The First and Second ABA League will count 12 teams next season, a decision made at the ABA League meeting in Belgrade. A new way of determining participants in the First and Second ABA League has also been established, as well as the new system of competition in the Second ABA League, which will be applicable from the 2018/19 season, reports Vijesti on March 13, 2018.
"For the purpose of protecting quality and improving the competition, and exclusively guided by the sporting criteria, the ABA League committee decided to abolish the national key for placement in the First ABA League, and starting from the 2018/19 season, participants are determined exclusively on the results in the competitions under the ABA League, " the statement said, which means that placement in the First ABA League is possible exclusively from the Second ABA League.
The last squad of the First ABA League in the 2017/18 season loses the right to participate in the 2018/19 season, and this place belongs to the champion of the Second ABA League.
According to the adopted criterion, the following teams will participate in the 2018/19 season of the First ABA League: Budućnost Voli, Cedevita, Cibona, Red Star, FMP, Igokea, Mega Bemaks, Mornar, Partizan, Olimpija, Zadar and the champion of the Second ABA League (the winner of the final-four in Čačak).
It has been stated that in the First ABA League, at most five clubs from one country can participate.
From the 2018/19 season, the second to last team of the First ABA League and the second-placed team of the Second ABA League will play for placement in the First ABA League in the 2019/20 season. The games will be played in for the best of three, and the home court advantage will be given to the First ABA League team, according to the statement.
Clubs which will face relegation from the First ABA League will have a guaranteed place in the Second ABA League, while the other participants of the Second ABA League will be determined based on the results in the national championships. Each country will have two representatives.
Instead of a final-four, from the 2018/19 season, the champion of the Second ABA League will be determined in the playoff which will include the four best-ranked teams from the league section of the competition. The last squad of the Second ABA League in the 2017/18 season loses the right to participate in the Second ABA League in the 2018/19 season regardless of the place in the national championship.
According to the decision of the Assembly, the adopted system of the competition will not change with the 2024/25 season included, except in case of significant changes in European basketball.
The ABA League Assembly also came to a conclusion that there was a high level of quality in the current season of the First and Second ABA League, and that everything was done to make the battles for the trophies as the crown of the season.
This article was translated from an article by S.J. on Vijesti.me: There will be no ABA League extension, the national key abolished
