Pro Basketball League

The Pro Basketball League (PBL),^[1] was the highest tier level professional basketball league in Belgium for clubs. In 2021, the league was succeeded by the Belgian-Dutch BNXT League.^[2]

The league is organized by the Basketball League Belgium. The current president of the league is Maarten Bostyn.^[3]

The most successful team in the league is Oostende, which holds the record for the most league titles won, with 22, and the now defunct team of Racing Mechelen is second, with 15.

History

On 15 March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the season was prematurely cancelled. Based on the standings in the regular season, Filou Oostende was crowned national champions.^[4]

Sponsorship names

Until 2014: Ethias League
2014–2016: Scooore! League
2016–2021 EuroMillions Basketball League^[5]

Ethias League logo
Scooore! League logo (2014–2016)

Format and rules

The BLB is played by the international FIBA rules. Since 2014–15 the BLB season has a new format. In the regular season, all teams play each other first home and away. After that first round the league is divided in two groups based on standings; in the first group teams ranked 1–6 play and in the second 7–11. After the split each team plays all others in its group once home and once away. After that the Playoffs are played by eight teams. The quarterfinals consist of best-of-three series and the semi- and finals are played in a best-of-five format.

Licensing

Teams that play in the BLB all have to get a license to play in the league. There are three types of licenses:^[6]^[7]

A-license: for teams who have more than a € 1 million budget. A-licensed team can qualify for European competitions.
B-license: teams with at least a €750,000 budget. B-licensed teams can't qualify for European play.
C-licence: given to teams that are on the rise, with a budget of at least €400,000. C-licenses do not allow teams to qualify for European play and have to get replaced by B-licenses after two years.

Current clubs

Mons

Location of the 2020–21 Pro Basketball League teams

Finals

Since 2005, play-offs are played to decide which team is crowned the champion of each season. The finals series are played in a best-of-five format, with the team which had the higher seed in the regular season having home court advantage.

Performances by club (2005–present)

Title holders

1927–28 Brussels A.C.
1928–29 Daring B.C.
1929–30 Brussels A.C.
1930–31 Brussels A.C.
1931–32 Daring B.C.
1932–33 Brussels A.C.
1933–34 Daring B.C.
1934–35 Amicale Sportive
1935–36 Amicale Sportive
1936–37 Fresh Air
1937–38 Fresh Air
1938–39 Royal IV
1939–41 Not held due to WWII
1941–42 Royal IV
1942–45 Not held due to WWII
1945–46 Semailles
1946–47 Semailles
1947–48 Semailles
1948–49 Semailles
1949–50 Semailles
1950–51 Semailles
1951–52 Royal IV
1953–53 Royal IV
1953–54 Royal IV
1954–55 Hellas Gent
1955–56 Antwerpse
1956–57 Royal IV
1957–58 Royal IV
1958–59 Antwerpse
1959–60 Antwerpse
1960–61 Antwerpse
1961–62 Antwerpse
1962–63 Antwerpse
1963–64 Antwerpse
1964–65 Racing Mechelen
1965–66 Racing Mechelen
1966–67 Racing Mechelen
1967–68 Standard Liège
1968–69 Racing Bell Mechelen
1969–70 Standard Liège
1970–71 Bus Fruit Lier
1971–72 Bus Fruit Lier
1972–73 Racing Antwerpen
1973–74 Maes Pils
1974–75 Maes Pils
1975–76 Maes Pils
1976–77 Standard Liège
1977–78 Fresh Air
1978–79 Fresh Air
1979–80 Maes Pils
1980–81 Sunair Oostende
1981–82 Sunair Oostende
1982–83 Sunair Oostende
1983–84 Sunair Oostende
1984–85 Sunair Oostende
1985–86 Sunair Oostende
1986–87 Maes Pils
1987–88 Sunair Oostende
1988–89 Maes Pils
1989–90 Maes Pils
1990–91 Maes Pils
1991–92 Maes Pils
1992–93 Maes Pils
1993–94 Maes Pils
1994–95 Sunair Oostende
1995–96 Spirou
1996–97 Spirou
1997–98 Spirou
1998–99 Spirou
1999–00 Telindus Racing Antwerpen
2000–01 Telindus Oostende
2001–02 Telindus Oostende
2002–03 Spirou
2003–04 Spirou
2004–05 Euphony Bree
2005–06 Telindus Oostende
2006–07 Telindus Oostende
2007–08 Spirou
2008–09 Spirou
2009–10 Spirou
2010–11 Spirou
2011–12 Telenet Oostende
2012–13 Telenet Oostende
2013–14 Telenet Oostende
2014–15 Telenet Oostende
2015–16 Telenet Oostende
2016–17 Telenet Oostende
2017–18 Telenet Oostende
2018–19 Filou Oostende
2019–20 Filou Oostende
2020–21 Filou Oostende
2021–22 Filou Oostende

Performance by club

Individual awards

Not all awards are official ones handed out by the league itself, but all are regarded and respected as BLB awards. As example the Belgian Player of the Year award is handed out by the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, but the league itself reports the winner on its website.

References

^ "Statuten Pro Basketball League" (PDF) (in Dutch). Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
^ "The Pro Basketball League and Dutch Basketball League about to launch BeNeLeague as of the 2021–2022 season". Pro Basketball League. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
^ "Arthur Goethals nieuwe voorzitter Pro Basketball League". Het Nieuwsblad.
^ "Basketbalcompetitie bij mannen definitief stopgezet: Oostende is weer kampioen". Sporza.be. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
^ "Scooore! League makes way for Euromillions Basketball League". Scooore! League. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
^ "A, B en C-licentie in 2009-2010 in Ethias League". Nieuwsblad.be. 12 March 2009.
^ "Licentiereglement vzw BLB ter deelname aan competitie – Types van licentie" (PDF). BLB. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.

Sources

List of Champions

External links

Official website
Eurobasket.com League Page