Basketball Champions League

Last updated
Basketball Champions League
Basketball Champions League logo.svg
Founded21 March 2016;8 years ago (2016-03-21)
First season 2016–17
Region Europe
Confederation FIBA Europe
Number of teams32 (regular season)
56 (total)
Level on pyramid 1
International cup(s) Intercontinental Cup
Current champions Flag of Germany.svg Baskets Bonn
(1st title)
Most championships Flag of Spain.svg Canarias
Flag of Spain.svg San Pablo Burgos
(2 titles each)
TV partners livebasketball.tv (all games)
International:
See list
Website championsleague.basketball
Basketball current event.svg 2023–24 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

SeasonYearFinalThird 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 Venezia
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
MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg
32018–19
Details
Flag of Italy.svg
Virtus Bologna
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
MHP Riesen 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

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 21 2017, 2022 2019
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 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

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 Germany YouTube & Magenta TV Free
Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia TV3 Group Free & Pay [17]
Flag of France.svg France Canal+, LNB.TVPay [18] [19]
Flag of Greece.svg Greece Cosmote TV Pay
Flag of Israel.svg Israel Sports Channel Free & Pay
Flag of Italy.svg Italy Eurosport Pay [20]
Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia TV3 Group Free & Pay [21]
Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania TV3 Group Free & Pay
Flag of Poland.svg Poland Canal+ Premium Pay [22]
Flag of Romania.svg Romania Look Sport Free
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Tivibu Spor Free & Pay [23]
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). [24] 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.

See also

Sources

Related Research Articles

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