| File:VTB United League logo.png | |
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| First season | 2009–10 |
| Country |  Russia |
| Confederation | FIBA Europe FIBA Asia |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Russian Cup |
| Supercup | VTB League Supercup |
| International cup(s) | EuroLeague (suspended) EuroCup (suspended) Champions League (suspended) Europe Cup (suspended) West Asia Super League |
| Current champions | UNICS (1st title) |
| Most championships | CSKA Moscow (10 titles) |
| Website | Official website |
VTB United League is an international professional men's club basketball league that was founded in 2009. It is made up of mostly Russian clubs, along with one each from Belarus and Kazakhstan. Since 2013, it is the first tier of Russian professional club basketball. Therefore, the highest placed Russian team in the league can also be named the Russian national champions.[citation needed] The league is sponsored by Russian state-owned VTB Bank. In 2009 CSKA Moscow won VTB United League Promo-Cup, but this competition does not count as official VTB title. CSKA has dominated the league, having won majority of titles its existence. The VTB United League also holds a youth competition, the VTB United Youth League.
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.[1] 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.[2]
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 be named the Eastern European Professional Basketball League.[3][4][5]
In July 2012, the Council of VTB United League decided that the PBL league would continue for one more year, with some games of the VTB United League that took place between two Russian clubs being counted as PBL games.[6] 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 recognized by FIBA Europe in September 2013.[7][8] 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.
The honorary head of the league is Sergei Ivanov and its official sponsor is Pavel Vrublevsky of ChronoPay.[9][10][11]
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.[12]
Teams[]
See also[]
- Basketball in Russia
- Russian Professional Championship
- Russian Professional League
- Russian Super League 1
- USSR Premier League
- Russian Cup
- USSR Cup
- Adriatic League
- Baltic League
- Belarusian Premier League
- Kazakhstan Basketball Championship
References[]
- ↑ "About League". vtb-league.com. http://vtb-league.com/en/about/default.aspx.
- ↑ "PROMO-CUP: CSKA WIN". Sport Express. http://english.sport-express.ru/news/13_3055/.
- ↑ 20 clubs will play in VTB United League championship in seasone-2012/13 Template:Webarchive, vtb-league.com, May 20, 2012
- ↑ "PBL looks to a better future". ULEB. 30 January 2012. http://www.uleb.com/n661.htm.
- ↑ Triumph applied an application to participate in the new season of VTB United League Template:Webarchive, May 20, 2012, vtb-league.com
- ↑ BEKO PBL Press service. "BEKO PBL Board suggests scheme of 2012/2013 season". pbleague.ru. http://www.pbleague.ru/en/news/1643.
- ↑ VTB League Officially Recognised.
- ↑ "FIBA Europe officially recognizes VTB United League.". http://www.vtb-league.com/en/news/fiba-europe-officially-recognizes-vtb-united-league.htm.
- ↑ Михайлов, Сергей (Mikhailov, Sergey) (9 June 2015). "Схемщик нашел прибежище: Что ищет в России Беглый Украинский ехс-депутат Шепелев" (in ru). «Соверше́нно секре́тно» ("Top secret"). http://www.sovsekretno.ru/articles/id/4834/.
- ↑ Михайлов, Сергей (Mikhailov, Sergey) (9 June 2015). "Схемщик нашел прибежище: Что ищет в России беглый Украинский экс-депутат Шепелев" (in ru). «Соверше́нно секре́тно» ("Top secret"). http://www.sovsekretno.ru/articles/id/4834/.
- ↑ "Врублевский: ЕЛ ВТБ — это возрождение баскетбола в России" (in ru). championat.com. 29 April 2011. https://www.championat.com/basketball/news-798768-vrublevskij-el-vtb-jeto-vozrozhdenie-basketbola-v-rossii.html.
- ↑ "Krasnye Krylia not to compete in VTB United League next season.". http://www.vtb-league.com/en/news/krasnye-krylia-not-to-compete-in-vtb-united-league-next-season.htm.
External links[]
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