ULEB
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Main other Union of European Leagues of Basketball (ULEB; Template:Langx) is a sports organization within basketball created for growth of professional basketball in Europe.[1] Its members are the professional basketball leagues organisations of 11 countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Spain.[2]
History
The professional basketball organizing bodies of Italy, France and Spain established the ULEB on June 25, 1991 in Rome, Italy. In November 1992, a joint All-Star weekend was held in Madrid, Spain, featuring the most outstanding players from the Spanish and Italian Leagues. The experience was repeated one year later in Rome before a crowd of 10.500 fans. In 1994, the French League joined the event and the All Star weekend moved to Valencia, Spain, with Italian, Spanish and French stars competing and showing their skills.[3]
The Greek League was the first to join the three founders in 1996. The ULEB has had three Presidents since its inception: Gianluigi Porelli (since September 1991 until March 1998), Eduardo Portela, (since March 18, 1998 until October 6, 2016) and Tomas Van Den Spiegel, elected October 6, 2016. In December 1999, the Union welcomed the British, Belgian and Swiss Leagues.[3]
A key date in ULEB and European basketball history was Friday June 9, 2000. That day, the most important clubs in Europe and the ULEB leagues, met in Sitges, and decided to create and manage a new competition, the EuroLeague. Until that moment, it had been FIBA that ran the men's top basketball clubs competition in Europe. The first game of the new EuroLeague, Real Madrid vs. Olympiacos, was played on October 16, 2000 in Madrid.[3]
One year later, in October 2001, the ULEB was expanded with the leagues of Germany, Netherlands and Poland. In October 2002, the ULEB Cup, the second-tier level European club competition, was born. Its first game was played in Istanbul, on October 15, 2002, between Darüşşafaka and Novo Mesto.[3]
In June 2003, the league of Lithuania joined, and one year later, in July 2005, the union was expanded with the league of Israel. The most recent addition to the ULEB family is the Russian VTB United League, which was granted admission in July 2014, replacing its predecessor, the PBL (which had been admitted in May 2011). So, the ULEB currently represents a total number of 10 professional basketball leagues from across Europe. Other leagues such as Portugal, Adriatic, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, have been also members of the ULEB in the past, but all of them left the Union for different reasons. The Portuguese and Swiss leagues have ceased memberships, the Adriatic lost recognition from FIBA Europe, and the Austrian, British and Czech leagues voluntarily renounced their membership.[3]
ULEB is currently a shareholder of Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) through Euroleague Basketball SL, and is also a shareholder of Basketball Champions League SA. As written above, former Belgian player Tomas Van Den Spiegel is the current President of the ULEB, and Greek League President Vangelis Galatsopoulos is the current Vice President. The current Executive Committee of the Union is completed by the leagues of Belgium, France, Germany and Spain.[3]
Members
Members of ULEB in 2022:[2]
Current
| Country | Organisation | Affiliation | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "flag". Script error: No such module "flag". |
BNXT League | 2021 | BNXT League |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Ligue Nationale de Basket | 1991 | Pro A |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Korisliiga | 2022 | Korisliiga |
| Template:GER | Basketball Bundesliga GmbH | 2001 | BBL |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Hellenic Basketball Association | 1996 | Basketball League |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Israeli Basketball Premier League Administration Ltd | 2005 | Ligat HaAl |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Lega Basket | 1991 | LBA |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Lietuvos krepšinio asosiacija | 2003 | LKL |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Polska Liga Koszykówki S.A. | 2001 | Basket Liga |
| Script error: No such module "flag". Script error: No such module "flag". Script error: No such module "flag". |
VTB United League | 2014 | VTB United League |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto | 1991 | Liga ACB |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Swiss Basketball League | 2022 | SBL Men |
Former
Former ULEB members:[3]
| Country | Organiser | Affiliation years | Reasons of surrender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Basketball Austria | 2002-2015 | withdrew |
| Script error: No such module "flag". Template:CRO Script error: No such module "flag". Script error: No such module "flag". Script error: No such module "flag". Script error: No such module "flag". |
Adriatic Basketball Association | 2002-2015 | lost recognition from FIBA Europe |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Pro Basketball League | 1999-2021 | replaced by BNXT League |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | National Basketball League (Czech Republic) | 2004-2016 | withdrew |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Dutch Basketball League | 1999-2021 | replaced by BNXT League |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol | 1996-2008 | ceased membership |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Russian Professional Basketball League | 2011-2013 | replace by VTB United League |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | British Basketball League | 1999-2016 | withdrew |
| Script error: No such module "flag". | Ligue Nationale de Basket Amateur | 1999-2016 | ceased membership in 2016 and replaced in 2022 by Swiss Basketball League |
Presidents
- Template:Flagicon Gianluigi Porelli 1991-1998
- Template:Flagicon Eduardo Portela 1998-2016
- Template:Flagicon Thomas Van Den Spiegel 2016-
See also
- ULEB All-Star Game
- European professional club basketball system
- Historical European national basketball league rankings
- European Professional Football Leagues
References
External links
Template:Basketball in Europe Template:Euroleague Template:Eurocup Basketball Template:Men's professional basketball leagues
- ↑ REPORT on the future of professional sport in Europe / Governance / 13. European Parliament. Template:Webarchive
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d e f g Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".