By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball announced the decisions made during the ECA Board meeting on Monday, including ALBA Berlin receiving a two-year EuroLeague wild card and updating the COVID-19 Special Regulations ahead of the Playoffs and Final Four.
Per the press release: “The Euroleague Commercial Assets Board members gathered virtually on Monday, March 8, to review and discuss a series of topics, taking the following decisions:
1. Conditions for inclusion of FC Bayern Munich and LDLC Asvel Villeurbanne as long-term licenced clubs were agreed: Euroleague Basketball executives provided board members with an update on the progress with both organisations, as well as on the due diligence performed following previous agreements of the board and the strategy set by it. EB and clubs remain aligned in their vision. Additional exchanges between them will continue with a view toward concluding the agreements in the following weeks.
2. ALBA Berlin was awarded with a two-year Turkish Airlines EuroLeague license: the German club secures its participation for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons following previous instructions of the board and after verification by Euroleague Basketball of all requirements being met by the club.
3. Approved roadmap for the 7DAYS EuroCup competition: clubs agreed on the strategic pillars for second-tier European club competition. Further details to be publicly announced later in the season.
4. Updated 2020-21 Special Regulations accepted: modifications to the Special Regulations, which were set to navigate the extraordinary situations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, include:
a. Playoffs regulations:
1. Designation of a secondary venue or venues by the league office to relocate games of any playoff series due to existing restrictions.
2. After a first reschedule/relocation of a game, if new restrictions apply, the team causing the first reschedule/relocation is to forfeit the game.
3. Maximum of one suspension per playoff game.
4. In the event of simultaneous travel restrictions and unavailability of the minimum eight players, the team causing the game suspension by not having eight players will forfeit the game. If both teams happen not to have eight eligible players to play, both will forfeit the game. In such a case, and rescheduling/relocation of pending games has been exhausted, the team with the most wins advances.
5. In case a series is tied and rescheduling/relocation of pending games has been exhausted, the highest-ranked Regular Season team advances.
b. Final Four regulations:
1.The next highest-ranked Regular Season team will replace any Final Four qualified team that is prevented from playing due to travel restrictions and/or unavailability of the minimum number of players.
2. A maximum of two Final Four teams will be replaced.
3. No team replacements will be executed after 00:01 on Friday, May 28. After this deadline, should one team not be ready to play, the opposing team advances to the Championship Game. If both teams in one semifinal cannot play the game, both forfeit the game and the winner of the other semifinal will become the competition’s champion.
4. Should the Championship Game be affected by restrictions or the unavailability of players, the game will be rescheduled/relocated.
5. The Final Four will be suspended and relocated in the event that more than two qualified teams are not available to play or that local regulations prevent the event from being played.
The updated Special Regulations will be made public in the following days.
5. EB executives also updated board members on the progress of the organisation of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four event and its ancillary activities, as well as on proposed changes in purpose and composition of the EuroLeague’s Chief Business Officers Board, which was created in 2018.
Decisions made by the ECA Board will be submitted to the next ECA Shareholders Meeting for formal approval.”