| Pixels | 250 |
|---|---|
| Formerly | FIBA Europe League (2003–2005) FIBA EuroCup (2005–2008) |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Folded | 2015 |
| Replaced | FIBA Europe Cup |
| Teams | 32 |
| Promotion | EuroCup (finalists) |
| Levels | 3 (2004–15) |
| Pyramid | European professional club basketball system |
| Continent | FIBA Europe (Europe) |
| Country | FIBA Europe member associations |
| Champion | Nanterre (1st title) |
| Most champs | 12 teams (1 title each) |
| Website | EuroChallenge |
FIBA EuroChallenge (called the FIBA Europe League in 2003–05, and FIBA EuroCup in 2005–08)[1] was the 3rd-tier continental club basketball competition in Europe, from 2003 to 2015. It was organized and run by FIBA Europe. It is not to be confused with the FIBA EuroCup Challenge – the defunct 4th-tier competition, which was also organized and run by FIBA Europe, played between 2002–03 and 2006–07. In 2015, FIBA dissolved the EuroChallenge, in order to start the Basketball Champions League (BCL) and FIBA Europe Cup (FEC), in order to extend opportunities outside the competitions organized by the Euroleague Basketball.[2]
History
The competition was created in 2003, following the defections of most of the top European basketball teams from the former FIBA SuproLeague, which heralded the formation of the new version of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, under the umbrella of Euroleague Basketball. FIBA was aiming to create a competition similar to the former Suproleague to rival the Euroleague. From the 2004–05 season and after FIBA sanctioned the Euroleague and the ULEB Cup, the EuroChallenge was considered to be the 3rd strongest international professional basketball competition for men's clubs in Europe, after both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the EuroCup (both of which fall under the supervision of Euroleague Basketball). Though, during the first two seasons of the competition's coexistence with the EuroCup, the EuroChallenge (under the name FIBA Europe League) was favored by Italian, Russian and Greek teams, making both competitions quite comparable in strength.
Since the 2007-08 and following am agreement between ULEB and FIBA the two EuroChallenge finalists were promoted to the next season's 2nd tier level, the EuroCup competition.
In 2015, FIBA Europe dissolved the EuroChallenge, to start a new self-anointed second-tier competition, called the FIBA Europe Cup, in an attempt to compete with the EuroCup.[3]
Criteria and rules
- Each country could have no more than 4 teams in the FEL.
- Clubs could maintain all TV, marketing and merchandising rights, with the exception of the rights related to the Final Four.
- The main criteria for the participation of Cclubs to the FEL would include the ranking of the respective National Federations, and their participation and results in past FIBA competitions
- Venues should hold a minimum capacity of 2,000 spectators
- National Federations could propose their candidates for wild cards
Name history
- FIBA Europe League (2003–2005)
- FIBA EuroCup (2005–2008)
- FIBA EuroChallenge (2008-2015)
Final Fours
Finals/Final Four MVP award winners (2004–2015)
Records and statistics
Performances by club
| Club | Won | Runner-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krasnye Krylia Samara | 1 | 1 | 2013 | 2010 |
| Nanterre | 1 | 0 | 2015 | – |
| Pallacanestro Reggiana | 1 | 0 | 2014 | – |
| Beşiktaş | 1 | 0 | 2012 | – |
| Krka Novo mesto | 1 | 0 | 2011 | – |
| BG Göttingen | 1 | 0 | 2010 | – |
| Virtus Bologna | 1 | 0 | 2009 | – |
| Barons LMT | 1 | 0 | 2008 | – |
| Girona | 1 | 0 | 2007 | – |
| Joventut Badalona | 1 | 0 | 2006 | – |
| Dyanmo Saint Petersburg | 1 | 0 | 2005 | – |
| UNICS Kazan | 1 | 0 | 2004 | – |
| Maroussi | 0 | 1 | – | 2004 |
| Kyiv | 0 | 1 | – | 2005 |
| Khimki | 0 | 1 | – | 2006 |
| Azovmash | 0 | 1 | – | 2007 |
| Dexia Mons-Hainaut | 0 | 1 | – | 2008 |
| Cholet | 0 | 1 | – | 2009 |
| Lokomotiv Kuban | 0 | 1 | – | 2011 |
| Élan Chalon | 0 | 1 | – | 2012 |
| Pınar Karşıyaka | 0 | 1 | – | 2013 |
| Triumph Lyubertsy | 0 | 1 | – | 2014 |
| Trabzonspor | 0 | 1 | – | 2015 |
| Total | 12 | 12 |
Performances by country
| Country | Won | Runner-up | Winning clubs | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 3 | 4 | Krasnye Krylia Samara (1), BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg (1), UNICS Kazan (1) | Krasnye Krylia Samara (1), Lokomotiv Kuban (1), BC Khimki (1), Triumph Lyubertsy (1) |
| Italy | 2 | 0 | Virtus Bologna (1), Pallacanestro Reggiana (1) | – |
| Spain | 2 | 0 | CB Girona (1), Joventut Badalona (1) | – |
| France | 1 | 2 | JSF Nanterre (1) | Élan Chalon (1), Cholet Basket (1) |
| Turkey | 1 | 2 | Beşiktaş (1) | Pınar Karşıyaka (1), Trabzonspor (1) |
| Germany | 1 | 0 | BG Göttingen (1) | – |
| Latvia | 1 | 0 | Barons LMT (1) | – |
| Slovenia | 1 | 0 | KK Krka (1) | – |
| Ukraine | 0 | 2 | – | BC Kyiv (1), BC Azovmash (1) |
| Greece | 0 | 1 | – | Maroussi B.C. (1) |
| Belgium | 0 | 1 | – | Dexia Mons-Hainaut (1) |
| Total | 12 | 12 |
Individual records and statistical leaders
All-Star Game
See also
References and notes
- ^ "ULEB, FIBA Europe announce new competitions names, formats – News – Welcome to Eurocup.". Archived from the original on 2008-07-22. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
- ^ "FIBA Europe Board pushes ahead with attractive club competitions model - FIBA.basketball". Archived March 10, 2018 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "FIBA Europe Board pushes ahead with attractive club competitions model - FIBA.basketball". Archived March 10, 2018 at the Wayback Machine.