By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
In an age of uncertainty in the world of sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Basketball Champions League announced a list of 44 clubs which is the strongest ever in the competition.
The BCL once more gives the chance to teams who thrive on their domestic leagues to introduce or re-introduce themselves on a continental level. It’s by far the most inclusive European basketball competition.
Including the qualifying rounds, a total of 25 different countries is represented, and with very few exceptions, the clubs which are part of the competition have left their mark on the domestic championship during the past season and are rewarded for that. The prime example for this is San Pablo Burgos which managed to play in the Spanish League semifinals in the recent Liga Endesa final tournament in Valencia.
The number of the countries represented in the regular season of the competition can end up being 18, providing a stage for clubs from domestic leagues that don’t usually take the spotlight outside their countries’ borders.
Practically the BCL gives to those clubs and those leagues the chance to grow and also a financial boost during a summer in which nothing can be taken for granted in professional sports. The fact that four clubs who competed in the EuroCup last season and reached the Top16 – Rytas Vilnius, Galatasaray, Tofas Bursa, and Darussafaka – moved to the Basketball Champions League, is a clear indication for that.
The BCL growth is obvious and all the clubs which are part of the regular season are well known and respected.
And as the BCL is gearing up for the September Final Eight, season five of the competition should be already considered the best ever yet.
Not only the BCL managed to present a great line-up, but also solidified itself once more as the main partner of their domestic leagues, serving as their extension on the continental level.
What remains to be seen is what names will be added on the 2020 title contenders ahead of the Final Eight. There’s a transfer deadline until the 23rd of September for those teams and some extra big names on their roster could be the icing on the cake.