Lega Basket Serie A

Lega Basket Serie A (LBA)
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2016–17 Lega Basket Serie A

Official logo of the LBA
Sport Basketball
Founded 1920
CEO Federico Zurleni
President Egidio Bianchi
No. of teams 16
Country  Italy
Confederation Europe FIBA Europe (Europe)
Most recent
champion(s)		 EA7 Emporio Armani Milano
(27th title)
Most titles Olimpia Milano
(27 titles)
TV partner(s) RAI, Sky Italia[1]
Level on pyramid 1st tier
Relegation to Serie A2 – 2nd Tier (Last 1)
Domestic cup(s) Italian Cup
Italian Supercup
International cup(s) EuroLeague
(1st tier)
EuroCup Basketball
(2nd tier)
Champions League
(3rd tier)
FIBA Europe Cup
(4th tier)
Official website LegaBasket.it (Italian)

The Lega Basket Serie A, officially abbreviated as LBA, (English: Serie A Basketball League) is a professional men's club basketball league that has been organised in Italy since 1920. It constitutes the first and highest-tier level of the Italian league pyramid. The LBA, which is played under FIBA rules, currently consists of 16 teams, with the lowest-placed team relegated to the Serie A2 and replaced by the winner of the play-offs of that division.

A total of 99 teams have competed in the LBA since its inception. Seventeen teams have been crowned champions, with Olimpia Milano winning the title a record 27 times, and Virtus Bologna 15 times. According to FIBA Europe's and Euroleague Basketball's national league coefficients, the LBA was the overall historically top ranked national domestic league in Europe, for the period 1958 to 2007. Today, the LBA is considered to be one of the top European national basketball leagues. Its clubs have won the most EuroLeague championships (13), the most FIBA Saporta Cups (15), and the most FIBA Korać Cups (10).

The league is run by the Lega Basket, which is itself regulated by the FIP, the Italian Basketball Federation.

Competition format

The competition format follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which lasts from October to May, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 30 games. Teams receive two points for a win and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points. At the end of the season, the eight best teams in the standings start a play-off, pitting the first place team in the standings versus the 8th place team in the standings, and so on.

There are three playoff rounds. The Quarterfinals are best of five, while the semifinals and finals series are best of seven (in the 2012–13 season, all series were best-of-seven). The winner of the finals round becomes the champion of the LBA.

Each season, the last qualified club of the regula reason is relegated to Serie A2 Basket, and is replaced by the winner of the playoffs of this league.

Clubs composition

Each team is allowed either five or seven foreign players under two formulas:

  1. 5 foreigners from countries outside the European Union
  2. 3 foreigners from countries outside the E.U., 4 foreigners from E.U. countries (also including those from countries signatory of the Cotonou Agreement)

Each club can choose the 5+5 formula, that consists of five Italian players and five foreign players, and the 3+4+5 formula, with five Italian players, three foreigners from countries outside the E.U. and four foreigners from E.U. countries or "Cotonou Countries".[2]

At the end of the season there will be a prize of €500.000,00 for the top three ranked teams, that had chosen the 5+5 formula, considering the playing time of Italian players, and €200.000,00 for those teams that will obtain the best results with their youth sector.[3]

History

A national basketball league was first established in Italy in 1920, with the first title won by S.E.F. Costanza Milano.

Since then, twenty different teams have won the championship, with Olimpia Milano's twenty seven titles the most and Mens Sana's seven consecutive titles from 2007 to 2013 also a record.

After 2007–08 season, the league was reduced from eighteen to sixteen after two clubs, Basket Napoli and Orlandina Basket, were relegated for financial irregularities and not replaced.

On 7 October 2016, following an investigation for accounting and fiscal fraud, the Court of the Italian Basketball Federation has revoked the championship titles awarded to Mens Sana Siena for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons, two Italian Cups (2012 and 2013) and the 2013 Supercoppa.[4]
The revocation came after the prosecutor's office recommended such measures following the charging of club leaders with receiving stolen goods, criminal association for tax fraud and fraudulent bankruptcy. Former general manager, Ferdinando Minucci, vice president Paola Serpi and sports director Olga Finetti were all removed from their positions. Under the name Montepaschi Siena, derived from sponsor Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the club was a dominant presence in Serie A, winning 5 titles in a row from 2006-07 to 2010-11, besides the two more titles now revoked by the Italian Federation, whilst also challenging for titles in Europe. After financial problems caused the club to go bankrupt in 2014, it moved down to the fourth division. It is now in Serie A2, the second division.[5]

Egidio Bianchi, President of LBA, said that there should be more severe rules. Bianchi announces that the league will increase controls to prevent similar cases from happening again, and he said: "we will propose stricter checks which should enter into force as early as the next season begin. The goal is to have more detailed documentation for admission of teams at the Italian League and also more accurate controls during the season".[6]

Logos

Media

For the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons, domestic TV rights are shared by RAI and Sky Italia.[7]

Current clubs

Team Home city Arena Capacity 2015–16 season
Banco di Sardegna Sassari Sassari PalaSerradimigni 5,000 Quarterfinals 2016 playoffs
Betaland Capo d'Orlando Capo d'Orlando PalaFantozzi 3,613 13th in Serie A
Consultinvest Pesaro Pesaro Adriatic Arena 6,119 12th in Serie A
Dolomiti Energia Trento Trento PalaTrento 4,360 Quarterfinals 2016 playoffs
EA7 Emporio Armani Milano Milan Mediolanum Forum 12,700 Serie A Champions
Enel Brindisi Brindisi PalaPentassuglia 3,534 10th in Serie A
FIAT Torino Turin PalaRuffini 4,500 15th in Serie A
Germani Basket Brescia Brescia PalaGeorge[8] 5,500 Serie A2 winner
Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia Reggio Emilia Land Rover Arena
(Bologna)		 5,721 Runners-up 2016 playoffs
PalaBigi 3,800
Juvecaserta Caserta PalaMaggiò 6,387 14th in Serie A
Openjobmetis Varese Varese PalaWhirlpool 5,300 9th in Serie A
Red October Cantù Cantù PalaDesio[9] (Desio) 6,500 11th in Serie A
Sidigas Avellino Avellino PalaDelMauro 5,300 Semifinals 2016 playoffs
The Flexx Pistoia Pistoia PalaCarrara 4,000 Quarterfinals 2016 playoffs
Umana Reyer Venezia Venice Taliercio (Mestre) 3,509 Semifinals 2016 playoffs
Vanoli Cremona Cremona PalaRadi 3,527 Quarterfinals 2016 playoffs

Source:[10]

Title holders

Finals

Season Home court advantage Result Home court disadvantage Regular season leader Record
1976–77 Sinudyne Bologna 0–2 Mobilgirgi Varese Sinudyne Bologna 19–3
1977–78 Mobilgirgi Varese 2–1 Sinudyne Bologna Mobilgirgi Varese 18–4
1978–79 Sinudyne Bologna 2–0 Billy Milano Emerson Varese 18–8
1979–80 Sinudyne Bologna 2–0 Gabetti Cantù Billy Milano 22–4
1980–81 Squibb Cantù 2–1 Sinudyne Bologna Turisanda Varese 27–5
1981–82 Scavolini Pesaro 0–2 Billy Milano Scavolini Pesaro 25–7
1982–83 Banco di Roma Virtus 2–1 Billy Milano Banco di Roma Virtus 22–8
1983–84 Simac Milano 1–2 Granarolo Bologna Simac Milano 25–5
1984–85 Simac Milano 2–0 Scavolini Pesaro Banco di Roma Virtus 23–4
1985–86 Simac Milano 2–1 Mobilgirgi Caserta Simac Milano 26–4
1986–87 Tracer Milano 3–0 Mobilgirgi Caserta Divarese Varese 22–8
1987–88 Tracer Milano 1–3 Scavolini Pesaro Divarese Varese 23–7
1988–89 Enichem Livorno 2–3 Philips Milano Scavolini Pesaro 21–9
1989–90 Scavolini Pesaro 3–1 Ranger Varese Scavolini Pesaro 22–8
1990–91 Philips Milano 2–3 Phonola Caserta Philips Milano 21–9
1991–92 Scavolini Pesaro 1–3 Benetton Treviso Scavolini Pesaro 22–8
1992–93 Knorr Bologna 3–0 Benetton Treviso Knorr Bologna 24–6
1993–94 Buckler Bologna 3–2 Scavolini Pesaro Buckler Bologna 24–6
1994–95 Buckler Bologna 3–0 Benetton Treviso Buckler Bologna 25–7
1995–96 Teamsystem Bologna 1–3 Stefanel Milano Buckler Bologna 23–9
1996–97 Benetton Treviso 3–2 Teamsystem Bologna Benetton Treviso 22–4
1997–98 Kinder Bologna 3–2 Teamsystem Bologna Kinder Bologna 23–3
1998–99 Varese Roosters 3–0 Benetton Treviso Teamsystem Bologna 22–4
1999–00 Paf Bologna 3–1 Benetton Treviso Paf Bologna 27–3
2000–01 Kinder Bologna 3–0 Paf Bologna Kinder Bologna 29–5
2001–02 Skipper Bologna 0–3 Benetton Treviso Skipper Bologna 29–7
2002–03 Benetton Treviso 3–1 Skipper Bologna Benetton Treviso 30–4
2003–04 Montepaschi Siena 3–0 Skipper Bologna Montepaschi Siena 26–8
2004–05 Climamio Bologna 3–1 Armani Jeans Milano Benetton Treviso 28–6
2005–06 Climamio Bologna 1–3 Benetton Treviso Climamio Bologna 27–7
2006–07 Montepaschi Siena 3–0 VidiVici Bologna Montepaschi Siena 30–4
2007–08 Montepaschi Siena 4–1 Lottomatica Roma Montepaschi Siena 31–3
2008–09 Montepaschi Siena 4–0 Armani Jeans Milano Montepaschi Siena 29–1
2009–10 Montepaschi Siena 4–0 Armani Jeans Milano Montepaschi Siena 26–2
2010–11 Montepaschi Siena 4–1 Bennet Cantù Montepaschi Siena 26–4
2011–12 Montepaschi Siena[11] 4–1 EA7 Emporio Armani Milano Montepaschi Siena 24–8
2012–13 Acea Roma 1–4 Montepaschi Siena[12] Cimberio Varese 23–7
2013–14 EA7 Emporio Armani Milano 4–3 Montepaschi Siena EA7 Emporio Armani Milano 25–5
2014–15 Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia 3–4 Banco di Sardegna Sassari EA7 Emporio Armani Milano 26–4
2015–16 EA7 Emporio Armani Milano 4–2 Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia EA7 Emporio Armani Milano 22–8

Titles by club

Club Winners Championship seasons
Olimpia Milano 27 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1971–72, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1995–96, 2013–14, 2015–16
Virtus Bologna 15 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2000–01
Varese 10 1960–61, 1963–64, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1998–99
Mens Sana 1871 6 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
Assi Milano 5 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927
Ginnastica Triestina 5 1930, 1932, 1934, 1939–40, 1940–41
Treviso 5 1991–92, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2005–06
Ginnastica Roma 4 1928, 1931, 1933, 1935
Cantù 3 1967–68, 1974–75, 1980–81
Reyer Venezia 2 1941–42, 1942–43
Victoria Libertas 2 1987–88, 1989–90
Fortitudo Bologna 2 1999–00, 2004–05
Costanza 1 1920
Inter Milan 1 1923
Virtus Roma 1 1982–83
Juvecaserta 1 1990–91
Dinamo Sassari 1 2014–15

Bold indicates clubs which will play in the 2016–17 Lega Basket Serie A.

Titles by city

City Championships Clubs
Milan
34
 Olimpia Milano (27), Assi Milano (5), Costanza (1), Inter Milan (1)
Bologna
17
 Virtus Bologna (15), Fortitudo Bologna (2)
Varese
10
 Varese (10)
Siena
6
 Mens Sana 1871 (6)
Trieste
5
 Ginnastica Triestina (5)
Rome
5
 Ginnastica Roma (4), Virtus Roma (1)
Treviso
5
 Treviso (5)
Cantù
3
 Cantù (3)
Venice
2
 Reyer Venezia (2)
Pesaro
2
 Victoria Libertas (2)
Caserta
1
 Juvecaserta (1)
Sassari
1
 Dinamo Sassari (1)

Titles by region

Region Championships Clubs
 Lombardy
47
 Olimpia Milano (27), Varese (10), Assi Milano (5), Cantù (3), Costanza (1), Inter Milan (1)
 Emilia-Romagna
17
 Virtus Bologna (15), Fortitudo Bologna (2)
 Veneto
7
 Treviso (5), Reyer Venezia (2)
 Tuscany
6
 Mens Sana 1871 (6)
 Lazio
5
 Ginnastica Roma (4), Virtus Roma (1)
 Friuli-Venezia Giulia
5
 Ginnastica Triestina (5)
 Marche
2
 Victoria Libertas (2)
 Campania
1
 Juvecaserta (1)
 Sardinia
1
 Dinamo Sassari (1)

Individual awards

Statistical leaders

Lega Basket All Star Game

Italian basketball clubs in European-wide competitions

Sponsorships

From 1993 to 2016, the Lega Basket Serie A had title sponsorship rights sold to eight companies; Beko was the most recent title sponsor, having sponsored the Lega Basket Serie A from 2012 through 2016.

Period Sponsor Name
1993–1996 Luxottica Luxottica Cup
1996–1998 Polo Polo Cup
1998–1999 Ford Puma Ford Puma Trophy
1999–2000 SportWeek SportWeek Cup
2000–2003 Foxy Foxy Cup
2003–2009 TIM Serie A TIM
2009–2012 Agos Ducato Agos Ducato Serie A
2012–2016 Beko Serie A Beko
2016–present No sponsor LBA

From the end of the 2015–16 season, Lega Basket Serie A has no sponsor. The Turkish brand Beko left Serie A after four years of sponsorship. Beko decided to focus just on their sponsorship of the Spanish football team Barcelona and left all the basketball leagues around Europe they sponsored.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Basket in tv: a Rai e Sky i diritti tv delle prossime due stagioni" [Basketball on television: the tv rights for the next season for Rai and Sky]. Serie A (in Italian). 3 August 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "Serie A, dal prossimo anno i Cotonou saranno considerati comunitari" [Serie A, from the next year the Cotonou players will be considered as Europeans]. sportando.com (in Italian). Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  3. ↑ "Premio italiani a quota 700.000 euro" [Italian prize will be of 700,000 Euros]. sportando.com (in Italian). Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Basket Serie A, revocati due scudetti di Siena" [Basket Serie A, Siena's two championship titles have been revoked]. corrieredellosport.it (in Italian). Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "Federation revokes Siena titles (3)". ansa.it. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Basket, Bianchi: "Siena? Lega aumenterà i controlli"" [Basketball, Bianchi: "Siena? Lega will increase controls"]. repubblica.it (in Italian). Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Michael Long (4 August 2015). "Italy's Lega Basket Serie A completes domestic rights sales". SportsProMedia. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Montichiari: il PalaGeorge "casa" della Centrale del Latte di Brescia?" [Montichiari: will PalaGeorge be Centrale del Latte Brescia's "home"?]. sportando.com (in Italian). Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Andrea Mauri: "Desio è un'opportunità, a lavoro per definire il budget"" [Andrea Mauri: "Desio is an opportunity, at work to define the budget"]. sportando.com (in Italian). Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Italian Serie A Games / Schedule (2015-2016)A". Eurobasket. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  11. ↑ http://www.fip.it/News.asp?IDNews=9598
  12. ↑ http://www.fip.it/News.asp?IDNews=9598
  13. ↑ "Il marchio Beko lascerà il basket. Il CEO Mangiacotti avrà un futuro in Lega?" [Beko is going to leave basketball. Mangiacotti (CEO of Beko) could have a future in Lega]. basketnet.it (in Italian). Retrieved 19 June 2016.

External links

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