time ever, several participating teams - including Fraport Skyliners, Pinar Karsiyaka, Mega Leks, ČEZ Basketball Nymburk, EWE Baskets Oldenburg, CSM CSU Oradea, Telenet Oostende, Avtodor Saratov and Iberostar Tenerife - will stream the draw live on their respective Facebook pages.

Legends of European basketball, Richard Dacoury and Dino Meneghin, will be on hand to help carry out the draw, which will consist of 49 teams.

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About Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League is an innovative 50-50 joint partnership between FIBA and 10 top European leagues. It is a fair competition based on sporting principles with teams qualifying through national leagues. It is a truly European club competition with 30 countries. 

Basketball Champions League clubs and draw date confirmed

29 JUNE 2016

MIES, Switzerland (Basketball Champions League) - The eagerly anticipated inaugural season of the Basketball Champions League (BCL), the innovative new European club competition, is officially underway with the BCL Board that convened in Munich, Germany on Wednesday 29 June confirming the clubs that will participate in the 2016-17 season, set to tip off in September.

The Board also approved the official draw of the competition, which is to take place in Munich, on 21 July.

The Basketball Champions League made good on its promise and philosophy to deliver a competition based on sporting principles, with a total of 48 teams from 31 different European leagues, including 17 national champions being admitted to the inaugural season. From those the Board approved 24 clubs for a direct spot in the Regular Season. The remaining eight places will be determined through the Qualification Round.

Four Regular Season spots were allocated to French clubs including the country’s champion and Cup winner while two Regular Season places were given to clubs from Italy, Germany, Greece and Turkey. The champions of Belgium, Czech Republic and Israel also get a direct spot in the Regular Season.

The 24 clubs with a place in the Regular Season are:

A further 24 teams will play in two qualification rounds to determine the remaining eight Regular Season tickets. 

Sixteen (16) of those clubs will play in Qualification Round 1 where they will face each other in home and away games. The eight winners will play the eight clubs already placed in Qualification Round 2, home and away, with the eight victors progressing to the Regular Season.

The clubs of the Qualification Round:
Qualification Round 1

Qualification Round 2

The Basketball Champions League starts on 27 September with the Qualification Round while the Regular Season tips off on 20 October 2016.
 
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About Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League is an innovative 50-50 joint partnership between FIBA and 10 top European leagues. It is a fair competition based on sporting principles with teams qualifying through national leagues. It is a truly European club competition with 30 countries. 

 

66 clubs from 19 countries
pre-register for Basketball Champions League

4 MAY 2016

MUNICH, Germany (Basketball Champions League) - The Basketball Champions League's Board of Directors held its fourth meeting on Tuesday evening in Munich and made a number of key decisions as well as sharing important information.

The Board was informed that, to date, 66 clubs from 19 countries across Europe had pre-registered to be part of the innovative 50-50 joint partnership between FIBA and 10 top European leagues. This will include a minimum of 13 national champions.

The 19 countries with pre-registered clubs so far are: Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine.

The inaugural season of the Basketball Champions League - a truly pan-European competition, based on the fair sporting principle of teams qualifying through their national leagues - will tip off its inaugural season in September 2016.

The Board also received a report from the Nominations Committee regarding the appointment of the CEO, who will be announced shortly. 

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About Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League is an innovative 50-50 joint partnership between FIBA and 10 top European leagues. It is a fair competition based on sporting principles with teams qualifying through national leagues. It is a truly European club competition with 30 countries. 

Media rights partners confirmed for Basketball Champions League

13 APRIL 2016

MUNICH, Germany (Basketball Champions League) - The second meeting of the Basketball Champions League Board of Directors took place on Tuesday in Munich with some important decisions.

Following the recommendation of the Marketing and Media Committee under the supervision of the Basketball Champions League Board member and German league Managing Director Dr Stefan Holz, the Board gave its green light to enter into a partnership with the leading digital sports content and media group Perform and the media agency TAF Sports Marketing, to distribute and sell the media rights of the Basketball Champions Leagues games.

This partnership will guarantee an investment of EUR 50 million in live production, broadcast services and data, as well as editorial services, over the first 5 years of the Basketball Champions League.

A joint venture, “Basketball Champions League Media” will be created to deliver maximum exposure for the Basketball Champions League on multiple platforms, maximising the value of the fan experience.

The Board also discussed the commercial aspects of the Basketball Champions League and gave the mandate to continue discussions with potential partners.

After approving the calendar of the inaugural season 2016-2017 proposed by the Competitions Committee, the Board acknowledged that 30 clubs have already registered to play in the Basketball Champions League.

The registration process will continue, while the next Board on 3 May will decide on allocation of spots.

With the sporting criteria determining teams participating in the Basketball Champions League, the registered clubs will have to qualify from their domestic leagues.

The Board was informed that the process of the recruitment of a CEO is coming to an end with few candidates remaining in the shortlist. 

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About Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League is an innovative 50-50 joint partnership between FIBA and 11 top European leagues. It is a fair competition based on sporting principles with teams qualifying through national leagues. It is a truly European club competition with 30 countries. 

Basketball Champions League officially launched in Paris

21 MARCH 2016

PARIS (Basketball Champions League) - The Basketball Champions League was officially launched at Maison du Sport in Paris on Monday, with more than 200 guests present for the special occasion.

Thirty-two (32) teams will play in the Basketball Champions League's Regular Season. Eight (8) of them will earn their spots through a Qualification Round played with 24 teams. The total number of teams involved in the new competition stands at 56, coming from 30 countries.

Teams will qualify for the Basketball Champions League through their national leagues, which is the competition's most important criterion.

Click here to view a video explaining the competition system of the Basketball Champions League

The following countries will have direct qualification in the regular season: Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain and Turkey. The exact allocation of spots will be decided by the Board of the Basketball Champions League.

In its inaugural season (2016-17), a guaranteed minimum of €4.5 million will be distributed among the participating clubs. Every club will receive at least €100,000 in financial support as well as funds towards TV production costs of home games. Increased payments, depending on sporting performance, will also be implemented, with the winner of the Basketball Champions league standing to take home €500,000.

Markus Studer, FIBA's Chief Operating Officer and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Basketball Champions League, said: "The fundamental principle of the Basketball Champions League is that it is a competition based on a sporting criterion. This will not only protect the national leagues but also dramatically increase their value while also helping our sport grow."

La Maison du Sport and French National Olympic Committee President, Mr Denis Masseglia, hosted the event which was witnessed by high-ranking officials including: French State Secretary of Sport, Mr Thierry Braillard, who gave a speech; FIBA President, Mr Horacio Muratore; FIBA Europe President, Mr Turgay Demirel; Cyriel Coomans, First Vice-President of FIBA Europe; Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member. They were joined by the members making up the Basketball Champions League Board as well as by representatives of the signatory leagues and of 40 clubs. Among them was Mr Nikos Laskaris, the President of Greek club Aris, who delivered a speech on behalf of all clubs.
 
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About Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League is an innovative 50-50 joint partnership between FIBA and 11 top European leagues. It is a fair competition based on sporting principles with teams qualifying through national leagues. It is a truly European club competition with 30 countries.