Two options for the new season in EUROHOLD Balkan League

Two are the options for the new season in EUROHOLD Balkan League. In one of them a total of 10 teams will participate in the tournament while in the second there will be 9 teams.   The first option consists of ten teams divided in two groups: Group A - Galil Gilboa (Israel), Balkan (Bulgaria), Teodo (Montenegro), Sigal Prishtina (Kosovo) and A5 which is the eventual tenth team to join the league. Group B - Levski (Bulgaria), SCM U Craiova (Romania), Mornar (Montenegro), Peja (Kosovo) and Kozuv (Macedonia).   The management of the league has followed the ideas of the competition about dividing the teams in the two groups. First the two finalist from the last season are separated, and also separated are the teams from the same country. Also in each group there are two new teams that are entering the competition this season. The system will remain the same as last season with a Top 6, Last 4 and the Final 4. In that case a total of 68 games will be played - 64 in the group and 4 during the Final 4.   Until the first days of September the management of EUROHOLD Balkan League will know the A5 team. However if the League is not happy with the quality of that team the competition will start with 9 teams.   In the case with 9 teams the system will be much different. There will be a regular season and the teams will play each other twice in home and away games. There will be a total of 18 rounds  in the first stage and the teams placed 1st and 2nd will qualify directly for Final 4. Those placed between 3rd and 6th position will play a quarterfinal round with home and away games to determine the final two teams that will compete for the title. The 7^th, 8^th and 9^th-placed teams after the regular season will finish the competition.  With this system there will be a total of 80 games - 72 during the regular season, 4  in the quarterfinals and 4 during the Final 4.   With a system of nine teams every single one will have to compete until the final round and the competition will be more interesting. Of course with such a system the expenses for the League will be higher as there is one more flight to Israel covered by the League and there will be 12 games more where as you know that the League covers the officiating expenses. However, the League will provide the same interesting tournament as with 10 teams and in that case EUROHOLD Balkan League will be the third tournament in Europe that guarantees between 14 and 20 international games for every team. The other two are the Euroleague and the Adriatic League.   Knowing the budgets of all the teams the management EUROHOLD Balkan League is sure that the level of the games will be very good as there is almost no difference between the teams and the League will be very strong and competitive. The League is ready with the schedules for both systems - with either 10 or 9 teams, but the final one will be published in the first days of September when the decision will be taken.    In both cases the opening game will be played on October 17th in Romania and it will be between SCM U Craiova (Craiova, ROM) and BC Levski (Sofia, BUL). The Final Four is scheduled for the end of April 2014 - between 25th and 27th of April.   The management of EUROHOLD Balkan League and the management of BC Balkan will meet in the beginning of next week in order to discuss the possibilites that the first home game of the team will be in the third week of November in the new gym that is currently being built in Botevgrad.    The annual pre-season meeting with representatives of all the clubs as agreed during the Board Meeting  on 20.04.2013 will take place on 23-24.09.2013 in Sofia, Bulgaria.