Basketball Champions League

Last updated
FIBA Champions League
Basketball Champions League logo.svg
Organising body FIBA Europe
Founded21 March 2016;8 years ago (2016-03-21)
First season 2016–17
Region Europe
Number of teams32 (regular season)
56 (total)
Level on pyramid 1
International cup(s) FIBA Intercontinental Cup
Related competitions FIBA Europe Cup
Current champions Flag of Spain.svg Unicaja Malaga (1st title)
(2023–24)
Most championships Flag of Spain.svg Canarias
Flag of Spain.svg San Pablo Burgos
(2 titles each)
TV partners courtside1891.basketball
Website championsleague.basketball
Basketball current event.svg 2024–25 Basketball Champions League

The Basketball Champions League (BCL), also commonly known as the FIBA Champions League, is an annual professional basketball competition for European clubs, organised by FIBA. It is the top-level competition organised by FIBA Europe, therefore the champion participates in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.

Contents

Clubs qualify for the competition mostly based on performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. Although exceptional, some teams can be wildcarded. [1] [2]

Each season consists of 32 teams. The inaugural season was held in 2016–17 and since then five different clubs won the competition. Canarias and San Pablo Burgos hold the joint record of most BCL titles with two each.

Creation and adoption

In October 2015, FIBA attempted to take back control of Europe's top-tier club competition, [3] [4] by proposing a new competition, featuring 16 teams playing in a round-robin format, and granting eight guaranteed spots to different clubs. When top European clubs decided to maintain the same competition format, keeping organization within Euroleague Basketball, [5] FIBA announced launch of a new European basketball club competition, [6] with qualification based on sporting merit. [7]

In April 2023, the league established the Youth Basketball Champions League (YBCL) for under-18 teams of selected BCL teams. [8]

Format

Tournament

The tournament proper begins with a regular season of 32 teams, divided into four groups. Seeding is used in the draw for this stage, and teams from the same country may not be drawn into groups together. Each team meets the others in its group in home and away games, in a round-robin format. The top four teams from each group then progress to the play-offs. The fifth and sixth-placed teams can choose to enter the FIBA Europe Cup playoffs in the same season. [9]

The regular season is played from October to January, and the playoffs start in February. In the round of 16 and quarter-finals, ties are played in a 'home and away' format, based on aggregate scores. For the round of 16, the winning team from one group plays against the fourth-placed team from another group and the runner-up from one group plays against the third-placed team from another group. For the quarter-finals, the winners of games between the group winners and fourth-placed teams play against the winners from the runners-up and third-placed teams. The Final Four is typically held in the final week of April or the first week of May. [9]

Arena rules

Currently, the minimum seating capacity for home arenas of the clubs that compete in the Basketball Champions League (BCL) is 3,000 seats. However, the Basketball Champions League organizing body has the authority to grant clubs with smaller arenas a waiver of the rule. [10]

Prizes

Trophy

Each year, the winning team is presented with the Basketball Champions League Trophy. The current trophy is 65 cm (26 in) tall and made of sterling silver with 24ct gold plated highlights, weighing 8 kg (18 lb). It was designed by Radiant Studios and crafted by Thomas Lyte. A basketball net forms the focus of the trophy, and the design creates the effect of a crown. [11]

Prize money

From 2016–17 to 2017–18, FIBA reduced the prize money from €5,200,000 to €3,500,000, but doubled the prize for the winner from €500,000 to €1,000,000. [12] [9] As of 2017–18, FIBA awards a base fee of €50,000 for reaching the regular season. In addition, FIBA pays teams reaching the round of 16 €20,000, each quarter-finalist €30,000, €40,000 for the fourth-placed team, €100,000 for the third-placed team, €300,000 for the runners-up, and €900,000 for the winners. [9]

Results

#YearFinalThird and fourth place
WinnersScoreSecond placeThird placeScoreFourth place
12016–17
Details 		Flag of Spain.svg
Canarias 		63–59 Flag of Turkey.svg
Banvit 		Flag of France.svg
Monaco 		91–77 Flag of Italy.svg
Reyer
22017–18
Details 		Flag of Greece.svg
AEK 		100–94 Flag of France.svg
Monaco 		Flag of Spain.svg
UCAM Murcia 		85–74 Flag of Germany.svg
Ludwigsburg
32018–19
Details 		Flag of Italy.svg
Virtus 		73–61 Flag of Spain.svg
Canarias 		Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
Antwerp Giants 		72–58 Flag of Germany.svg
Bamberg
42019–20
Details 		Flag of Spain.svg
San Pablo Burgos 		85–74 Flag of Greece.svg
AEK 		Flag of France.svg
JDA Dijon 		70–65 Flag of Spain.svg
Zaragoza
52020–21
Details 		Flag of Spain.svg
San Pablo Burgos 		64–59 Flag of Turkey.svg
Karşıyaka 		Flag of Spain.svg
Zaragoza 		89–77 Flag of France.svg
SIG Strasbourg
62021–22
Details 		Flag of Spain.svg
Canarias 		98–87 Flag of Spain.svg
Manresa 		Flag of Germany.svg
Ludwigsburg 		88–68 Flag of Israel.svg
Hapoel Holon
72022–23
Details 		Flag of Germany.svg
Baskets Bonn 		77–70 Flag of Israel.svg
Hapoel Jerusalem 		Flag of Spain.svg
Canarias 		84–79 Flag of Spain.svg
Unicaja Málaga
82023–24
Details 		Flag of Spain.svg
Unicaja Malaga 		80–75 Flag of Spain.svg
Lenovo Tenerife 		Flag of Spain.svg
UCAM Murcia 		87–84 Flag of Greece.svg
Peristeri

Performances by club

Map of countries, teams from which have reached the regular season of the Basketball Champions League. .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Country that has been represented in the regular season Country that has been represented in the qualifying rounds Not represented Basketball Champions League regular season.svg
Map of countries, teams from which have reached the regular season of the Basketball Champions League.
  Country that has been represented in the regular season
  Country that has been represented in the qualifying rounds
  Not represented

A total of 98 clubs from 28 national associations have played in or qualified for the Champions League group stage.

ClubWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up
Flag of Spain.svg Canarias 22 2017, 2022 2019, 2024
Flag of Spain.svg San Pablo Burgos 20 2020, 2021 –
Flag of Greece.svg AEK 11 2018 2020
Flag of Italy.svg Virtus Bologna 10 2019 –
Flag of Germany.svg Baskets Bonn 10 2023 –
Flag of Spain.svg Unicaja Malaga 10 2024 –
Flag of Turkey.svg Bandırma 01– 2017
Flag of France.svg Monaco 01– 2018
Flag of Turkey.svg Karşıyaka 01– 2021
Flag of Spain.svg Manresa 01– 2022
Flag of Israel.svg Hapoel Jerusalem 01– 2023

Medals (2016–2024)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 53412
2Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 1102
3Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1012
4Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1001
5Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 0202
6Flag of France.svg  France 0123
7Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 0101
8Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 0011
Totals (8 entries)88824

Broadcasting rights

Country/RegionBroadcasterFree/PayRef.
International YouTube (unsold markets only)Free
LiveBasketball.TV Pay
ESPN3 Pay [13]
Balkans Arena Sport Pay
Alternativna TV Free [14]
Flag of Austria.svg Austria DAZN Pay [15] [16]
Flag of Spain.svg Spain [lower-alpha 1]
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
Flag of Germany.svg GermanyDYNPay [17]
Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia TV3 Group Free & Pay [18]
Flag of France.svg France Canal+, LNB.TVPay [19] [20]
Flag of Greece.svg Greece Cosmote TV Pay
Flag of Israel.svg Israel Sports Channel Free & Pay
Flag of Italy.svg Italy Eurosport Pay [21]
Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia TV3 Group Free & Pay [22]
Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania TV3 Group Free & Pay
Flag of Poland.svg Poland Canal+ Premium Pay [23]
Flag of Romania.svg Romania Look Sport Free
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Tivibu Spor Free & Pay [24]
Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam VTVCab
  1. ↑ Only games of Spanish teams.

Awards

Marcelo Huertas was the FIBA Champions League Final Four MVP in 2022. Marcelo Huertas 9 - Saski Baskonia 20171215.jpg
Marcelo Huertas was the FIBA Champions League Final Four MVP in 2022.

Winning rosters

Youth competition

In January 2023, the BCL launched its under-18 competition named the Youth Basketball Champions League (YBCL). [25] The inaugural season will be hosted in the Turkish city of Bursa and features 10 teams that play in a league format for the championship. The winners of the inaugural season were Igokea.

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References

  1. ↑ "Champions League - Wild Card 2018-19 in arrivo per la Segafredo Bologna" (in Italian). Pianeta Basket. 6 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "Bamberg schenkt Euroleague ab" (in German). 18 June 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ "FIBA to welcome top European clubs for talks on new competition". FIBA. 27 October 2015. Archived from the original on October 28, 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "FIBA offers innovative partnership to top European clubs". FIBA. 3 November 2015. Archived from [hnddnttp://www.fiba.com/pr-68-fiba-offers-innovative-partnership-to-top-european-clubs the original] on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Euroleague Basketball A-licence clubs and IMG agree on 10-year joint venture". Euroleague Basketball. 10 November 2015. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "FIBA confirms launch of Basketball Champions League for 2016-17 season". BasketballCL.com. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Basketball Champions League Working Groups make significant headway". BasketballCL.com. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "BCL launches the brand new Youth Basketball Champions League". Eurohoops. 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Basketball Champions League regulations" (PDF). BasketballCL.com. 3 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  10. ↑ Basketball Champions League Competition Regulations Page 6 of 49. Archived 12 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ "Details for the BCL trophy".
  12. ↑ "Basketball Champions League regulations" (PDF). BasketballCL.com. 16 September 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "FIBA Basketball Champions League". espn.com. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  14. ↑ Only in Bosnia for Igokea matches.
  15. ↑ "DAZN to remain home of Basketball Champions League in Germany | News | Sportcal". www.sportcal.com. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  16. ↑ "DAZN scores Basketball Champions League rights in Spain ahead of season tip-off". Digital TV Europe. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  17. ↑ "Basketball Champions League künftig bei Dyn zuhause" . Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  18. ↑ "TV3 Sport live broadcasts, November 10 2021". TV3 Sport . 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  19. ↑ "Basketball Champions League and Canal+ sign a major broadcasting deal". BasketballCL.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  20. ↑ "Basketball Champions League gives fans free content with LNB TV". Insider Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  21. ↑ "Guida tv della settimana: tutto il basket in diretta su Eurosport 2 ed Eurosport Player". Eurosport . 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  22. ↑ "TV3 Sport". TV3 Sport . 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  23. ↑ "Basketball Champions League w Canal+". Sat Kurier (in Polish). 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  24. ↑ "Basketbol Şampiyonlar Ligi Tivibu Spor'da". Türk Telekom Medya Merkezi (in Turkish). 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  25. ↑ "New year, new horizons as BCL launches forward-looking Youth Basketball Champions League". FIBA.basketball. 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2023-01-18.

Sources

See also

Men's competitions

Women's competitions

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