2016-17 season wil start with only 16 teams

[thegreekmeister]

The Euroleague will have a new format with 16 teams: 11 permanent franchises (potentially expandable in the future), a berth for the Eurocup champion, three direct-access spots for domestic league champions and one place for the winner of qualifying rounds featuring eight teams. The 16 teams will compete in a round-robin regular season of 30 rounds, to be followed by best-of-five playoffs, with series winners advancing to the Final Four, at which the continental champion will be crowned.

http://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague-basketball/news/i/6gt4utknkf9h8ryq

[INTEGRAL]

Wow it will be great if all teams play 2 games against eachother

[Oly_fan]

It seems like all the clubs rejected FIBA's offer, then decided to do almost exactly what FIBA proposed and invited FIBA to come and bring along its money?
Is Euroleague's offer comparable financially to what FIBA was offering?

Edit:http://www.gazzetta.gr/basketball/ar...oyn-oi-aionioi

This greek article is saying that greek teams haven't officially agreed on anything yet and want to see the details of the agreement.
Guaranteed revenue for the teams is said to be around 36-49 million euros, higher than what FIBA's offering (33 million euros).

[maccabeo]

i am agree with all option that will guaranntee more matches but i think it has necessary a pre-qualification tournament

[slice me nice]

A licences are against sport's nature. European basketball will never compete with American basketball unless they put these licences aside. Does Euroleague care this? Of course no.

Money, money, money,
Must be funny,
In the rich man's world.

[Metec]

A licences are against sport's nature. European basketball will never compete with American basketball unless they put these licences aside. Does Euroleague care this? Of course no.

Money, money, money,
Must be funny,
In the rich man's world.

If the Euroleague will not start thinking financially it will soon won't be able to compete with places like China, NBA is already a different planet, and after the new TV rights agreement will take place in the US, we will see even more European players in the NBA.

Given the fact that the current system is more or less the worse we can think of, I do think that the new format will be a huge lift forward. But I just can't believe that they continue with the final 4, it must be a joke, I'm so sick of this concept.

[maccabeo]

A licences are against sport's nature. European basketball will never compete with American basketball unless they put these licences aside. Does Euroleague care this? Of course no.

Money, money, money,
Must be funny,
In the rich man's world.

i'm agree. maybe less license a would be the correct middle way. i think 6 license a , is the right number

[thiago94]

Fuck you Euroleague!, for fucking the European Basketball. Get a place right behind FIFA, DFB and IAAF. Congratulation!

[rayo1985]

Thank you Euroleague. This is totaly extraordinary format to play between europeans best teams! Eurocup teams will be very hell strong (eg. Bayern, Loko, Darussafaka, Unicaja, Zvezda, Khimki) and overall competition will be much much interesting! Euroleague matches will be crem della crem without easy matches. This Euroleague format will include in the near future "ready" teams like FC Bayern, Khimki and in long term teams like ALBA, PSG maybe team from GB (Manchaster UTD) and team from Balkans like Crvena Zvezda or Partizan. It's time to look on Eurocup like on elite competition! Euroleague will become best league in the world I have no doubts!!!

[Oly_fan]

A licences are against sport's nature. European basketball will never compete with American basketball unless they put these licences aside. Does Euroleague care this? Of course no.

Money, money, money,
Must be funny,
In the rich man's world.

American Basketball has 30 A licences, no other means of entering the competition and even rewards the teams that get the worst results.

[Oly_fan]

Given the fact that the current system is more or less the worse we can think of, I do think that the new format will be a huge lift forward. But I just can't believe that they continue with the final 4, it must be a joke, I'm so sick of this concept.

The final-4 is league defining.

[Obina]

I think that 16 clubs is too much. 11 is enough, fuck all the rest.

[rayo1985]

hahaha MBA fan's are scared...

[Guaiqueries]

The 16 teams will compete in a round-robin regular season of 30 rounds, to be followed by best-of-five playoffs, with series winners advancing to the Final Four, at which the continental champion will be crowned.

30 useless meaningless games ?
Why not 82 ?
Permanent franchise ? Like in the NBA ? The league that managed to lose a few games vs teams whose star was way behind their 12th man ?
Also, they could put a zone under the basket where teams can't defend so there are more dunks.
And they could fine the teams that don't use the rosters you usually see on TV because kids who go to the circus are going to be disappointed.

[Terrorizer]

I think that 16 clubs is too much. 11 is enough, fuck all the rest.

Nailed it. 4 round robin, a lot of exciting games, like Zalgiris - Milano, closed league, NBA-lite. Wow, sounds great!

I think there is a fierce competitor in CBA since it's their initial idea to be poor man's NBA with all the retardiness of the latter but almost none of the chic and PR successes, but Jordi's IMG Turkish Airlines Zalgirio-Dogus League (it seems like a great name) could at least compete with them mighty Pilipinos for the title of the second best NBA's parody (or second worst, doesn't matter). Like that retarded overseas flying circus ain't enough...

They only need Manchester United BC and Saint Petersburd Lions in. I hope that won't be a huge deal.

On a more serious note, I pray to God that it's a disinformation (directed at FIBA obviously) or that at the very least this dirty deal won't be finalized and put into reality. If my hopes would be in vain, then I won't watch this sham league, not even Final Fours. And I don't care if Khimki would be invited to join or not. The saddest reality that ir ruins domestic championships more than anything else.

Last but not least, there are a lot of teams with A Licenses which are nowhere near a top European status (Efes, Fener, Milano, and - to a lesser degree - Baskonia, MTA and Pao of their current selves) but even risking getting Lithuanian hordes on IBN extremely butthurt once again - why the fuck Zalgiris? WHAT THE FUCK? I mean, the last time that team was in EL play-offs was when Domantas Sabonis was a Portland's kindergarden toddler and they still get a free pass for 10 years of European's lame-ass fake NBA. Get a life, Jordi, maybe you have a man crush on Sabonis the Elder but that's not a reason to treat Zalgiris like that. Maaan, it's not even funny.

Basketball for basketball fans, not for ULEB crooks! And, Jordi, you won't be reading it but still I have something to say, well, to quote sadly forgotten grindcore pioneers Righteous Pigs, 'I hope you die in a hotel fire!'

P.S. This very well could be the end of the baketball as we've known it. The plot sickens. And the curtain is about to fall.