Euroleague now a semi-closed league

July 7, 2008

As a French newspaper reported two weeks ago and as we related here on BallinEurope.com, the Euroleague will see a dramatic change in their qualification process.

According to today’s press release from the Euroleague, there will be an important number of changes from the upcoming season. I am quoting:

There will be two TV timeouts per half during Euroleague games, as well as two extra minutes added to halftime, which will now be 17 minutes long, for the purpose of advertising.

The use of video instant replay will be expanded to full-season use. The replay is only applicable in cases of doubt with no time left on the game clock.

Pending a final FIBA World approval, a rule limiting offensive fouls under the basket by using a semicircle, no-charging zone.

Besides these minor changes, there will be one way more important change from 2009-10 season on. I am quoting again.

The Assembly also approved a plan to restructure the license system that governs participation in the Euroleague, allowing for up to 16 indefinite licenses, up to 7 which will belong to national leagues and one awarded to the new Eurocup competition.

So the 24 places of the Euroleague will be fixed for 16 teams. Of course now, the question of which 16 teams will get these fixed spots in the main European competition remains. The three types of qualification licenses will be called License A, B and C. Here are the details:

License A features long-term licenses with no fixed-year limits for a maximum of 16 clubs. The criteria for such licenses will be based on results in Euroleague Basketball competitions, television revenue and arena attendance.

Only teams that have played at least four Euroleague Basketball seasons since 2000 will be eligible for those licenses when they are first applied in 2009.

A maximum of three teams per country would hold such licenses.

There will be a possibility for Euroleague Basketball to grant two licenses as wild cards.

Licenses will be lost when a team fails to participate in its domestic league’s first division or when it finishes last in a three-season ranking of its results in the Euroleague. The three-season ranking will first come into effect before the 2012-13 season, but each year thereafter, one team will lose its License A and a new team will take its place.

This means that Euroleague will be composed of 14 teams that are the real top teams of Europe plus two wild cards for teams like London, Berlin or whomever. ASVEL Villeurbanne has already announced that France will most likely get only one License B and no License A. The only opportunity to get a License A would be to get a wildcard spot, for which ASVEL is a candidate.

License B is another long-term license granted to a minimum of seven national leagues based on a ranking of that country’s results in Euroleague Basketball competitions and an assessment of the market’s potential for economic revenues. Licenses may be lost when a country finishes last in a three-season ranking of its results in the Euroleague.

This is very vague, as defining the ranking of the seven countries is not based only on sportive results. If the Euroleague wants to put the Swedish champion in the Euroleague, they will simply say that Sweden is at the top of this ranking. Clarification as to how this ranking will be established will probably follow within a certain time.

License C is a single license granted to the second competition organized by ULEB each season.

In fact, this is the EuroCup winner, who gets a one-year license to play in the Euroleague.

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Published by Christophe · Filed Under Euroleague, France, center 

Comments

6 Responses to “Euroleague now a semi-closed league”

  1. Shilas on July 7th, 2008 9:29 pm

    crap.The bad thing is that again nothing has changed, again will be same “market’s potential for economic revenues” and again in EL will play Germans (Brose), France(Le Man), maybe even English teams( Heat), and such teams as Juventud, Dinamo, Lietuvos rytas, will be forced to play in EuroChamp. :(

    Maybe not… But according to rules it is quite posible to do NO CHANGES.

    I think it should be that best EuroChamp teams plays qualification with worst EL teams, but it is not up to me… And I understand that Jordi is trying to make NBA here, wich is other theme to discuss about

  2. Pepe on July 8th, 2008 12:22 am

    I am afraid Euroleague jumped to an empty pool. As far as I know, this new competition format was not approved as there was strong opposition, so it stays only under study. Could you please check this out, guys?

  3. Eric on July 8th, 2008 12:46 am

    Shilas, France will not have a Licence A for the moment.
    Asvel is hoping to become an A-Wild-card….but compared to the club you mention, I don’t see how it’s possible.

  4. Christophe on July 8th, 2008 7:27 am

    @Pepe
    Check the link in the article, it says

    The proposed plan have been approved by members representing Euroleague Basketball and will be further defined and discussed in future meetings.

    http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/33635/180&cid=0&ei=fFpySLG1I5TGwgGh88T5AQ&usg=AFQjCNEgoeMoVmiwBx-sTg5Qfx8EQ_66Gg

  5. Adi on July 8th, 2008 7:32 am

    Pepe, the changes regarding the format of the competition were approved yesterday in Berlin.

    I still don’t understand why they don’t make it a full closed league. I think it would be great.

  6. Pepe on July 8th, 2008 4:35 pm

    I know what Euroleague said, but as far as I know the official report is not true. Following the reports on the leagues, there was not a quorum in the voting (it was needed 28 votes and they got 25) and the new licensing system was not approved for the 09-10. They decided to discuss it in further meetings, but so far the licensing system stays the same as 2008-09.

    I got this link at acb.com: http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=50151

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