Newsgroup: it.sport.basket
Titolo: le nuove ULEB e FIBA cup

http://www.ulebcup.com/ulebcup/home/news/i/33556/448/item
Barcelona, July 2, 2008. ULEB and FIBA Europe have announced the official 
names and formats of two of Europe's most promising men's clubs 
competitions: Eurocup and EuroChallenge.
Eurocup (formerly known as ULEB Cup) will be contested by 32 clubs. 24 teams 
qualify automatically while eight more places will be earned through two 
elimination rounds. The Eurocup champion will play in next season愀 
Euroleague.
EuroChallenge (formerly known as FIBA Europe EuroCup) will feature 32 clubs. 
Eight will qualify directly to qualifying round one of the competition and 
eight more will advance through a 32 team elimination round. The field will 
be rounded out by the 16 losing teams from the elimination rounds of the 
Eurocup. The top two teams of EuroChallenge will be promoted to next 
season's Eurocup.
ULEB is proud to announce that the 2008-09 season will mark the start of a 
special new European club competition: the Eurocup. Just as exciting and 
inclusive as the ULEB Cup, which it replaces, the new Eurocup will offer a 
total of 48 teams - 24 going directly into the regular season and 24 more 
trying to join them by surviving a pair of qualifying rounds - the chance to 
become champion. With the Eurocup title also comes the grand prize to which 
all European clubs aspire: the right to play in the following season's 
Euroleague competition.. The new competition will feature two Qualification 
rounds, which are organized by FIBA Europe with 24 teams total. Eight teams 
from the Qualification rounds will advance in the Eurocup competition, 
joining 24 others in a 32-team Eurocup regular season, organized by ULEB. 
Half of the regular season teams will advance to the Last 16, and half of 
those will make it to the Final Eight, a weekend-long single-elimination 
tournament where a Eurocup champion will be crowned. Altogether, the new 
competition welcomes teams from 22 different countries and gives all teams 
the chance to lift the trophy and reach the Euroleague. The unveiling of the 
new Eurocup ushers in a new strong era of cooperation between ULEB and FIBA 
Europe based on a mutual conviction to grow the sport in as many countries 
as possible through dynamic and entertaining competition.
EUROCUP 2008-09 COMPETITION SYSTEM
A draw will be held to determine the elimination rounds match-ups and 
regular season groups.
* teams automatically qualified for the regular season = 24
* teams automatically qualified for the second preliminary round = 8
* teams participating in the first preliminary round = 16
FIRST QUALIFICATION ROUND (October 14 to 21, 2008): Organized by FIBA Europe
The first qualification round will have 16 teams playing two-game series 
(home and away), the winners of which advance to the second qualification 
round.
The losers to these two-game series will play the 2008-09 FIBA 
EuroChallenge.
SECOND QUALIFICATION ROUND (October 28 to November 4, 2008): Organized by 
FIBA Europe
The first qualification-round survivors play against those teams that 
directly made it to the second qualification round.
The second qualification round will be played as two-game series (home and 
away), the winners of which advance to the EUROCUP regular season.
The losers to these two-game series will play the 2008-09 FIBA 
EuroChallenge.
REGULAR SEASON (November 25, 2008 to January 13, 2009): Organized by ULEB
Eight groups of four teams each will play in round-robin competition, with 
all teams playing a total of six games.
The four group winners and the four second-place teams in each group will 
advance to the Last 16.
LAST 16 (January 27 - March 10, 2009): Organized by ULEB
Four groups of four teams each will play in round-robin competition, with 
all teams playing a total of six games.
The four group winners and the four second-place teams in each group will 
advance to the Final Eight.
FINAL EIGHT (April 9-12, 2009): Organized by ULEB
At the Final Eight, the quarterfinals will feature Last 16 group winners 
facing second-place teams from different Last 16 groups.
The four quarterfinals winners will meet in single-game semi-finals.
The semi-finals losers will play one game for third place.
The semi-finals winners will play in the single-game Final.
The winner of the Final will be the EUROCUP champion and qualify for the 
2009-10 Euroleague. 

 EuroChallenge.
Sarà da ridere quando la Benetton si farà sbattere fuori già in questa
fase e si ricongiungerà alla Virtus in FIBA Cup...
Non la vedo poi così improbabile, visto l'inizio di stagione dello
scorso anno...
Ciao, Hunter

 Ciao, Hunter
Ciao, Yanez

 fase e si ricongiungerà alla Virtus in FIBA Cup...
non mi sorprenderebbe anzi lo vedo probabile:
Cantiere Benetton vs piccola incazzata e rodata squadretta 
cipriota/estone/belga.
Miracolo dei loro americani e benetton in FIBA, pardon Eurochallenge
Saluti 

 Saluti
C'è

 Saluti
Vi sento disallineati rispetto alle lucide profezie di Focarelli....