A revolution in the EuroLeague: the format is changing, and conferences are coming

The EuroLeague is set to undergo a major overhaul. Starting next season, Europe’s top basketball league will expand from its current 20 teams to 24, moving away from a single-group format to adopt a two-conference structure modeled after the NBA. The announcement was made by President Dejan Bodiroga, who spoke to PianetaBasket about the competition’s growth: “The EuroLeague has never been as strong as it is today. We are growing and progressing according to our established plans and schedules.”

“I’ll try to give you a brief overview of the EuroLeague’s current situation using some statistics. Last year, we had more than 3,300,000 fans in our arenas, and our games were watched on television by over 500 million viewers during the season—the highest number ever recorded.”

The president also highlighted the growing following on social media and the increasing interest from sponsors and commercial partners. “We’re also seeing significant growth and record numbers on social media. There are more and more sponsors, partners, and fans. The EuroLeague is experiencing a very positive period, based on all indicators. This was one of the reasons we met in Italy last week to discuss the future of the EuroLeague. It was a positive and important meeting to determine what the next steps will be.”

“The next steps for the EuroLeague are expansion and franchises. Next year we’ll change the format, moving from the current 20 clubs—where everyone plays against everyone else—to 24 teams, with a structure that essentially consists of two conferences. We have not yet established the criteria for the composition of these conferences,” Bodiroga concluded.