Solution for pointless domestic leagues

[Victorious]

Looking at the results of the Domestic leagues throughout Europe one can see that top EL teams are dominating.

In NBA terms, it's like the Mavericks and the Rockets having to play one full season agains D league teams in order to be crowned Texas champions AFTER the NBA finals.
This is pointless.

The solution is putting more emphasis on separate level tiers in Europe. EL teams need to be excluded from Domestic Leagues until April. And the EL schedule can be adapted accordingly in order to play more EL games until April.

More international tournaments should be installed, where mediocore to lower tier teams have a chance of winning or going deep into the tournament. The Europe Cup and the Basketball Champions League are NOT good examples becuase they are more or less equally strong. Instead, I am thinking of something like the Conference Cup which hosts the loosers of the Europa League and teams which could not qualify for the Europa League. Football showed the way. Teams should always have the opportunity to be promoted and relegated. Ofcourse there can always be teams which only participate in Domestic Leagues. This is reserved for the lesser good teams in each country.

Overall EL teams will play less games, since they will only play in Domestic leagues during the play offs. The EL season should start in Oktober and end in the beginning of June. Since there is no participation in Domestic Leagues, one can easily use the extra time for international team qualificiations. And the long off season makes it possible for EL players to play international tournaments for the national teams.

So to sum up:
- more chances for lower tier teams to win something
- more EL games
- more teams able to participate in the EL
- more resting time for top players
- more time reserved for national team competitions
- Opportunity through promotion and relegation for every team
- Domestic League month emphasis
- More revenues for teams (because there is more competitiveness on every level)

In exchange for:
-Less domestic league games for top tier teams

Try and put the above in perspective. Does a full Domestic League season for top teams outweigh all the benefits? I think not. And I believe this has to be changed.

[markkanen]

I say, bring back the old system. First tier, Euroleague, 24 clubs, 20 directly from national competitions, four from qualification process. Then, Europe Cup, or some other name, 32 clubs, 24 directly from national competitions, eight from qualification process. Four groups, each with six teams for Euroleague, and for Europe Cup, eight groups, each with four teams. After regular season, TOP 16 with two groups for euroleague and also for europa league. Like, every solution or idea is better than what we have right now and that is elitist approach for richest clubs, and even that, only some ten or twelve clubs in whole Europe can satisfy budget conditions. We don't know which 18 clubs will play in EuroLeague next season, which is somewhat crazy.

[Nemanja95]

I say, bring back the old system. First tier, Euroleague, 24 clubs, 20 directly from national competitions, four from qualification process. Then, Europe Cup, or some other name, 32 clubs, 24 directly from national competitions, eight from qualification process. Four groups, each with six teams for Euroleague, and for Europe Cup, eight groups, each with four teams. After regular season, TOP 16 with two groups for euroleague and also for europa league. Like, every solution or idea is better than what we have right now and that is elitist approach for richest clubs, and even that, only some ten or twelve clubs in whole Europe can satisfy budget conditions. We don't know which 18 clubs will play in EuroLeague next season, which is somewhat crazy.

Completely agree.I don't like this vertical isolated system of European basketball.
There is no space for some who haven't much money to ascend in Euroleague and to stay there few years.
That's cause many other problems as lack of young players from Europe, lack of good competitions except Euroleague and finals and semi-finals of few national leagues. Eurocup and FCL aren't even close to high level of basketball.
So, I m not for profounding separation of15 or 20 teams from the others, but to exist better interconnection between teams and competitions,where there would ascend teams at least in some way fair race.

[Victorious]

Completely agree.I don't like this vertical isolated system of European basketball.
There is no space for some who haven't much money to ascend in Euroleague and to stay there few years.
That's cause many other problems as lack of young players from Europe, lack of good competitions except Euroleague and finals and semi-finals of few national leagues. Eurocup and FCL aren't even close to high level of basketball.
So, I m not for profounding separation of15 or 20 teams from the others, but to exist better interconnection between teams and competitions,where there would ascend teams at least in some way fair race.

I am all for promotion and relegation. After all, if top teams would not participate in Domestic leagues until the play offs, then there is more room for games in the EL. As such more teams can be allowed. Several teams can be promoted and relegated while you can still offer some fixed EL licences. However, let us look at the ratings. How many people are watching Fenerbahce vs Darussafaka? Or Panathinaikos vs Maroussi? I say follow the ratings and give opportunity to teams in order to grow.

[Nemanja95]

I am all for promotion and relegation. After all, if top teams would not participate in Domestic leagues until the play offs, then there is more room for games in the EL. As such more teams can be allowed. Several teams can be promoted and relegated while you can still offer some fixed EL licences. However, let us look at the ratings. How many people are watching Fenerbahce vs Darussafaka? Or Panathinaikos vs Maroussi? I say follow the ratings and give opportunity to teams in order to grow.

It looks for me that 34 games in Euroleague in RS is too much. Some national leagues maybe should lower teams on 16 or 14,
But if it wouldn't play at all, Euroleague will be played twice per week, including at Saturday or Sunday, in those days however there are no many people to watch, especially if there is I don't know 42 games in RS.

[paspalj]

It looks for me that 34 games in Euroleague in RS is too much. Some national leagues maybe should lower teams on 16 or 14,
But if it wouldn't play at all, Euroleague will be played twice per week, including at Saturday or Sunday, in those days however there are no many people to watch, especially if there is I don't know 42 games in RS.

I agree with you about the number of games. think the EL would benefit from a conference solution. But not like the NBA (since the geographical distribution of teams is far from uniform) but like the NFL. Split them into 2 big groups, have the teams in each group play against each other and then play one game against the teams of the other group. Something like that.

[Edgar]

The only thing I would change right now is that EL matches play at weekend. Saturday/sunday. When it is double week then use friday and monday also. I think there would be much more fans in the gyms in some cities...

[Nemanja95]

I agree with you about the number of games. think the EL would benefit from a conference solution. But not like the NBA (since the geographical distribution of teams is far from uniform) but like the NFL. Split them into 2 big groups, have the teams in each group play against each other and then play one game against the teams of the other group. Something like that.

I had like it system of competition with 4x6 then 2x8. It was more dynamic during the season. Bad choices and mistakes of some teams it is punished with ending season in Euroleague in December. There is also play each team play against almost every other team.
I don't think in Sport in which is the point to compete and struggle for every win in every game, good that most of teams have guaranteed place in best competition in the Europe
It should play in Euroleague two finalists of Italian league, if one of them is not Virtus or Milano, let few places from Euroleague qualification, if they not get in hovewer, they don't deserve to play Euroleague.

[paspalj]

I had like it system of competition with 4x6 then 2x8.

Sure but I'm talking about something more like 2x12

There is also play each team play against almost every other team.

Yeah that is also a good way to emulate what I was talking about but I think it might get complicated for viewers?

[Victorious]

If one considers play in tournaments and relegation then the EL can be competitive throughout the season. Even with more clubs.

But how on earth is a domestic league better than the EL during weekends? Any way you look at it, the EL always attracts more fans, has higher ratings, and has more revenue than most Domestic League games.

What I am actually advocating is two EL games per week throughout the season, more breaks for rest, and also breaks for National Teams, Domestic League play-offs and cups.

[markkanen]

It looks like that the same 13 clubs will play in Euroleague for the next 15 years, that is, until 2040. So, it's the same old thing, with only small cosmetic changes. And it's not about number of clubs, it's all about that club must have ridiculous amount of money to play in Euroleague.
And, how many clubs even want to be part of Euroleague? Without russian clubs, it's the same old story, 12 clubs with permanent licences, Monaco, Virtus, Red Star, Partizan, and Alba, Paris, Valencia who will be rotated every single year.
Valencia is strange case indeed. They have money, they are building new Arena, and all they got was rejection, they are always there just to feel the void if some other club rejected offer to participate in the competition. Like last year, "hey, Valencia you will play in Eurocup, Gran Canaria will play in Euroleague", "yeah, sure, why not, see you next year". "Hey, Valencia, you are back, Gran Canaria doesn't want to play", "Why, thank you, it will be nice play again with you guys". This season is like "Valencia will be in Eurocup", "No, no, no, Alba will be out, Valencia you are back", "Oh, no, we are just receiving the letter from Alba, I'm so sorry, you are out".
Like, grow a spine for God sake, this is getting ridiculous!

[Victorious]

Again, less domestic league games leaves more space for EL games and thus more teams. There are many other teams which have the potential to be beter, but they have no incentive to invest.

That said, I wouldn't increase the amount of EL by too many. There's simply not enough talent. Just leave some space for promotion.