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Liga ACB

The Liga ACB,[a] known as Liga Endesa[b] for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional basketball division of the Spanish basketball league system. Administered by the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB), Liga ACB is contested by 18 teams, with the two lowest-placed teams relegated to the Primera FEB and replaced by the top team in that division plus the winner of the promotion playoffs.

The competition was founded as the ACB Primera División on 1983 following the decision of clubs in the Liga Nacional, founded in 1957, to break away from the Spanish Basketball Federation and professionalize the league. The league's accumulated revenues were worth around €30 million in 2020, with Endesa and Movistar Plus+ contributing 50% of the revenues of the league.[1][2] The league is a corporation where president Antonio Martín is responsible for its management, whilst the member clubs act as shareholders. Clubs were apportioned central payment revenues of €12 million in 2019–20.[3]

A total of 52 teams have competed in Liga ACB since its inception in 1983. Seven teams have been crowned champions, with FC Barcelona winning the title a record 17 times and Real Madrid 15 times, though Liga ACB also saw other champions, including Baskonia, Joventut Badalona, Bàsquet Manresa, Baloncesto Málaga and Valencia Basket.[4]

Liga ACB is one of the most popular professional indoor sports leagues in the world, with an average attendance of 6,236 for league matches in the 2018–19 season. This is the ninth-highest of any domestic professional indoor sports league in the world and the fourth-highest of any professional basketball league in the world, behind the National Basketball Association, the EuroLeague, and the Women's National Basketball Association.[citation needed]

Competition format

Real Madrid playing against Fuenlabrada

The competition format follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which lasts from October to May, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 34 games. Teams are ranked by total wins, with the eight highest-ranked clubs at the end of the season plays the playoffs and the winner of the playoffs is crowned champion.

Relegation and promotion

A system of relegation and promotion exists between the Liga ACB and the Primera FEB. The two lowest placed teams in Liga ACB are relegated to the Primera FEB, and the top team from the Primera FEB promoted to Liga ACB, with an additional club promoted after a series of playoffs involving the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth placed clubs. Below is a complete record of how many teams played in each season throughout the league's history:

Controversies about promotion to Liga ACB

Until 2012, in the 29 editions played of the Liga ACB, only three teams declined promotion, due to acting as reserve teams or for lack of funds: CB Guadalajara and CB Cornellà in 1993 and CB Cajabilbao in 1994.

Since 2012, due to the financial crisis that started in 2008, only two teams (Canarias and Andorra) of a possible 10 could promote to Liga ACB. This started a discussion about the promotion requirements of the ACB, considered by the LEB Oro clubs as "disproportionate".[5]

For clubs that promote and would make their debut in the ACB demands:[6]

In 2012, Iberostar Canarias and Menorca Bàsquet achieved promotion to ACB, but neither could fulfill the requirements in order to promote.[7] However, Canarias finally played in ACB after buying the berth in the league of Lucentum Alicante, previously sold to the association.[8]

In 2013, neither CB Atapuerca, Ford Burgos by sponsorship reasons, nor Lucentum Alicante could promote. The latter resigned also to play in the second league and joined the fifth division.

In 2014 and 2015, CB Tizona, also Ford Burgos by sponsorship reasons, did not promote despite achieving the place two years in a row. After its second failed promotion, the third in the city of Burgos, the club sued the Association[5] any accused them of "distorting the reality".[9] Also in 2015, despite having played in the league during the 1980s and 1990s, Club Ourense Baloncesto was not admitted in the league despite fulfilling all the requirements, after not passing an accounts audit.[10] However, ACB would admit Ourense for the 2016–17 season if it fulfilled the requirements regardless of their position in the 2015–16 LEB Oro season.[11]

On 24 April 2016, the National Commission of the Markets and the Competence argued that the inbound impedes, in an "unjustified, disproportionate and discriminatory" way, access of new clubs to Liga ACB.[12]

In June 2016, the two promoted teams from LEB Oro (Palencia and Melilla) resigned promotion to the 2016–17 ACB season and requested to the ACB their sign-in before the 2017–18 season. However, as Gipuzkoa Basket, who finished in relegation positions in three of the last four seasons, resigned from ACB,[13] the Association offered again its place to Palencia and Melilla under these conditions:[14][15]

Palencia and Mellila refused the invitation, to reinforce their position against the inbound to play in the league.[16][17]

In April 2017, the National Commission for Markets and Competition declared the entering inbound and the deposit for the regulation of promotions and relegations as illegal, as they consider it "unjustified, discriminatory and excessive" and imposed a fine of €400,000 to the ACB.[18][19][20] Subsequently, the ACB replied that it would appeal the decision of the CNMC, contending that it infringed on the self-organizing capacity of professional leagues, as recognized in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in the European jurisprudence, and which was unprecedented in Europe and in the rest of the world.[21][22]

In May 2017, the ACB ratified to file a contentious-administrative appeal and request for precautionary measures before the National Court, on the occasion of the resolution of the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC), as well as to refuse any resolution or decision, present or future, which relates to that act. Also, the ACB approved to establish a negotiation plan with the CSD and the FEB regarding the number of participating teams and the conditions to access to the competition in the next seasons.[23][24]

In June 2017, the ACB agreed not to require the promotion requirements that have been the subject of the resolution (entering inbound and the deposit for the regulation of promotions and relegations) and the participation fee. Also, the ACB agreed to continue negotiations with the CSD, the FEB and the CNMC to try to establish by mutual agreement new conditions for promotion. In view of the possibility of reaching an agreement that establishes economic and financial requirements in a consensual way before 5 July, the Assembly has agreed to establish two new access criteria, provided that there is no pronouncement of the National Court on the precautionary measures regarding the resolution of the National Court, nor agreement with the different bodies that replace it.[25] These conditions were:

On 10 July 2017, the ACB ratified the agreement with the FEB endorsed by the CSD, to change the conditions to make them easier for promoted teams from LEB Oro. The ACB had also reached a principle of agreement with FEB and CSD regarding a reduction of competition to 16 clubs in 2019 and the model of promotions and relegations in the coming seasons. However, this text has not obtained the necessary support of the clubs in the General Assembly and has not been approved, agreeing to continue the negotiations to find the model of competition appropriate to the interests of the teams overall.[26] These new conditions consist of:

Ten days later and two years after the denounce of CB Tizona, Gipuzkoa Basket and CB Miraflores, also from Burgos, were promoted to Liga ACB. These were the first promotions since the one of Andorra in 2014. Also, Miraflores became the first team to make its debut in ACB since 2009.

Ranking of clubs on equal wins

If wins are equal between two or more clubs, the rules are:[27]

Qualifying for European competitions

The top teams in Liga ACB, apart from EuroLeague clubs, qualify for the EuroCup and the Champions League with no preference for any competition. Three teams have guaranteed spots in the EuroCup and four teams have guaranteed spots in the Champions League. In addition, other clubs could participate in the FIBA Europe Cup.[28]

History

The first basketball league in Spain was the Liga Nacional, organised by the Spanish Basketball Federation, whose first edition was played in 1957 by six teams from Madrid and the province of Barcelona.[29] Until 1983 it continued being organised by the federation and consisting in only a round-robin tournament, where every teams faced all other twice, one at home and one away, with two points per win and one point in case of a draw.

In 1982, the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto was founded and one year later took the helm of the organisation of the league, with several changes in the competition format as they introduced the playoffs and the overtimes in case of draw.

League names

Champions

Current Liga ACB trophy

Titles by club

Current clubs

Liga ACB is located in Canary Islands
Location of teams from the Canary Islands in 2024–25 ACB

All-time Liga ACB table

The all-time Liga ACB table[46] is an overall record of all match results of every team that has played in Liga ACB since the 1983–84 season. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2023–24 season.[47]

League or status at 2023–24 season:

Awards

Statistical leaders

All-time scoring leaders

Player nationality set by the player's national team affiliation. In bold, active players. In gold, players with more than 6,000 points, considered by the ACB as historic players.[48]

Stats through end of 2018–19 ACB season:

All-time rebounding leaders

Player nationality set by the player's national team affiliation. In bold, active players. In gold, players with more than 2,500 rebounds, considered by the ACB as historic players.[49]

Stats through the end of the 2018–19 ACB season:

Records

Fran Vázquez holds the record for most blocks in an ACB game, 12

These are the standing ACB records for the regular season (RS)[50] and play-offs (PO).[51]

  • Most 40 points RS games in a career: 11 by Ray Smith.
  • Most 40 points RS games in a season: 7 by Eddie Phillips in 1986/87 and Ray Smith in 1988/89.
  • Most 40 points RS games streak: 3 by Eddie Phillips in 1986/87 and Oscar Schmidt in 1993/94.
  • Most 30 points RS games in a season: 24 by Walter Berry in 1990/91.
  • Most 30 points RS games streak: 13 by Walter Berry in 1990/91 (from stage 4 to stage 16).

Attendances

Since several years ago, the Liga ACB is the European domestic league with the highest average attendance,[55] always surpassing the 6,000 spectators per game since the 2002–03 season.

Season averages

All averages include playoffs games.

Source:[56]

Historic average attendances

All averages include playoffs games. In the 2021–22, some games were played under limited attendance.

Source:[56]

Individual game highest attendance

Source:[57][58]

Other competitions

Notes

  1. ^ Spanish: [ˈliɣa aθeˈβe]; "ACB League"
  2. ^ Spanish: [ˈliɣa eŋˈdesa]; "Endesa League"
  3. ^ Regular season was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the title was decided in an end-of-season tournament in Valencia.
  4. ^ The final was played in a single game.
  5. ^ Includes CB Caja de Ronda results
  6. ^ Includes old CB Canarias results
  7. ^ Season was suspended in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was finished under closed doors. These games are not included in the attendance data.
  8. ^ Matches played until March were under limited attendance.
  9. ^ Compared to 2019–20 season.

References

  1. ^ "La ACB cierra el año de la pandemia con ingresos récord de 30,2 millones de euros". 2Playbook (in European Spanish). 17 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. ^ "ACB, a la reválida: un negocio de 30 millones de euros a las puertas de renovar a Endesa y Movistar+". 2Playbook (in European Spanish). 18 September 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  3. ^ "La ACB salva sobre la bocina 12 millones de ingresos". palco23.com (in European Spanish). 28 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  4. ^ "¿Qué equipos han sido campeones de la ACB? Palmarés y ganadores a lo largo de la historia de la Liga Endesa". www.sportingnews.com (in European Spanish). 12 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b "El CB Tizona denuncia las "desproporcionadas" condiciones exigidas por ACB en Madrid" (in Spanish). CB Tizona. 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  6. ^ "El arduo camino que le queda a Burgos hacia la ACB: 4,7 millones, SAD y un nuevo pabellón" (in Spanish). Marca. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  7. ^ Menorca Bàsquet SAD no presenta la documentación para jugar la Liga Endesa ACB.com 28 June 2012
  8. ^ La ACB adquiere la plaza vacante del Lucentum y la asigna al CB Canarias Archived 26 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine ACB.com 20 July 2012
  9. ^ "Comunicado Oficial sobre la situación del Burgos" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Comunicado oficial de la asamblea de la ACB" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 3 June 2015. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  11. ^ "La ACB alcanza un preacuerdo con el Ourense para su inscripción en la Liga Endesa 2016/17" (in Spanish). RTVE. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Competencia elimina el canon de ingreso en una ACB "fosilizada"" (in Spanish). El Español. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  13. ^ "Gipuzkoa Basket se inscribe en LEB Oro". San Sebastián Gipuzkoa Basket Club. 12 July 2016. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
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  16. ^ "Palencia Baloncesto declina la oferta de la ACB" (in Spanish). Palencia Baloncesto. 22 July 2016. Archived from the original on 25 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
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  18. ^ "La CNMC multa a la Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto (ACB) con 400.000 euros por imponer condiciones económicas desproporcionadas y discriminatorias para el ascenso de otros clubes a la Liga ACB" (in Spanish). CNMC.es. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  19. ^ "RESOLUCION – 1610441_3.pdf" (PDF) (in Spanish). CNMC.es. 13 April 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  20. ^ "ACB League fined by the National Commission of Markets and Competition". Eurohoops.net. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  21. ^ "Comunicado oficial de la ACB" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  22. ^ "Productiva reunión de trabajo de los clubes de la ACB" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  23. ^ "Comunicado Oficial de la ACB" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  24. ^ "Comunicado oficial de la ACB" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
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  26. ^ "Aprobadas condiciones económicas que dinamizarán los ascensos y descensos" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  27. ^ "Normas reguladoras de las Competiciones de la ACB (Artículo 22)" (in Spanish). ACB. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  28. ^ "ACB Estatutos y Normas Reguladoras 2018/19". test.multiwebdia.com. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  29. ^ "Un paseo por la primera liga" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  30. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 August 2023. AFORO: 7.586 espectadores
  31. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 August 2023. AFORO: 15.504 espectadores
  32. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 August 2023. AFORO: 5.200 espectadores
  33. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 5.000 espectadores
  34. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 10.744 espectadores
  35. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 August 2022. AFORO: 7.700 espectadores
  36. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 9.870 espectadores
  37. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 12.760 espectadores
  38. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2020. AFORO: 5.100 espectadores
  39. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 August 2023. AFORO: 5.001 espectadores
  40. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 13.109 espectadores
  41. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 September 2021. AFORO: 5.310 espectadores
  42. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 10.014 espectadores
  43. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 7.454 espectadores
  44. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2024. AFORO: 10.699 espectadores
  45. ^ "ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020. AFORO: 8.500 espectadores
  46. ^ "ACB.COM". acb.com (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  47. ^ "ACB.COM". acb.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  48. ^ "HISTORICOS: Anotadores en LACB {{in lang|es}}". Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  49. ^ "HISTORICOS: Reboteadores en LACB {{in lang|es}}". Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  50. ^ "Récords históricos de la ACB". ACB (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  51. ^ "Playoff Liga Endesa" (PDF). ACB (in Spanish). Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  52. ^ "Récords históricos de la ACB". ACB.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  53. ^ O club. Récords Históricos
  54. ^ "El FC Barcelona Lassa consigue la mayor diferencia en era ACB". ACB (in Spanish). 11 April 2018.
  55. ^ "ACB remains leader in attendance". Ball in Europe. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  56. ^ a b ACB Noticias Digital
  57. ^ "Récord histórico de público en Liga Endesa: 15.544 espectadores en el Buesa" (in Spanish). ACB. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  58. ^ "KIROLBET Baskonia-R. Madrid bate el récord de asistencia en Playoff: 15.512" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.

External links