Sport | Basketball |
---|---|
Founded | 1957 |
Inaugural season | 1957 |
Ceased |
1982–83 season (renamed as Liga ACB) |
No. of teams | 14 |
Country | Spain |
Continent | FIBA Europe (Europe) |
Most titles | Real Madrid (22 titles) |
TV partner(s) | TVE |
Level on pyramid | 1st tier |
Related competitions |
Spanish King's Cup |
The Liga Española de Baloncesto (English: Spanish Basketball League), whose top division was known as Primera División (English: First Division), was the old 1st Tier basketball league in Spain, from 1957 to the 1982–83 season. It was organized by the Spanish Basketball Federation, and it was contested by the best clubs of the country. In 1983, the clubs decided to create the Basketball Clubs Association, and transformed the top division into the new Liga ACB, although that league was also named Primera División until 1988.
The league was played in a double round-robin format without playoffs. Two points were conceded for a winning game, one for a draw, and no points for the loser. The worst teams of each season were relegated to the second division (Segunda División, called Primera División B since 1978). The winner of the league was qualified to the FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague).
The league was created in 1957 with the aim of publicising the basketball in Spain. In its first edition composed by six teams, two from Madrid (Real Madrid and Estudiantes) and four from the province of Barcelona (Barcelona, Joventut Badalona, Aismalíbar from Montcada i Reixac and Orillo Verde from Sabadaell), and played with a double round-robin format. The league was played in 49 days at only two venues: Frontón Vista Alegre in Madrid and Palacio de Deportes de Montjuic in Barcelona.