Will start tomorrow.
This forum has been sleeping a bit lately, but there have been significant developments recently, which have caused fiery discussions in domestic basketball forums.
1) New three year TV contract with DSF. They will broadcast mainly on Fridays and Saturdays, usually one game per weekend. A rather small amount of money flows to the league itself. Clubs don't make direct money off of it, but having television time of course improves the sponsorship situation.
2) New name sponsor for the league, which will officially be called "BEKO Basketball-Bundesliga" from now on. Six year deal. About one million Euros per year.
3) New foreigner restrictions, seven foreigners maximum allowed in 10/11 and 11/12, and six foreigners maximum from 12/13 onwards. Having only 10 players on the gamesheet, you'll be allowed to play with four Germans, but six of them will be required on a 12-man-gamesheet. No further restrictions on American players.
So much for the general stuff. I won't do a comprehensive preview, firstly because I haven't followed the market as closely as usual, secondly because I don't have the time, thirdly because others have already done it. So for more information I'd recommend you to check CWILL's germanhoops blog.
Visit the official league homepage for rosters and statistics.
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Top game on the first gameday is Oldenburg vs. Bamberg, last season's semifinal matchup. You can watch DSF on zattoo, which requires free registration. The game will take place this Saturday, 3:40 PM CET.
---------------------------------------------------------
A short overview:
Top contenders:
ALBA Berlin - after the early departure of Lee Cummard, who Pavicevic wasn't satisfied with, they have only one new acquisition, Kenan Bajramovic. The reason is that they are playing Euroleague qualification, and they desperately want into EL. There will probably be one more acquisition [Tal Burstein?] after the second leg vs. Maroussi. Top contender for the title, as always.
Budget: 6.5mio € - 7.0mio €
Coach: Luka Pavicevic
Key players: Julius Jenkins, Kenan Bajramovic, Imanuell McElroy
EWE Baskets Oldenburg - reigning champions will try to compete in BBL and Euroleague, and they should have a hard time in both competitions, especially since they play a rather short rotation. Will probably do well early in the season but physical as well as mental fatigue will be a factor later on.
Budget: 6.0mio € - 6.5mio €
Coach: Predrag Krunic
Key players: Rickey Paulding, Jason Gardner
Telekom Baskets Bonn - consecutive vice-champion and constant overachiever, easily the least financially potent team among the top four. Are coming up with a much less athletic but much more European-style and EuroCup-compatible roster this time, we'll have to see how that works out after they had success with a much different style in the past two seasons.
Budget: 3.0mio € - 3.5mio €
Coach: Michael Koch
Key players: Jared Jordan, Vincent Yarbrough, Bryce Taylor
Brose Baskets - Bamberg reached the minimum goal [semifinals] in Chris Fleming's first season with the club after the successful Bauermann reign. Casey Jacobsen is coming back [paid by an additional private sponsor], Brian Roberts will replace the rather disappointing Filiberto Rivera, and the Suput - Brown combo is still key to this team.
Budget: 5.5mio € - 6.0mio €
Coach: Chris Fleming
Key players: Predrag Suput, Elton Brown, Casey Jacobsen
Top playoff candidates behind the title contenders
Artland Dragons Quakenbrück - Kept most of their roster but coach Leibenath learned from his mistakes and adjusted his roster towards more athleticism, which is still needed in this league.
Eisbären Bremerhaven - Brought in proven BBL players Jeff Gibbs and Lou Campbell as well as Rodney Buford. After a catastrophic season, it can only get better but Buford could be trouble.
In the playoff race or in nomansland
ratiopharm Ulm, DB Skyliners Frankfurt, ENBW Ludwigsburg, BG Göttingen, Walter Tigers Tübingen, Giants Düsseldorf, New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig
Relation battle
Gießen 46ers, Mitteldeutscher BC, Phoenix Hagen
This forum has been sleeping a bit lately, but there have been significant developments recently, which have caused fiery discussions in domestic basketball forums.
1) New three year TV contract with DSF. They will broadcast mainly on Fridays and Saturdays, usually one game per weekend. A rather small amount of money flows to the league itself. Clubs don't make direct money off of it, but having television time of course improves the sponsorship situation.
2) New name sponsor for the league, which will officially be called "BEKO Basketball-Bundesliga" from now on. Six year deal. About one million Euros per year.
3) New foreigner restrictions, seven foreigners maximum allowed in 10/11 and 11/12, and six foreigners maximum from 12/13 onwards. Having only 10 players on the gamesheet, you'll be allowed to play with four Germans, but six of them will be required on a 12-man-gamesheet. No further restrictions on American players.
So much for the general stuff. I won't do a comprehensive preview, firstly because I haven't followed the market as closely as usual, secondly because I don't have the time, thirdly because others have already done it. So for more information I'd recommend you to check CWILL's germanhoops blog.
Visit the official league homepage for rosters and statistics.
---------------------------------------------------------
Top game on the first gameday is Oldenburg vs. Bamberg, last season's semifinal matchup. You can watch DSF on zattoo, which requires free registration. The game will take place this Saturday, 3:40 PM CET.
---------------------------------------------------------
A short overview:
Top contenders:
ALBA Berlin - after the early departure of Lee Cummard, who Pavicevic wasn't satisfied with, they have only one new acquisition, Kenan Bajramovic. The reason is that they are playing Euroleague qualification, and they desperately want into EL. There will probably be one more acquisition [Tal Burstein?] after the second leg vs. Maroussi. Top contender for the title, as always.
Budget: 6.5mio € - 7.0mio €
Coach: Luka Pavicevic
Key players: Julius Jenkins, Kenan Bajramovic, Imanuell McElroy
EWE Baskets Oldenburg - reigning champions will try to compete in BBL and Euroleague, and they should have a hard time in both competitions, especially since they play a rather short rotation. Will probably do well early in the season but physical as well as mental fatigue will be a factor later on.
Budget: 6.0mio € - 6.5mio €
Coach: Predrag Krunic
Key players: Rickey Paulding, Jason Gardner
Telekom Baskets Bonn - consecutive vice-champion and constant overachiever, easily the least financially potent team among the top four. Are coming up with a much less athletic but much more European-style and EuroCup-compatible roster this time, we'll have to see how that works out after they had success with a much different style in the past two seasons.
Budget: 3.0mio € - 3.5mio €
Coach: Michael Koch
Key players: Jared Jordan, Vincent Yarbrough, Bryce Taylor
Brose Baskets - Bamberg reached the minimum goal [semifinals] in Chris Fleming's first season with the club after the successful Bauermann reign. Casey Jacobsen is coming back [paid by an additional private sponsor], Brian Roberts will replace the rather disappointing Filiberto Rivera, and the Suput - Brown combo is still key to this team.
Budget: 5.5mio € - 6.0mio €
Coach: Chris Fleming
Key players: Predrag Suput, Elton Brown, Casey Jacobsen
Top playoff candidates behind the title contenders
Artland Dragons Quakenbrück - Kept most of their roster but coach Leibenath learned from his mistakes and adjusted his roster towards more athleticism, which is still needed in this league.
Eisbären Bremerhaven - Brought in proven BBL players Jeff Gibbs and Lou Campbell as well as Rodney Buford. After a catastrophic season, it can only get better but Buford could be trouble.
In the playoff race or in nomansland
ratiopharm Ulm, DB Skyliners Frankfurt, ENBW Ludwigsburg, BG Göttingen, Walter Tigers Tübingen, Giants Düsseldorf, New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig
Relation battle
Gießen 46ers, Mitteldeutscher BC, Phoenix Hagen
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