VTB United League

VTB United League (Russian: Единая Лига ВТБ) is an international professional men's club basketball league that was founded in 2008. It is made up of mostly Russian clubs, with some others from surrounding countries. Since 2013, it is the first tier of Russian professional club basketball. Therefore, the highest placed Russian team in the league is also named Russian national champions. Its goal is to unite the leading basketball clubs of Eastern Europe and Northern Europe together into one league. The league is sponsored by VTB Bank.

VTB United League
Founded2008 (2008)
First season2008
Country Russia
Other club(s) from Belarus
 Estonia
 Kazakhstan
 Poland
ConfederationFIBA Europe (Europe)
FIBA Asia (Asia)
Number of teams13
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Russian Cup
International cup(s)EuroLeague
EuroCup
Champions League
FIBA Europe Cup
Current champions CSKA Moscow
(10th title)
Most championships CSKA Moscow
(10 titles)
TV partnersMatch TV
WebsiteVTB-League.com
2020–21 season

The current champions are CSKA Moscow, who secured their 10th title after defeating Khimki 3:0 in the 2019 Finals. The VTB United League also holds a youth competition, the VTB United Youth League.

Formats

In its inaugural 2009–10 season, the VTB United League featured clubs from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. For the 2010–11 season, teams from Belarus, Finland and Poland were added to the league. The 2011–12 season featured a total of 18 teams, with new teams being added from the Czech Republic and Kazakhstan.[1] In the 2012–13 season, the number of teams increased to 20. The number of teams was decreased to 16 for the 2014–15 season, and the teams from Lithuania and Ukraine dropped out of the league.

History

The first step in the creation of the league was a competition named the VTB United League Promo-Cup held in Moscow in December, 2008.[2] The final of the Promo-Cup was played on December 22, 2008, and was won by CSKA Moscow, who defeated Khimki 70–66. Kyiv ended third.[3]

Unification with the Russian PBL

In May 2012, all the PBL clubs gathered to decide which format would be used for the next season, and some club's directors raised the possibility of uniting with the VTB United League, to produce greater competition between the Russian basketball clubs. They suggested that the new league would be named the Eastern European Professional Basketball League.[4][5][6]

In July 2012, the Council of VTB United League gave a definitive decision. It was decided that the PBL league would continue for one more year, with some of the games of the VTB United League that took place between two Russian clubs being counted as PBL games.[7] The first tier Russian clubs then replaced the PBL with the VTB United League as their new national domestic league, starting with the 2013-14 season.

The VTB United League was officially recognized by FIBA Europe in September 2013.[8][9] The league was then officially recognized by FIBA World in October 2014. The league needed to be recognized by both bodies, because it contains clubs that come from countries that are part of both the European and Asian FIBA zones.

The honorary head of the league is Sergei Ivanov and its official sponsor is Pavel Vrublevsky of ChronoPay who are often seen together.[10][11][12]

Arena rules

In order for clubs to play in the VTB United League, they must have a home arena that has a seating capacity of at least 3,000 seats.[13]

Current clubs
Locations of teams in the 2019–20 VTB United League
Team Home city Arena Capacity
AstanaNur-SultanArena Velotrack9,270[14]
AvtodorSaratovDS Kristall5,500[15]
CSKA MoscowMoscowUSC CSKA5,000[16]
EniseyKrasnoyarskArena.Sever4,000[17]
Kalev/CramoTallinnSaku Suurhall5,500[18]
KhimkiKhimkiBCMO4,000[19]
Lokomotiv KubanKrasnodarBasket-Hall7,500[20]
Nizhny NovgorodNizhny NovgorodTrade Union Sport Palace5,500[21]
ParmaPermUDS Molot7,000
Tsmoki MinskMinskMinsk-Arena15,000[22]
UNICSKazanBasket-Hall7,000[23]
ZenitSaint PetersburgSibur Arena6,381[24]
Zielona GóraZielona GóraCRS Hall Zielona Góra6,080

Team appearances
Team 2008
(8)		 09–10
(8)		 10–11
(12)		 11–12
(18)		 12–13
(20)		 13–14
(20)		 14–15
(16)		 15–16
(16)		 16–17
(13)		 17–18
(13)		 18–19
(14)
Tsmoki-MinskGSGSGSGS14th12th12th9th14th
NymburkGSGSGS15thQF
Kalev/CramoGSGSGSGS9th14th11th12thQF
Bisons Loimaa13th13th
Espoon HonkaGS
Torpan PojatQR
VITA Tbilisi16th
Astana1/81/8QF15thQF10thQF
ASK Rīga7th
VEF RīgaGSGSQFGSGS11thQFQF10th
Lietuvos rytasGS3rdGSSF
NeptūnasGSGS
ŠiauliaiQR
Žalgiris5th3rd1/81/83rd
AnwilQR
Prokom8thGSGS
TurówGSGS
Zielona Góra12th
AvtodorQFQF10thQF11th
CSKA1st1st2nd1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st
Dynamo4th
EniseyGSGS1/811th10thQF13th9th
Khimki2nd4th1stQF4thQF2ndSF2nd2nd2nd
Krasny Oktyabr1/812th9th
Krasnye KryliaGSQFQF16th
Lokomotiv Kuban4th2ndQFSFQFSFQFQF
Nizhny Novgorod1/8QF2ndSFQF9thQFQF
Parma13th11th13th
SpartakQF1/81/8
Triumph1/8QF
UNICS2nd3rd2ndQFSFQF2ndQF4thSF
ZenitQFSFSF3rdSF
Azovmash6thGS4thGSGSGS
BudivelnykGS
DniproGSQR
DonetskGS1/8GS
Kyiv3rd

Titles
Key to colors
     VTB United League Promo-Cup
Season Finals & Final Four Hosts Finals Third Place Playoff
Gold Score Silver Bronze Score Fourth Place
2008
Details		  Russia
(USK CSKA, Moscow) †
CSKA Moscow		 70–66
Khimki
Kyiv		 86–73
Dynamo Moscow
2009–10
Details		  Lithuania
(Sports Hall, Kaunas)
CSKA Moscow		 66–55
UNICS
Žalgiris		 78–72
Khimki
2010–11
Details		  Russia
(Basket Hall, Kazan)
Khimki		 66–64
CSKA Moscow
UNICS		 95–75
Azovmash
2011–12
Details		  Lithuania
(Siemens Arena, Vilnius)
CSKA Moscow		 74–62
UNICS
Lietuvos rytas		 91–83
Lokomotiv-Kuban
2012–13
Details		 In home and away venues
CSKA Moscow		 3–1
Series
Lokomotiv-Kuban
Žalgiris		 Did not play
Khimki
2013–14
Details		 In home and away venues
CSKA Moscow		 3–0
Series
Nizhny Novgorod
UNICS		 Did not play
Lietuvos rytas
2014–15
Details		 In home and away venues
CSKA Moscow		 3–0
Series
Khimki
Lokomotiv-Kuban		 Did not play
Nizhny Novgorod
2015–16
Details		 In home and away venues
CSKA Moscow		 3–1
Series
UNICS
Zenit		 Did not play
Khimki
2016–17
Details		 In home and away venues
CSKA Moscow		 3–0
Series
Khimki
Zenit		 Did not play
Lokomotiv-Kuban
2017–18
Details		  Russia
(VTB Ice Palace, Moscow)
CSKA Moscow		 95–84
Khimki
Zenit		 93–79
UNICS
2018–19
Details		 In home and away venues
CSKA Moscow		 3–0
Series
Khimki
UNICS		 Did not play
Zenit
2019–20
Details		 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic - no champion announced.
^† The whole 2008 tournament was staged in Moscow, including the Final Four.

Russian basketball clubs in European and worldwide competitions
Main article: Russian basketball clubs in European and worldwide competitions

Awards

Major awards

Awards by nationality

Records
Main article: VTB United League Records

Although during 2014 Andrey Kostin's VTB Bank contibuted 150 million rubles to VTB Union League which was third to its 4.5 billion rubles contributed to FC Dynamo Moscow and 750 million rubles contributed to support HC Dynamo Moscow, his VTB bank recorded very large losses of 5 billion rubles in March 2015 connected to its sponsorships and contributions to charities of over a total of 15.5 billion rubles that had 10 billion rubles given to undisclosed recipients. This led to the Bank of Moscow giving VTB Bank an 8 billion rubles loan at 0.51% per year with maturity in 2021. Of VTB Bank money given away during 2014, 80% of the total of 17.5 billion rubles were given away in the fourth quarter.[25]

See also

Notes

    References
    1. "New clubs in the VTB United League". VTB United League. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
    2. "About League". vtb-league.com. Archived from the original on 2009-10-19. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
    3. "PROMO-CUP: CSKA WIN". Sport Express. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
    4. 20 clubs will play in VTB United League championship in seasone-2012/13 Archived 2012-06-09 at the Wayback Machine, vtb-league.com, May 20, 2012
    5. "PBL looks to a better future". ULEB. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
    6. Triumph applied an application to participate in the new season of VTB United League Archived 2013-10-14 at the Wayback Machine, may 20, 2012, vtb-league.com
    7. BEKO PBL Press service. "BEKO PBL Board suggests scheme of 2012/2013 season". pbleague.ru. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
    8. VTB League Officially Recognised.
    9. "FIBA Europe officially recognizes VTB United League". Archived from the original on 2014-10-12. Retrieved 2014-10-07.
    10. Михайлов, Сергей (Mikhailov, Sergey) (9 June 2015). "Схемщик нашел прибежище: Что ищет в России Беглый Украинский ехс-депутат Шепелев" [The schemer found refuge: What the runaway Ukrainian ex-duputy Shepelev seeks in Russia]. «Соверше́нно секре́тно» ("Top secret") (in Russian). Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
    11. Михайлов, Сергей (Mikhailov, Sergey) (9 June 2015). "Схемщик нашел прибежище: Что ищет в России беглый Украинский экс-депутат Шепелев" [The schemer has taken refuge: What the fugitive Ukrainian ex-deputy Shepelev is looking for in Russia]. «Соверше́нно секре́тно» ("Top secret") (in Russian). Archived from the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
    12. "Врублевский: ЕЛ ВТБ — это возрождение баскетбола в России" [Vrublevsky: EL VTB is the revival of basketball in Russia]. championat.com (in Russian). 29 April 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
    13. "Krasnye Krylia not to compete in VTB United League next season". Archived from the original on 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
    14. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. Arena Velotrack Capacity: 9270 spectators
    15. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. DS Kristall Capacity: 5500
    16. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. USC CSKA named after Alexander Gomelskiy Capacity: 5000 spectators
    17. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. Arena.Sever Capacity: 4000 spectators
    18. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. «Saku Suurhall» Capacity: 5500 spectators
    19. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. Sportscomplex «BCMO» Capacity: 4000 spectators
    20. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. «Basket-hall» Capacity: 7500 spectators
    21. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. «Nizhniy Novgorod Trade Union Sport Palace» Capacity: 5500 spectators
    22. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. «Minsk-Arena» Capacity: 15,000 spectators
    23. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. Basket-Hall Capacity: 7000 spectators
    24. "VTB United League". www.vtb-league.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. SK Yubileyniy Capacity: 6381 spectators
    25. Воронова, Татьяна (Voronova, Tatiana); Еремина, Анна (Eremina, Anna); Казакулова, Галина (Kazakulova, Galina) (16 April 2015). "Убытки – не помеха для благотворительности ВТБ: В I квартале 2015 года госбанк получил 5 млрд рублей убытка и при этом 15,5 млрд рублей потратил на благотворительность" [Losses are not a hindrance to VTB's charity: In the first quarter of 2015, the state bank received 5 billion rubles in losses and at the same time spent 15.5 billion rubles on charity]. Vedomosti (in Russian). Retrieved 25 January 2021.
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