Latvian-Estonian Basketball League

The Latvian-Estonian Basketball League is the highest professional men's club basketball league in Latvia and Estonia; it has been organised since 2018, run by the Latvian Basketball Association and the Estonian Basketball Association.

Latvian-Estonian Basketball League
Founded2018 (2018)
First season2018–19
CountriesEstonia Estonia (9 teams)
Latvia Latvia (6 teams)
Ukraine Ukraine (1 team)
ConfederationEurope FIBA Europe
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Current championsPrometey (1st title)
(2022–23)
Most championships1 title
Kalev/Cramo
Prometey
Ventspils
VEF Rīga
TV partnersDelfi, Inspira, LTV7, TV4
Websiteestlatbl.com
2022–23 season

History

The league was established in 2018 when the Latvijas Basketbola līga (LBL) and Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML) merged. In its inaugural season, 15 teams participated in the league.[1] After a Final Four is played to determine the winner of the league, there are playoffs to decide the national champions of Latvia and Estonia. The first game was on 28 September 2018, with Estonian champions Kalev/Cramo hosting a game against the Latvian champions Ventspils. On 9 April 2019, Ventspils won the first league championship.[2] On November 19, 2021 at a meeting in Pärnu, representatives of the Latvian and Estonian Basketball Association agreed to continue the development of a joint league for the next three years. Both parties acknowledged that the Pafbet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League promotes the development of players and coaches, attracts basketball fans and inspires young people to focus on basketball.[3]

In June 2022, Ukrainian club BC Prometey joined the league as the Ukrainian SuperLeague was suspended due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The team will play its home games in Riga.[4]

Title sponsorships

Since inaugural season in 2018 the League has had title sponsorship rights sold to two companies, most recently to Paf betting company.

Period Sponsor Name
2018–2019Olympic Entertainment GroupOlyBet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League
2019–presentPafPafbet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League

Competition format

The competition follows a double round-robin format. During the course of a season each club plays each other club twice (once at home and once away). Teams' rankings at season end are determined by winning percentage. At season end, the eight top teams play-off, pitting the first place standings team against the 8th place team, and so on. The play-off format initially was supposed to be Quarterfinals and Final Four, but since the inaugural season it has changed every season.

Home Grown Player Rule

A foreign player (not Latvian or Estonian) who has been registered and played in the Latvian National Championship or the Estonian National Championship for three consecutive seasons between the ages of 12 and 19 is considered to be a local player.[5]

Current clubs
Location of the 2021–22 Latvian–Estonian Basketball League teams

16 teams, 9 from Estonia, 6 from Latvia and 1 from Ukraine, is contesting the league in the 2022–23 season.

Venues and locations
Team Home city Arena Capacity
Estonia Avis Utilitas Rapla Rapla Sadolin Sports Hall 1000
Estonia Kalev/Cramo Tallinn Kalev Sports Hall 1780
Saku Suurhall 7200
Estonia Keila Keila Keila Health Center 669
Latvia Latvijas Universitāte Rīga Rimi Olympic Sports Center 830
Latvia Liepāja Liepāja Liepāja Olympic Center 2542
Latvia Ogre Ogre Ogre 1st Secondary School 500
Estonia Pärnu Sadam Pärnu Pärnu Sports Hall 1820
Estonia Rakvere Tarvas Rakvere Rakvere Sports Hall 2747
Estonia Tallinna Kalev Tallinn Sõle Sports Centre
Estonia TalTech/Optibet Tallinn TalTech Sports Hall 1000
Estonia Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits Tartu University of Tartu Sports Hall 2600
Estonia Viimsi Viimsi Karulaugu Spordikeskus 500
Latvia Valmiera Glass VIA Valmiera Vidzeme Olympic Center 1500
Latvia VEF Rīga Rīga Rimi Olympic Sports Center 830
Arena Riga 11 200
Latvia Ventspils Ventspils Ventspils Olympic Center 3085
Ukraine Prometey Rīga Arena Riga 11 200

Results by year
Year RS winner Champion Score Runner-up Third Score Fourth MVP
2018–19 Latvia Ventspils (27–1) Latvia Ventspils 102–80 Latvia VEF Rīga Estonia Kalev/Cramo 87–85 Latvia Ogre Latvia Rihards Lomažs
2019–20 Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Latvia VEF Rīga (23–2) Estonia Kalev/Cramo 86–75 Latvia VEF Rīga Latvia Ogre 75–73 Estonia Rapla United States Maurice Kemp
2021–22 Latvia VEF Rīga (23–3) Latvia VEF Rīga 95–64 Estonia Viimsi Estonia Pärnu Sadam 84–77 Latvia Ogre United States Jalen Riley
2022–23 Ukraine Prometey (29–1) Ukraine Prometey 77–62 Latvia VEF Rīga Estonia Tartu 63–60 Estonia Kalev/Cramo United States Gian Clavell

Performance by club
Club Wins Championship seasons
Latvia Ventspils 1 2018–19
Estonia Kalev/Cramo 1 2020–21
Latvia VEF Riga 1 2021–22
Ukraine Prometey 1 2022–23

References
  1. "News – 15 teams participating in OlyBet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League". www.estlatbl.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  2. "News – Ventspils won the first ever OlyBet Latvian-Estonian basketball league trophy (Lomažs was named MVP)". www.estlatbl.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  3. "Tweet from official League account". www.twitter.com. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  4. "Ukrainian club Prometey to play in a Latvian-Estonian League". basketnews.com. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  5. "Latvian-Estonian Basketball League Regulations" (PDF). www.basket.lv. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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