Wikipedia - EuroCup Basketball

EuroCup Basketball, commonly known as the EuroCup and currently called BKT EuroCup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual professional basketball club competition organized by Euroleague Basketball. The league is regarded as Euroleague Basketball's second-tier professional basketball club tournament.

Founded as ULEB Cup in 2002, the competition lasted until 2008 when a new competition was introduced after an agreement between ULEB and FIBA under the name of EuroCup for the 2008–09 season, following a change in format. Given that the FIBA EuroChallenge was known as EuroCup until 2008, a new era of stronger cooperation between ULEB and FIBA Europe was set in 2008. The number of the new competition was increased to a total of 48 and the winner of the 3d tier FIBA EuroCup Challenge, formerly known as EuroCup would get an automatic qualification for the tournament's following season, for first time.

Though initially advertised as a new competition, the ULEB Cup and EuroCup Basketball are now considered the same competition, with the change of name being simply a re-branding.

Since the 2021–22 season both EuroCup finalists qualify for next season's EuroLeague. Until then only the winner was entitled to the one year licence.

The title has been won by 14 clubs, 3 of which have won the title more than once. The most successful club in the competition are Valencia Basket, with four titles. The current champions are Gran Canaria, winning their first title after defeating Turk Telekom in the 2023 Finals.

History

The competition was created in 2002, as the ULEB Cup, and has had several names:

  • 2002–03 to 2007–08 ULEB Cup
  • 2008–09 to 2015–16 Eurocup Basketball
  • 2016–17 to present EuroCup Basketball

Sponsorship names

On 7 July 2016, Chipita and Euroleague Basketball announced a strategic agreement to sponsor the European competition across the globe. According to the agreement, starting with the 2016–17 season, the competition would be named 7DAYS EuroCup. This title partnership was set to run for three seasons.

Logos

Evolution of the EuroCup logo
2002–2008 2008–2016 2016–2023 2023-present
EuroCup on Euroliiga allpool asuv Euroopa klubide korvpallivõistlus. See loodi 2002. aastal ULEB Cupina, kuid sai 2016. aastal ümber nimetatud EuroCupiks.

Võistlus on avatud Euroopa tippklubidele, kes ei ole Euroliigaks kvalifitseerunud. Võistlusel on 20 meeskonda, kes on jagatud nelja gruppi viie meeskonnaga. Iga meeskond mängib teiste oma grupi meeskondadega kaks korda, kodus ja võõrsil.

Grupisiseste mängude järel pääsevad kaheksa parimat meeskonda veerandfinaali, kus mängitakse kahekordseid mänge. Veerandfinaali võitjad jõuavad poolfinaali, mille järel toimub finaal.

EuroCupi on võitnud mitmed tuntud klubid, sealhulgas Real Madrid, Valencia ja Virtus Bologna.