Latvian-Estonian Basketball League

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Latvian-Estonian Basketball League
Latvian-Estonian Basketball League logo.png
Founded2018; 4 years ago (2018)
First season2018–19
CountryEstonia
Latvia
ConfederationFIBA Europe
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid1
Current championsKalev/Cramo (1st title)
(2020–21)
Most championshipsKalev/Cramo
Ventspils
(1 title)
TV partners, LTV7, Delfi
Websiteestlatbl.com
2021–22 season

The Latvian-Estonian Basketball League is the highest professional men's club basketball league in Latvia and Estonia; it has been organised since 2018, run by the Latvian Basketball Association and the Estonian Basketball Association.

History[]

The league was established in 2018 when the Latvijas Basketbola līga (LBL) and Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML) merged. In its inaugural season, 15 teams participated in the league.[1] After a Final Four is played to determine the winner of the league, there are playoffs to decide the national champions of Latvia and Estonia. The first game was on 28 September 2018, with Estonian champions Kalev/Cramo hosting a game against the Latvian champions Ventspils. On 9 April 2019, Ventspils won the first league championship.[2] On November 19, 2021 at a meeting in Pärnu, representatives of the Latvian and Estonian Basketball Association agreed to continue the development of a joint league for the next three years. Both parties acknowledged that the Pafbet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League promotes the development of players and coaches, attracts basketball fans and inspires young people to focus on basketball.[3]

Title sponsorships[]

Since inaugural season in 2018 the League has had title sponsorship rights sold to two companies, most recently to Paf betting company.

Period Sponsor Name
2018–2019 Olympic Entertainment Group OlyBet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League
2019–present Paf Pafbet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League

Competition format[]

The competition follows a double round-robin format. During the course of a season each club plays each other club twice (once at home and once away). Teams' rankings at season end are determined by winning percentage. At season end, the eight top teams play-off, pitting the first place standings team against the 8th place team, and so on. The play-off format initially was supposed to be Quarterfinals and Final Four, but since the inaugural season it has changed every season.

Home Grown Player Rule[]

A foreign player (not Latvian or Estonian) who has been registered and played in the Latvian National Championship or the Estonian National Championship for three consecutive seasons between the ages of 12 and 19 is considered to be a local player.[4]

Current clubs[]

Latvian-Estonian Basketball League is located in Estonia and Latvia
Kalev Kalev/TLÜ TalTech
Pärnu
Rapla
Tartu Ülikool
Tartu Ülikool
Ventspils
Ventspils
LU VEF Rīga
Liepāja
Ogre
Ogre
Valmiera
Valmiera
Rakvere
Viimsi
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Location of the 2021–22 Latvian–Estonian Basketball League teams

14 teams, 8 from Estonia and 6 from Latvia, is contesting the league in the 2021–22 season.

Venues and locations[]

Team Home city Arena Capacity
Estonia Avis Utilitas Rapla Rapla Sadolin Sports Hall 1000
Estonia Kalev/Cramo Tallinn Kalev Sports Hall 1780
Saku Suurhall 7200
Latvia Latvijas Universitāte Rīga Rimi Olympic Sports Center 830
Latvia Liepāja Liepāja 2542
Latvia Ogre Ogre 500
Estonia Pärnu Sadam Pärnu Pärnu Sports Hall 1820
Estonia Rakvere Tarvas Rakvere Rakvere Sports Hall 2747
Estonia Tallinna Kalev Tallinn Sõle Sports Centre
Estonia TalTech Tallinn TalTech Sports Hall 1000
Estonia Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits Tartu University of Tartu Sports Hall 2600
Estonia Viimsi Viimsi 500
Latvia Valmiera Glass VIA Valmiera 1500
Latvia VEF Rīga Rīga Rimi Olympic Sports Center 830
Arena Riga 11 200
Latvia Ventspils Ventspils Ventspils Olympic Center 3085

Champions[]

Year Winner Runner-up Third
2018–19 Ventspils VEF Rīga Kalev/Cramo
2019–20 Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Kalev/Cramo VEF Rīga Ogre
2021–22

Performance by club[]

Club Winners Championship seasons[5]
Ventspils 1 2018-19
Kalev/Cramo 1 2020–21


References[]

  1. ^ "News - 15 teams participating in OlyBet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League". www.estlatbl.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  2. ^ "News - Ventspils won the first ever OlyBet Latvian-Estonian basketball league trophy (Lomažs was named MVP)". www.estlatbl.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Tweet from official League account". www.twitter.com. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Latvian-Estonian Basketball League Regulations" (PDF). www.basket.lv. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Gli Albi D'oro". Classifiche (in Italian). Legabasket.it. Retrieved 13 June 2017.

External links[]

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