# Dutch Basketball League

The Dutch Basketball League (DBL), formerly the Eredivisie, was the highest professional basketball league in the Netherlands, run by the Federatie Eredivisie Basketball (FEB). Since 2021, the league has been replaced by the Belgian-Dutch BNXT League.
The league had a closed system: to participate, a team has to have enough money and potential. The league began in 1960 as the Eredivisie and was organized by the NBB and later the FEB. In 1977 the league introduced play-offs. As of 2019, the Dutch Basketball League consists of ten teams and plays under the FIBA rules.

## History
### 2010s

Starting with the 2010–11 season, the Eredivisie changed its name to the Dutch Basketball League, shortly the DBL. The beginning of the 2010s saw Donar and ZZ Leiden emerge as top teams in the Netherlands. Donar won five titles, including three straight (2015–2018). The decade also saw clubs disappear due to financial problems, with Amsterdam in 2011, West-Brabant Giants in 2011, Magixx in 2014. The decade also saw the emergence of new clubs in Apollo Amsterdam and Den Helder Suns.
In Europe, Donar had one of the biggest successes in Dutch history after reaching the semi-finals of the 2017–18 FIBA Europe Cup. It was the first European semi-final of a team since Amsterdam in 2001.

### 2020s

In December 2019, it was announced that the DBL has partnered with the Belgian Pro Basketball League (PBL) to look at the potential of a future "BeNe League". The 2019–20 season was cancelled prematurely in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time in league history that a season was not finished and no champions were named. Due to the pandemic, entry requirements for the following season were lowered which led to the entrance of Basketball Community Gelderland, The Hague Royals and Almere Sailors.

## Format and rules

Each team has to play all the other teams in the league four times, twice at home and twice away. This means that the league's regular season ends after all teams play 36 matches. Like many other national domestic leagues in continental Europe, the Dutch Basketball League takes a winter break once each team has played half of its scheduled games.

### Playoffs

At the end of the league season schedule, the eight best teams in the standings play in a play-off, pitting the first place team in the standings versus the eighth place team in the standings, and so on. The quarter finals are played in a best-of-three format and the semi-finals are played in a best-of-five format, and the finals are played in a best-of-seven format.
In seasons were the number of teams dropped to 9 or lower, six teams qualified for the playoffs. In this case, the numbers one and two qualified for the semifinals and the other four teams played the quarterfinals.

### Foreign players

The DBL has had many rules in place to restrict the number of foreign players of clubs. This way the league seek to keep developing Dutch talent in the league. For several seasons. Until 2019, teams in the DBL were not allowed to have more than four players without a Dutch passport in their on court team at the same time.
* 2015–2017: maximum 4 foreign players
* 2017–2019: maximum 5 foreign players (1 Dutch player at the court any time)
* 2019–2021: minimum of 6 home grown players

## Logos

* The first league logo, introduced in 2011
* Updated version of the logo that was introduced in 2011, first used in the 2019–2020 season

## Clubs
### Current clubs

As of the end of the 2020–21 season:
| Club | City | Arena | Capacity | 1st season in DBL | No. of seasons in DBL | DBL titles | Last title |
| Almere Sailors | Almere | Topsportcentrum Almere | 3,000 | 2020–21 | 1 | – | – |
| Apollo Amsterdam | Amsterdam | Apollohal | 1,500 | 2012–13 | 8 | – | – |
| Aris Leeuwarden | Leeuwarden | Kalverdijkje | 1,700 | 2004–05 | 16 | – | – |
| BAL | Weert | Sporthal Boshoven | 1,000 | 2017–18 | 4 | – | – |
| Heroes Den Bosch | 's-Hertogenbosch | Maaspoort | 2,800 | 1962–63 | 54 | 16 | 2015 |
| Den Helder Suns | Den Helder | Sporthal Sportlaan | 1,500 | 1981–82 | 29 | 6 | 1998 |
| Donar | Groningen | MartiniPlaza | 4,350 | 1970–71 | 51 | 7 | 2018 |
| Feyenoord | Rotterdam | Topsportcentrum | 2,400 | 1988–89 | 32 | – | – |
| Landstede Hammers | Zwolle | Landstede Sportcentrum | 1,200 | 1995–96 | 25 | 1 | 2019 |
| The Hague Royals | The Hague | Sportcampus Zuiderpark | 3,500 | 2020–21 | 1 | – | – |
| Yoast United | Bemmel | De Schaapskooi | 650 | 2020–21 | 1 | – | – |
| ZZ Leiden | Leiden | Vijf Meihal | 2,000 | 1967–68 | 31 | 4 | 2021 |

### Timeline

The following is the timeline of the teams in the Dutch Basketball League era (since 2011).
* * – Indicates championship season

### Former clubs

The following clubs are not competing in the DBL during the 2020–21 season, but have previously competed in the DBL for at least one season. Teams in italics were folded and do not exist anymore.
| Club | City | Current league | First season in DBL | Most recent season in DBL | Seasons in DBL | DBL titles | Last DBL title |
| Agon Amsterdam / Racing Agon$^a$ | Amsterdam | | 1961–62 | 1972–73 | 12 | – | – |
| Almere Pioneers | | Promotiedivisie | 1998–99 | 2006–07 | 9 | – | – |
| Amsterdam Basketball | | – | 1995–96 | 2010–11 | 15 | 7 | 2009 |
| AMVJ | Amsterdam | Regional | 1966–67 | 1966–67 | 1 | – | – |
| ASVU | Amstelveen | – | 1963–64 | 1974–75 | 5 | – | – |
| GOBA | | Regional levels | 1990–91 | 1995–96 | 4 | – | – |
| Blue Stars$^a$ | Diemen | Regional | 1960–61 | 1975–76 | 13 | 1 | 1970 |
| BSW | | – | 1982–83 | 2016–17 | 24 | 1 | 1994 |
| BVG | | Promotiedivisie | 1979–80 | 1979–80 | 1 | – | – |
| Landlust / Canadians Amsterdam$^a$ | Amsterdam | – | 1960–61 | 1992–93 | 32 | 2 | 1963 |
| C3 Cobra's | | – | 2000–01 | 2000–01 | 1 | – | – |
| DAS Delft | | Regional levels | 1986–87 | 1988–89 | 3 | – | – |
| DED$^a$ | Amsterdam | Regional | 1960–61 | 1973–74 | 14 | | |
| Dutch Windmills | | – | 2018–19 | 2018–19 | 1 | – | – |
| Dunckers | Hilversum | Regional levels | 1995–96 | 1995–96 | 1 | – | – |
| EiffelTowers Nijmegen | | – | 2000–01 | 2004–05 | 5 | 1 | 2003 |
| Herly Amsterdam$^a$ | Amsterdam | Regional | 1960–61 | 1968–69 | 9 | 1 | 1969 |
| NAC | | – | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2 | – | – |
| Magixx | | – | 2005–06 | 2013–14 | 9 | – | – |
| Monark Amsterdam$^a$ | Amsterdam | – | 1960–61 | 1963–64 | 4 | – | – |
| Orca's Urk | | Eerste Divisie | 1983–84 | 1990–91 | 8 | – | – |
| Punch$^a$ | | Promotiedivisie | 1960–61 | 1982–83 | 22 | 2 | 1975 |
| Red Giants | | Eerste Divisie | 1987–88 | 1994–95 | 8 | – | – |
| SVE Utrecht | Utrecht | – | 1965–66 | 1970–71 | 6 | 1 | 1967 |
| Suvrikri | The Hague | – | 1966–67 | 1971–72 | 6 | – | – |
| The Arrows$^a$ | Rotterdam | – | 1960–61 | 1963–64 | 4 | – | – |
| The Wolves Amsterdam$^a$ | | – | 1960–61 | 1968–69 | 9 | 5 | 1965 |
| Tonego | | Regional levels | 1980–81 | 1986–87 | 8 | – | – |
| Typhoons Haarlem | Haarlem | – | 1961–62 | 1961–62 | 1 | – | – |
| US$^a$ | Amstelveen | Regional | 1960–61 | 1966–67 | 6 | – | – |
| Virtus | | Eerste Divisie | 1983–84 | 2000–01 | 8 | – | – |
| West-Brabant Giants | | – | 2003–04 | 2010–11 | 8 | – | – |
| Wilskracht Amsterdam | Amsterdam | – | 1964–65 | 1969–70 | 6 | – | – |
| ZBVS Santpoort | | – | 1960–61 | 1960–61 | 1 | – | – |
$^a$: Founding member of the DBL.

## Champions

List of Dutch Basketball League winners (1945–present) :
1945–46 DED
1946–47 DED
1947–48 APGS
1948–49 AMVJ
1949–50 DED
1950–51 AMVJ
1951–52 DED
1952–53 DED
1953–54 DED
1954–55 AMVJ
1955–56 DED
1956–57 The Wolves Amsterdam
1957–58 DED
1958–59 Blue Stars
1959–60 The Wolves Amsterdam
1960–61 The Wolves Amsterdam
1961–62 Landlust
1962–63 Landlust
1963–64 The Wolves Amsterdam
1964–65 The Wolves Amsterdam
1965–66 Herly Amsterdam
1966–67 SVE Utrecht
1967–68 Flamingo's Haarlem
1968–69 Punch Delft
1969–70 Blue Stars
1970–71 Levi's Flamingo's
1971–72 Levi's Flamingo's
1972–73 Levi's Flamingo's
1973–74 Transol RZ
1974–75 Raak Punch
1975–76 Kinzo Amstelveen
1976–77 Kinzo Amstelveen
1977–78 Parker Leiden
1978–79 EBBC Den Bosch
1979–80 EBBC Den Bosch
1980–81 Nashua Den Bosch
1981–82 Nationale-Nederlanden Donar
1982–83 Nashua Den Bosch
1983–84 Nashua Den Bosch
1984–85 Nashua Den Bosch
1985–86 Nashua Den Bosch
1986–87 Nashua Den Bosch
1987–88 Nashua Den Bosch
1988–89 Direktbank Den Helder
1989–90 Commodore Den Helder
1990–91 Commodore Den Helder
1991–92 Commodore Den Helder
1992–93 Canoe Jeans Den Bosch
1993–94 Lanèche Weert
1994–95 Mustang Jeans Den Helder
1995–96 America Today Den Bosch
1996–97 Libertel Den Bosch
1997–98 Hans Verkerk Keukens Den Helder
1998–99 Ricoh Astronauts
1999–00 Ricoh Astronauts
2000–01 Ricoh Astronauts
2001–02 Ricoh Astronauts
2002–03 EiffelTowers Nijmegen
2003–04 MPC Capitals
2004–05 Demon Astronauts
2005–06 EiffelTowers Den Bosch
2006–07 EiffelTowers Den Bosch
2007–08 My Guide Amsterdam
2008–09 EclipseJet-MyGuide Amsterdam
2009–10 GasTerra Flames
2010–11 Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden
2011–12 EiffelTowers Den Bosch
2012–13 Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden
2013–14 GasTerra Flames
2014–15 SPM Shoeters Den Bosch
2015–16 Donar
2016–17 Donar
2017–18 Donar
2018–19 Landstede Zwolle
2019–20 Not awarded
2020–21 ZZ Leiden :

## Finals

The two teams that advance to the Finals of the play-offs play against each other in a best-of-seven playoff format.
Recent Dutch Basketball League seasons Finals :
| Season | Winner(s) | Score | Runners-up |
| 2009–10 | Donar | 4–1 | West-Brabant Giants |
| 2010–11 | ZZ Leiden | 4–3 | Donar |
| 2011–12 | Den Bosch | 4–1 | ZZ Leiden |
| 2012–13 | ZZ Leiden | 4–0 | Aris Leeuwarden |
| 2013–14 | Donar | 4–3 | Den Bosch |
| 2014–15 | Den Bosch | 4–1 | Donar |
| 2015–16 | Donar | 4–1 | Landstede Zwolle |
| 2016–17 | Donar | 4–1 | Landstede Zwolle |
| 2017–18 | Donar | 4–0 | ZZ Leiden |
| 2018–19 | Landstede Zwolle | 4–2 | Donar |
| 2019–20 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2020–21 | ZZ Leiden | 3–0 | Heroes Den Bosch |
| 2021–22 | Heroes Den Bosch | 3–2 | ZZ Leiden |
| 2022–23 | ZZ Leiden | 3–2 | Donar |
* 1 2 3 Known as "GasTerra Flames".

## Performance by club

Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence. Teams in bold are currently playing in the DBL.
Eredivisie / Dutch Basketball League winners by club :
| Club | Wins | Seasons won |
| Heroes Den Bosch | 17 | 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2021–22 |
| DED | 8 | 1945–46, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1957–58 |
| Amsterdam | 7 | 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09 |
| Donar | 7 | 1981–82, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 |
| Den Helder | 6 | 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1997–98 |
| ZZ Leiden | 5 | 1977–78, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2020–21, 2022–23 |
| The Wolves Amsterdam | 4 | 1959–60, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1964–65 |
| Flamingo's Haarlem | 4 | 1985–86, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73 |
| AMVJ | 3 | 1948–49, 1950–51, 1954–55 |
| Blue Stars | 2 | 1958–59, 1969–70 |
| Landlust | 2 | 1961–62, 1962–63 |
| Punch Delft | 2 | 1968–69, 1974–75 |
| Amstelveen | 2 | 1975–76, 1976–77 |
| APGS | 1 | 1947–48 |
| Herly Amsterdam | 1 | 1965–66 |
| SVE Utrecht | 1 | 1966–67 |
| RZ | 1 | 1973–74 |
| Landstede Hammers | 1 | 2018–19 |
| BSW Weert | 1 | 1993–94 |
| Matrixx Magixx | 1 | 2002–03 |

## Records
### All-time scoring leaders

The following are the ten players with the most points in the Eredivisie or DBL:
| Rank | Player | Points | Played | PPG |
| 1 | Kees Akerboom Sr | 9,878 | 491 | 20.1 |
| 2 | Emil Hagens | 7,810 | 583 | 13.4 |
| 3 | Toon van Helfteren | 7,385 | 605 | 12.2 |
| 4 | Kees Akerboom Jr. | 7,262 | 656 | 11.0 |
| 5 | Hank Smith | 7,119 | 297 | 24.0 |
| 6 | Marcel Huijbens | 6,842 | 481 | 14.2 |
| 7 | Cees van Rootselaar | 6,338 | 538 | 11.8 |
| 8 | Jimmy Moore | 6,099 | 277 | 22.0 |
| 9 | Dan Cramer | 6,000 | 329 | 18.2 |
| 10 | Martin de Vries | 5,943 | 357 | 16.7 |
| 11 | Yoran Jorna | 5,943 | 101 | 58.8 |
| 11 | Joshua Bosma | 5,942 | 69 | 63.5 |

## Awards

* Most Valuable Player
* Playoffs MVP
* All-Star Team
* Coach of the Year
* Defensive Player of the Year
* Most Improved Player
* MVP Under U23
* Sixth Man of the Year
* Rookie of the Year
* All-Defense Team
* All-Rookie Team
* Statistical Player of the Year
* All-Star Game MVP
* All-Star Game U23 MVP