ULEB League Rankings Information & ULEB League Rankings Links at HealthHaven.com

ULEB
	; ULEB
Sport	Basketball
Founded	1991
Commissioner	Eduardo Portela
Country(ies)	FIBA Europe members
Continent	Europe
Most recent champion(s)	CSKA Moscow
TV partner(s)	52 Official Broadcasters
Official website	ULEB.net; Euroleague.net; Eurocupbasketball.com; FIBAEurope.com; FIBA Europe EuroChallenge

The ULEB League Rankings are the rankings for each of the different European regional and domestic basketball leagues of the countries that participate in Europe's international continental professional basketball competitions that are held under the ULEB zone umbrella, such as the Euroleague and the Eurocup. FIBA Europe's top competition, the EuroChallenge, also falls under the ULEB rankings system.

Top ranked clubs from the different domestic and regional leagues compete in Europe's three continental professional basketball competitions, the first tier Euroleague competition, the second tier Eurocup competition, and the third tier competition, called the EuroChallenge. The EuroChallenge competition is run by FIBA Europe, but with the cooperation of ULEB it also works under the ULEB domestic and regional league rankings system. Generally, top ranked domestic and regional clubs compete in the Euroleague, while higher end mid-level domestic and regional clubs compete in the Eurocup. Usually, mid-level domestic and regional clubs compete in the EuroChallenge. Lower ranked domestic and regional clubs do not compete in the 3 continental club competitions.

[edit] History

Main article: FIBA European Champions Cup and Euroleague History

[edit] Old FIBA/ULEB rankings

Over the history of Europe-wide club basketball competitions, dating back to the old FIBA Champions Cup (now known as the Euroleague), which began with the 1957-58 season, three European national domestic leagues stood out in prominence under the old ratings system that was based only on basketball game competition results and was originally overseen by FIBA and then later by ULEB. The Italian Lega A, which was the top league historically, the Spanish ACB, which was the second best league historically, and the Greek HEBA A1, which was the third best league historically. The old ratings system which was used from 1957-2007, included only basketball game competition related results.

Also, the old Soviet Union League and the old Yugoslavian YUBA Liga, were additional leagues that historically were amongst the elite of Europe before they folded. The old Yugoslavian YUBA Liga exists in a similar form today as the Adriatic NLB Liga and the old Soviet Union League was the forerunner of today's Russian Superleague A and Baltic BBL. These are still considered the strongest European national domestic and regional leagues today.

Top 3 Leagues
Rank	1960s
1.	Soviet Union League (Russian Superleague A/Baltic BBL)
2.	Spanish Liga Nacional
3.	Italian Serie A

Top 3 Leagues
Rank	1970s
1.	Italian Serie A
2.	Soviet Union League (Russian Superleague A/Baltic BBL)
3.	Spanish Liga Nacional

Top 3 Leagues
Rank	1980s
1.	Italian Serie A
2.	Yugoslavian YUBA Liga (Adriatic NLB Liga)
3.	Soviet Union League (Russian Superleague A/Baltic BBL)

Top 3 Leagues
Rank	1990s
1.	Greek HEBA A1
2.	Yugoslavian YUBA Liga (Adriatic NLB Liga)
3.	Spanish ACB

Top 3 Leagues
Rank	2000-2007
1.	Spanish ACB
2.	Italian Lega A
3.	Greek HEBA A1

Top 3 Leagues Historically
Rank	1957-2007
1.	Italian Lega A
2.	Spanish ACB
3.	Greek HEBA A1

[edit] New ULEB ratings system criteria

The rankings are updated once every 3 years and use the previous 5 years of results to determine the strength of each league. Results from domestic and regional leagues, as well as the 3 international continental competitions are all used. However, starting with the 2007-08 season, basketball game competition results are not all that are used to determine each league's overall rank. Television revenues and ratings, arena attendance figures, and arena seating capacities are also used to determine the rankings of each league. The ratio distribution is based on 60 percent basketball game competition results and 40 percent TV revenues/ratings, attendance figures, and arena capacities.

[edit] Arena rules and qualifications

There are also arena rules for inclusion in the continental club competitions. Starting with the 2011-12 season, to compete in the first tier Euroleague competition, clubs must play in arenas with capacities of at least 10,000 people. To compete in the second tier Eurocup competition, clubs must play in arenas with capacities of at least 5,000 people. To compete in the third tier EuroChallenge competition, clubs must play in arenas with capacities of at least 3,000 people. Also, clubs must be in good standing with FIBA Europe's club rules and regulations. This means that clubs that have been punished in court for unpaid financial obligations to players and have refused to meet them cannot compete in any of the three continental competitions.

[edit] Current ULEB European national domestic and regional basketball league rankings

The current rankings take into account everything from the 2003-04 season through the 2007-08 season. The rankings will again be updated before the 2011-12 season. The rankings are based on 60 percent basketball game competition results and 40 percent TV revenues/ratings, attendance figures, and arena capacities.
*The Balkan BIBL has not yet been officially put in the rankings because its inaugural season began with the 2008-09 season.

National Domestic League Rankings
Rank	National Domestic League
1.	Spanish ACB
2.	Italian Lega A
3.	Greek HEBA A1
4.	Russian Superleague A
5.	French Pro A
6.	Turkish Basketball League
7.	Lithuanian LKL
8.	Serbian KLS
9.	Croatian A1 Liga
10.	Slovenian SKL
11.	German BBL
12.	Polish PLK
13.	Belgian BLB
14.	Latvian LBL
15.	Ukrainian SuperLeague
16.	Israeli Super League
17.	Czech NBL
18.	Dutch FEB
19.	Swiss LNBA
20.	Austrian OBL
21.	Estonian KML
22.	Montenegrin KSCG
23.	Bulgarian NBL
24.	Portuguese LPB
25.	British BBL

Regional League Rankings
Rank	Regional League
1.	Adriatic NLB Liga ---- (Formerly Yugoslavian YUBA Liga)
2.	Baltic BBL ---
3.	Balkan BIBL* ---

Overall League Rankings
Rank	League
1.	Spanish ACB
2.	Italian Lega A
3.	Greek HEBA A1
4.	Russian Superleague A
5.	Adriatic NLB Liga ---- (Formerly Yugoslavian YUBA Liga)
6.	Baltic BBL ---
7.	French Pro A
8.	Turkish Basketball League
9.	Lithuanian LKL
10.	Serbian KLS
11.	Croatian A1 Liga
12.	Slovenian SKL
13.	German BBL
14.	Polish PLK
15.	Belgian BLB
16.	Latvian LBL
17.	Ukrainian SuperLeague
18.	Israeli Super League
19.	Czech NBL
20.	Dutch FEB
21.	Swiss LNBA
22.	Austrian OBL
23.	Estonian KML
24.	Montenegrin KSCG
25.	Bulgarian NBL
26.	Portuguese LPB
27.	British BBL

	Currently rated as A level European basketball leagues by ULEB.
	Currently rated as B level European basketball leagues by ULEB.
	Currently rated as non-Euroleague C level European basketball leagues by ULEB.

[edit] European-wide international continental basketball league rankings

International Continental League Rankings
Rank	International Continental League
1.	Euroleague
2.	Eurocup
3.	EuroChallenge

	Europe's top European-wide A level club competition. The premier basketball league in the world excluding the NBA.
	Europe's second level European-wide B level club competition. One of the strongest basketball leagues in Europe.
	Europe's third level European-wide C level club competition. The highest level club competition that is run by FIBA Europe.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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