The Latvian Basketball League (LBL; Latvian: Latvijas Basketbola līga) also known as the Pafbet LBL for sponsorship reasons,[1] is the top-level national basketball championship in Latvia composed of 6 teams. Since 2018/19, only the playoff matches are played, as the top Latvian clubs play the regular season in the Latvian–Estonian Basketball League. The LBL is governed by the Latvian Basketball Association, the national governing body of basketball in Latvia.
Its 6 teams are located in 5 cities; two in Riga, and one in Ventspils, Liepāja, Valmiera, and Ogre. The LBL season usually ran from September to April, with the playoffs in April–May. The league was founded in 1992, and its first season was played in the same year.
After American YMCA volunteers introduced the sport in Riga around 1920, interest in the sport grew, and in 1923 the YMCA organized the first ever basketball tournament in Latvia, with 14 teams registering. In 1924, the newly-founded Latvian Basketball Association announced the first Latvian Basketball Championship in the winter of 1924 (Latvian: Latvijas meistarsacīkstes basketbolā) with 6 teams participating.[2][3] It was won by the Latvian Sports Society (Latvijas Sporta biedrība) team, who defeated the Riga YMCA team (Rīgas JKS) in the final game with a score of 25:15.[4] The first official national women's tournament followed in 1932.[5]
The first LBL season was played in 1992, with LBL2 (LBL 2. divīzija) as its second division and LBL3 as the third. From 1992 to 1999 all championships were won by BK Brocēni, however, from 2000 to 2006 BK Ventspils were the champions. In 2007, ASK Rīga stopped BK Ventspils' winning streak. BK Ventspils won again in 2009, beating Barons/LMT in a thriller 4–3.
Barons would return to the final the following year, this time against VEF Rīga, and win by the same 4–3 margin. The 2011 final again went to 7 games, with VEF Rīga defeating Ventspils. Between 2011 and 2018, the title changed hands frequently, with BK Valmiera Ordo claiming the title in 2016.
Since the introduction of the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League in the 2018/2019 season, the regular LBL championship was merged into the LEBL. The six top Latvian teams then qualify for the LBL playoffs after the end of the LEBL regular season. VEF Rīga has held the title ever since.
For the 2020/2021 season, the 2nd tier Latvian league - LBL2 - was reformed into the Ramirent Nacionālā basketbola līga (NBL, National Basketball League) and LBL3 became the Reģionālā basketbola līga (Regional Basketball League).
From 2012 to 2015, the league was known as Aldaris Latvijas Basketbola līga due to the AS Aldaris brewery becoming the general sponsor of the Latvian Basketball Association.[6] In 2016, they were succeeded by betting brand OlyBet and in 2019 by Pafbet.
Latvian champions
Latvian SSR champions
Latvian champions
Total number of national champions won by Latvian clubs. Table includes titles won during the Latvian Championships (1924–1944) and (1992–present) and the USSR Premier Basketball League (1945–1992).
