The three spots for France for the next Euroleague season have created already a huge debate through the net. In fact, ASVEL Villeurbanne received a Wildcard for the Qualification phase for the next season. However, as the team owned partially by Tony Parker finished the French regular season at the first place, it earned already a Euroleague spot for next season. Now the French authorities have decided what will happen with the previous ASVEL Wildcard.
With this first place in the regular season, ASVEL Villeurbanne got a B-License for the next Euroleague season and can already plan for the next year. The wildcard goes now to the finalist of the French Playoffs that have started this weekend. However, if Villeurbanne reaches the Finals and loses, the champion will receive a B License too while the wildcard goes to the “best losing semi-finalist” which will be the team ranked highest during the regular season. The last possibility is when ASVEL wins the French title. In that case, the second B-License goes to the 2nd best team of the regular season which was Orléans while the Wildcard goes to the Finalist. Let’s just remember that the Wildcard gives the right to play the qualification round while the first B-License will highly likely be a direct spot for the Euroleague regular season while the second B-License will probably be a qualification phase ticket. All this depends on the results of the different playoffs in Europe.
In Spain, Real qualified for the semi-finals tonight so that three of the four ACB teams that got an A-License are in the race for the ACB championship. Only Unicaja Malaga has to battle in a decisive game three tomorrow to go for the last 4. If Unicaja wins that game, no other Spanish team will qualify for the Euroleague 2009/2010 besides the 4 A-License teams. This is the problem that the ACB mentioned recently that the ACB teams have it very difficult to get an additional Euroleague spot besides those trusted by the A-License teams.
[...] clarifications this week about the handling of the new system in several domestic leagues. Firstly, according to Ballineurope, French ProA is different from all other leagues in assigning the Euroleague starting spots, not [...]
just watched a presentation on euroleague.net, the system actually seems very flexible, allowing new emerging teams to compete in EL. For example, Khimki Moscow under these regulations would have played in last season’s edition of EL. However, I don’t understand why Joventut Badalona doesn’t have an A license, or at least gets a wildcard – it’s a club packed with talented players, always. It’s good developing ground, they should play in the EL, although I guess ACB is strong enough. Pamesa Valencia should get a wildcard as well, they’re rich and how excellent attendance.