The Basketball Champions League is an annual professional basketball competition for European clubs, organised by FIBA. Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. Although exceptional, some teams can be wildcarded.
Creation and adoption
In October 2015, FIBA attempted to take back control of Europe's top-tier club competition, by proposing a new competition, featuring 16 teams playing in a round-robin format, and granting eight guaranteed spots to different clubs. When the top European clubs decided to maintain the same competition format, keeping the organization within Euroleague Basketball, FIBA announced the launch of a new European basketball club competition, with qualification based on sporting merit.
Format
Tournament
The tournament proper begins with a regular season of 32 teams, divided into four groups. Seeding is used in the draw for this stage, and teams from the same country may not be drawn into groups together. Each team meets the others in its group in home and away games, in a round-robin format. The top four teams from each group then progress to the play-offs. The fifth and sixth-placed teams can choose to enter the FIBA Europe Cup playoffs in the same season. The regular season is played from October to January, and the playoffs start in February. In the round of 16 and quarter-finals, ties are played in a 'home and away' format, based on aggregate scores. For the round of 16, the winning team from one group plays against the fourth-placed team from another group and the runner-up from one group plays against the third-placed team from another group. For the quarter-finals, the winners of games between the group winners and fourth-placed teams play against the winners from the runners-up and third-placed teams. The Final Four is typically held in the final week of April or the first week of May.
Arena rules
Currently, the minimum seating capacity for home arenas of the clubs that compete in the Basketball Champions League is 3,000 seats. However, the Basketball Champions League organizing body has the authority to grant clubs with smaller arenas a waiver of the rule.
Prizes
Trophy
Each year, the winning team is presented with the Basketball Champions League Trophy. The current trophy is tall and made of sterling silver with 24ct gold plated highlights, weighing. It was designed by Radiant Studios and crafted by Thomas Lyte. A basketball net forms the focus of the trophy, and the design creates the effect of a crown.
Prize money
From 2016–17 to 2017–18, FIBA reduced the prize money from €5,200,000 to €3,500,000, but doubled the prize for the winner from €500,000 to €1,000,000. As of 2017–18, FIBA awards a base fee of €50,000 for reaching the regular season. In addition, FIBA pays teams reaching the round of 16 €20,000, each quarter-finalist €30,000, €40,000 for the fourth-placed team, €100,000 for the third-placed team, €300,000 for the runners-up, and €900,000 for the winners.
Base fee for the regular season: €50,000
Round of 16: €20,000
Quarter-finals: €30,000
4th placed team: €40,000
3rd placed team: €100,000
Losing finalist: €300,000
Winning the Final: €900,000
Results
Performances by club
A total of 63 clubs from 23 national associations have played in or qualified for the Champions League group stage.
