ACB clubs, met though a telematic Assembly on Monday, have unanimously agreed the route to follow for the competition’s resumption, always conditioned to the evolution of the measures decreed by the sanitary authorities and the maximum guarantees of preserving players, coaches, referees and participants’ health.
In this way, clubs have unanimously agreed on the following points:
- To establish, together with the competent authorities, a health protocol in order to resumption trainings and competition that guarantees the health of all participants in the competition.
- Terminate the regular season due to force majeure. Because there is still a third part of the competition remaining, there will be no relegation to the LEB Gold.
- The Endesa League 2019-20 title will be decide by means of a final stage that will be played by the first 12 teams from the regular league on a unique venue.
- The venue for this final stage will be designated in the near future. The guarantee of compliance with the guidelines set by the health authorities will be the first criterion for defining the venue.
- A minimum of three weeks’ preparation is set for this purpose before the competition resumption.
- Depending on the measures taken by the authorities, the maximum date set to decide whether to play the finals or terminate the Endesa 19-20 League is May 31st.
- The deadline for Endesa 19-20 League has been set on July 10th.
- In case of having to terminate the competition definitively on May 31st, the Endesa League title would be void.
THIS IS HOW THE 2019-20 ENDESA’S LEAGUE FINAL STAGE WILL BE
The first 12 classified teams after the 23rd game of the regular season will be measured in a unique venue to dispute the Liga Endesa’s title, at all times subject to the evolution of the health emergency and the maximum health guarantees of all participants.
The 12 teams will be grouped into two groups of six teams, distributed according to their classification in the regular league following the distribution criteria equivalent to the Play-Offs format. All teams will play five matches, one against each other on the same group.
The first two classified on each group will face each other in the semifinals and the winners will be the final, in both cases in a single match.
A total of 33 matches will be played within two weeks.
EVALUATION BY ANTONIO MARTÍN
“We want to share the pain we’re living in ACB and within all the clubs because of the terrible effects caused by the pandemic, and especially from basketball’s world we want to send a hug to the families that are suffering it directly. Nor do we want to forget a big applause for all the health workers and all the sectors that are daily working to protect the health and well-being of the whole country”.
“I want to thank all the clubs their confidence on us at the same time they’ve put aside their individual interests in order to pursue the ACB common good”.
“The format that best suits the difficult situation we find ourselves in today has also been unanimously agreed upon: the matches will be played on a single venue that following the strict protocols to ensure the maximum guarantees given by health authorities, can carry out the Endesa League title within two weeks of the competition. In order to choose the venue, we will study all the proposals taking as a first criterion the health guarantees”.
“All clubs have understood that there should be no relegation to the LEB Gold given the inability of playing the third part of the regular league”.
“We are in permanent contact with CSD because above all there is one thing very clear: the competition will only restart if there are all the health guarantees for players, coaches, referees and other participants. If this is not possible, the season will be over”.
