Wikipedia - VTB United League

VTB United League (Russian: Единая Лига ВТБ) is an international professional men's club basketball league that was founded in 2009. It is made up of mostly Russian clubs, along with one each from Belarus and Kazakhstan. Since 2013, it is the first tier of Russian professional club basketball. Therefore, the highest placed Russian team in the league can also be named the Russian national champions. The league is sponsored by Russian state-owned VTB Bank. In 2009 CSKA Moscow won VTB United League Promo-Cup, but this competition does not count as official VTB title. CSKA has dominated the league, having won majority of titles its existence. The VTB United League also holds a youth competition, the VTB United Youth 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 2009. The final of the Promo-Cup was played on December 22, 2009, and was won by CSKA Moscow, who defeated Khimki 70–66. Kyiv ended third.

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 be named the Eastern European Professional Basketball League.

In July 2012, the Council of VTB United League decided that the PBL league would continue for one more year, with some games of the VTB United League that took place between two Russian clubs being counted as PBL games. 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 recognized by FIBA Europe in September 2013. 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.

Liga VTB United este o ligă de baschet profesională internațională care a fost fondată în anul 2008. Ea îi are ca membri echipe din Rusia, Estonia, Kazahstan, Letonia și Polonia. Liga este condusă de Federația Rusă de Baschet și este sponsorizată de VTB Bank.

Liga VTB United este considerată a fi una dintre cele mai puternice ligi de baschet din Europa. Ea are un format de sezon regulat care este urmat de play-off-uri, la care participă cele mai bune 8 echipe. Câștigătoarea ligii primește un loc în EuroLeague, cea mai importantă competiție de baschet din Europa.

Printre cele mai de succes echipe din istoria Ligii VTB United se numără CSKA Moscova, UNICS Kazan și Zenit Sankt Petersburg. Aceste echipe au câștigat cele mai multe titluri de campioane și au participat la EuroLeague în mod regulat.

Liga VTB United este o competiție foarte captivantă, care prezintă un baschet de înaltă calitate. Ea este urmărită de milioane de fani din întreaga lume și este o parte importantă a peisajului baschetului european.