VTB United League

VTB United League
Единая Лига ВТБ
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2015–16 VTB United League
Sport Basketball
Founded 2008 (Promo-Cup)
2009 (VTB United League)
CEO Andrey Shirokov
Motto One league. One language. Language of basketball.
No. of teams 16
Country  Russia (10 teams)
 Belarus (1 team)
 Czech Republic (1 team)
 Estonia (1 team)
 Finland (1 team)
 Kazakhstan (1 team)
 Latvia (1 team)
Most recent champion(s) Russia CSKA Moscow
(6th title)
Most titles Russia CSKA Moscow
(6 titles)
Level on pyramid 1st Tier on Russian Pyramid
Official website VTB-League.com

VTB United League (Russian: Единая Лига ВТБ) is an international professional men's basketball league that was founded in 2008. Starting with the 2013–14 season, it is the 1st tier of Russian professional club basketball, as well as the national domestic league of Russia, with the highest placed Russian team in the league also being the Russian champions. Its goal is to unite the leading basketball clubs of Eastern Europe and Northern Europe together into one league. The league is sponsored by VTB Bank.

League formats

In its inaugural 2009–10 season league format season, the VTB United League featured clubs from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. For the 2010–11 season, teams from Finland, Poland and Belarus were added to the league. The 2011–12 season featured a total of 18 teams, with new teams being added from Czech Republic and Kazakhstan.[1] In the 2012–13 season, the number of teams increased to 20. The number of teams was decreased to 16 for the 2014–15 season, and the teams from Ukraine and Lithuania dropped out of the competition.

History

The first step in the creation of the league was a competition named the VTB United League Promo-Cup held in Moscow in December, 2008.[2] The final of the Promo-Cup was played on December 22, 2008, and was won by CSKA Moscow, who defeated Khimki 70–66. Kyiv ended third.[3]

Unification with the Russian PBL

In May 2012, all the PBL clubs gathered to decide which format would be used for the next season, and some club's directors raised the possibility of uniting with the VTB United League, to produce greater competition between the Russian basketball clubs. They suggested that the new league would be named the Eastern European Professional Basketball League.[4][5][6]

In July 2012, the Council of VTB United League gave a definitive decision. It was decided that the PBL league would continue for one more year, with some of the games of the VTB United League that took place between two Russian clubs being counted as PBL games.[7] The first tier Russian clubs then replaced the PBL with the VTB United League as their new national domestic league, starting with the 2013-14 season.

The VTB United League was officially recognized by FIBA Europe in September 2013.[8][9] The league was then officially recognized by FIBA World in October 2014. The league needed to be recognized by both bodies, because it contains clubs that come from countries that are part of both the European and Asian FIBA zones.

Arena rules

In order for clubs to play in the VTB United League, they must have a home arena that has a seating capacity of at least 3,000 seats.[10]

Current clubs

These are the clubs that are participating in 2014–15 season:

Team appearances

Team 2008
(8)
09–10
(8)
10–11
(12)
11–12
(18)
12–13
(20)
13–14
(20)
14–15
(16)
Belarus Tsmoki-Minsk GS GS GS GS 15th
Czech Republic Nymburk GS GS GS 14th
Estonia Kalev/Cramo GS GS GS GS 9th
Finland Bisons Loimaa 13th
Finland Espoon Honka GS
Finland Torpan Pojat QR
Kazakhstan Astana 1/8 1/8 8th
Latvia ASK Rīga 7th
Latvia VEF Rīga GS GS 1/4 GS 10th
Lithuania Lietuvos rytas GS 3rd GS 1/2
Lithuania Neptūnas GS GS
Lithuania Šiauliai QR
Lithuania Žalgiris5th 3rd 1/8 1/8 3rd
Poland Anwil QR
Poland Prokom8th GS GS
Poland Turów GS GS
Russia Avtodor 7th
Russia CSKA1st 1st 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st
Russia Dynamo4th
Russia Enisey GS GS 1/8 11th
Russia Khimki2nd 4th 1st 1/4 4th 1/4 2nd
Russia Krasny Oktyabr 1/8 12th
Russia Krasnye Krylia GS 1/4 1/4 16th
Russia Lokomotiv Kuban 4th 2nd 1/4 3rd
Russia Nizhny Novgorod 1/8 1/4 2nd 4th
Russia Spartak 1/4 1/8 1/8
Russia Triumph 1/8 1/4
Russia UNICS 2nd 3rd 2nd 1/4 1/2 6th
Russia Zenit 5th
Ukraine Azovmash6th GS 4th GS GS GS
Ukraine Budivelnik GS
Ukraine Dnipro GS QR
Ukraine Donetsk GS 1/8 GS
Ukraine Kyiv3rd

Titles

Key to colors
     VTB United League Promo-Cup
Season Finals & Final Four hosts Finals Third and fourth places
Gold Score Silver Bronze Score Fourth Place
2008
Details
 Russia
(USK CSKA, Moscow)

CSKA Moscow
70–66
Khimki

Kyiv
86–73
Dynamo Moscow
2009–10
Details
 Lithuania
(Sports Hall, Kaunas)

CSKA Moscow
66–55
UNICS

Žalgiris
78–72
Khimki
2010–11
Details
 Russia
(Basket Hall, Kazan)

Khimki
66–64
CSKA Moscow

UNICS
95–75
Azovmash
2011–12
Details
 Lithuania
(Siemens Arena, Vilnius)

CSKA Moscow
74–62
UNICS

Lietuvos rytas
91–83
Lokomotiv-Kuban
2012–13
Details
In home and away court
CSKA Moscow
3–1
Series

Lokomotiv-Kuban

Žalgiris
Did not play
Khimki
2013–14
Details
In home and away court
CSKA Moscow
3–0
Series

Nizhny Novgorod

UNICS
Did not play
Lietuvos rytas
2014–15
Details
In home and away court
CSKA Moscow
3–0
Series

Khimki

Lokomotiv-Kuban
Did not play
Nizhny Novgorod
^† The whole 2008 tournament was staged in Moscow, including the Final Four.

Awards

Major awards

Awards by nationality

Records

Sponsors

See also

References

External links

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