By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Adriatic league decided today to wait and not sign either with Euroleague or FIBA for the upcoming season. In both cases ABA Liga has something to gain, a B licence in Euroleague and three places in Eurocup for the next three seasons, or at least two spots in FIBA Champions League and a place in the qualifying round. Here’s the press release.
“At the assembly session of ABA League j.t.d., which took place on 1 March 2016 in Belgrade, the offers that Euroleague Basketball and FIBA presented in terms of number of places in their competitions, available for the ABA League, were analyzed.
The offer of Euroleague Basketball includes a three-year agreement that guarantees qualification to Euroleague and Eurocup for 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons directly from the ABA League.
By accepting this agreement, ABA League would gain the B licence, that guarantees its champion a place in the Euroleague, as well as at least three places in the Eurocup for its next three best placed teams.
The offer of FIBA includes three guaranteed spots for ABA League teams in the Regular Season and an additional place in the Qualifying Round in the first scenario or two spots for ABA League teams in the Regular Season and one additional place in the Qualifying Round of the Basketball Champions League in the second scenario. However, this offer does not clarify the details from which the number of spots depends, while it is directing towards the negotiations with national federations.
Due to lack of information, the ABA League j.t.d. assembly has unanimously decided not to sign a shareholders’ agreement with the Company that will be established with a goal of managing the FIBA Basketball Champions League at the meeting that will be held on 2 March.
In the following period the league’s management will continue its negotiations with all interested parties and afterwards the ABA League assembly will deliver the final decision regarding the European club competitions, where its clubs will compete.
Considering the current situation in the European club basketball, the assembly has drawn a conclusion to do everything possible through coordination with national federation, in order for the ABA League to be treated the way it deserves.
During the ABA League j.t.d. assembly, the dates of the Playoffs Semi-finals, that will be played between 14 and 28 March, were precisely determined as well”.