This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Spanish Liga ACB | |
|---|---|
| Name | Liga ACB |
| Country | Spain |
| Confed | FIBA Europe |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Teams | 18 |
| Relegation | LEB Oro |
| Domestic cup | Copa del Rey (basketball) |
| Super cup | Supercopa de España de Baloncesto |
| Champions | Real Madrid Baloncesto |
| Most championships | Real Madrid Baloncesto |
| Tv | Movistar+ (Spain), DAZN |
Spanish Liga ACB The Spanish Liga ACB is the top professional basketball league in Spain and one of the premier club competitions in Europe, featuring clubs from cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, and Bilbao. Founded in 1983, the league has produced European champions like Real Madrid Baloncesto, FC Barcelona Bàsquet, and Saski Baskonia, while showcasing players who later starred for Spain national basketball team, NBA, and clubs like CSKA Moscow, Olympiacos B.C., and Panathinaikos B.C..
The ACB was established in 1983 after clubs including Real Madrid Baloncesto, FC Barcelona Bàsquet, Joventut Badalona, Caja de Ronda, and Valencia Basket sought a new structure distinct from the Royal Spanish Basketball Federation. Early seasons featured stars such as Dražen Petrović, Arvydas Sabonis, Fernando Martín, Juan Antonio San Epifanio "Epi", and Dani Díez, while clubs like TAU Cerámica (later Saski Baskonia) and Unicaja Málaga rose through investment and sporting projects. The league navigated issues involving FIBA Europe calendars, the EuroLeague split, financial crises affecting clubs like CB Granada and CB Valladolid, and landmark moments including EuroLeague Finals featuring ACB teams. Structural reforms, television deals with Televisión Española and Movistar+ (Spain), and the expansion of youth academies at clubs like Joventut Badalona and FC Barcelona Bàsquet shaped modern ACB development.
The ACB season typically features 18 teams playing a double round-robin, with clubs such as Real Madrid Baloncesto, FC Barcelona Bàsquet, Saski Baskonia, Valencia Basket, and Unicaja Málaga contesting home-and-away fixtures. Points and standings determine qualification for domestic tournaments like the Copa del Rey (basketball) and participation in continental competitions including the EuroLeague, EuroCup Basketball, and historically the FIBA Korać Cup. Relegation to LEB Oro and promotion from LEB Oro follow sporting criteria, while licensing and financial requirements echo regulations used by Euroleague Basketball and national federations like the Royal Spanish Basketball Federation.
ACB clubs represent a wide geographic range across Spain from regions such as Andalusia, Catalonia, Community of Madrid, Basque Country, Valencian Community, and Navarre. Notable venues include the WiZink Center in Madrid, Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona, Pabellón Fuente de San Luis in Valencia, Buesa Arena in Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Pabellón Martín Carpena in Málaga. Historic clubs cover a spectrum from long-established institutions like Real Madrid Baloncesto, FC Barcelona Bàsquet, and Joventut Badalona to newer projects such as Bàsquet Girona, Club Baloncesto Breogán, and Club Joventut Badalona. Regional rivalries include derbies like El Clásico (basketball) between Real Madrid Baloncesto and FC Barcelona Bàsquet, Basque contests involving Saski Baskonia, and Andalusian matches featuring Unicaja Málaga.
The ACB regular season usually runs from October to May, aligning with international windows used by FIBA and allowing ACB players to join national team duty with squads such as Spain national basketball team, Lithuania national basketball team, and France national basketball team during summers. Midseason events include the Copa del Rey (basketball), typically held in February at venues rotated among cities like Gran Canaria, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Seville, and the Supercopa de España de Baloncesto opened in the autumn, often hosted in cities such as Las Palmas or Madrid. The calendar interplays with continental competitions—EuroLeague fixtures and EuroCup Basketball matchdays—requiring squad depth and travel planning to cities like Istanbul for matches against Fenerbahçe Beko or Anadolu Efes S.K..
After the regular season, the top teams enter ACB playoffs, traditionally culminating in best-of-five series for quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals where clubs like Real Madrid Baloncesto, FC Barcelona Bàsquet, Saski Baskonia, and Valencia Basket have lifted the championship trophy. The league champion gains prestige and often qualification or seeding advantages in EuroLeague, while Copa del Rey winners earn midseason honors. Historic finals have featured legendary coaches and players such as Pablo Laso, Xavi Pascual, Željko Obradović (opponent context), Sergio Llull, and Juan Carlos Navarro.
ACB maintains extensive records for scoring, rebounding, assists, and efficiency, with career and single-season leaders including figures like Epi (Juan Antonio San Epifanio), Dražen Petrović, Arvydas Sabonis, Sergio Rodríguez, Ricky Rubio, Fernando Martín, and Walter Szczerbiak Sr.. Club records involve championship counts where Real Madrid Baloncesto leads, and attendance benchmarks at arenas such as WiZink Center and Palau Blaugrana. Statistical milestones and awards—MVP of the ACB, All-ACB Team, Best Young Player—highlight performers who later advanced to NBA Draft selections or became staples for national teams like Spain national basketball team and Argentina national basketball team.
The ACB is governed by the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto, interacting with the Royal Spanish Basketball Federation, FIBA Europe, and commercial partners like Endesa (sponsorship history), Movistar+ (Spain), and broadcasters including Televisión Española and DAZN. Financial models blend gate receipts from arenas such as Buesa Arena, sponsorship deals with companies like Endesa and regional governments including Junta de Andalucía, and distribution of television rights. Economic challenges have affected clubs historically—examples include insolvency cases prompting regrouping at LEB Oro—while licensing, salary caps, and UEFA-style financial controls remain topics of negotiation among stakeholders including club presidents from Real Madrid Baloncesto and FC Barcelona Bàsquet.
Category:Basketball leagues in Spain