By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
After three straight seasons in the Basketball Champions League, MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg won’t participate in the 2020-2021 edition of the competition. The 2020 German easyCreditBBL League finalists withdrew their application due to financial uncertainty which comes as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Ludwigsburg, a former BCL Final Four participant, didn’t feel certain that the club could sufficiently respond to this new financial situation while playing in a continental competition. In the next season, the German side will compete only on a domestic level.
EWE Oldenburg submitted an application with a two-weeks delay and BCL had to turn down the club. Thus Germany will be represented in BCL only by Brose Bamberg.
The special circumstances due to the coronavirus crisis that led BCL to a decision to conclude 2019-2020 with a Final Eight tournament in September, granted an opportunity for Turkey to have five clubs in the 20202-20201 BCL: Galatasaray, Darussafaka Tekfen, Pinar Karsiyaka, Tofas Bursa and Turk Telekom.
The BCL board had already given four spots to Turkey to be allocated among the teams that ranked higher in the 2019-2020 BSL standings. Given that the teams that will complete the 2019-2020 season in September’s Final Eight will automatically have a place in the upcoming regular season, tournament participant Turk Telekom was given the additional fifth spot.
Basketball Champions League announced the full list of the 44 clubs (28 in the regular season, 16 in the qualifying rounds) of the 2020-2021 season Friday (3/6).
Photo: FIBA