Betsafe LKL to remain 10-team league, Play-Off series shortened for 2018-19

The Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) board held a meeting and agreed to implement some important decisions ahead of the 2018-19 Betsafe LKL season.

We present you a summary of these decisions.

• Number of teams. The board deliberated on the proposal to increase the number of teams in the Betsafe LKL to 12, but voted it down 6-4, with the LKL President and LKL General Director abstaining.
• Promotion candidate I. The board approved the promotion of Vytis Sakiai based on sporting principles by a vote of 10-0 with two abstentions. Vytis have reached an agreement to play their home games in the 1,300-seat Garliava Sports Center.
• Promotion candidate II. The board approved Jonava's request to take part in the Betsafe LKL licensing process based on the commercial principles.
• Licenses. The licensing process to take part in the 2018-19 season will take place on July 1-9. The board allowed 12 teams to take part in the process, but only 10 teams will be accepted.
  • If Vytis meets the licencing requirements, Vytautas Prienai-Birstonas will be relegated.
  • If any other of the nine remaining teams does not meet the licencing requirements, Jonava will be accepting to the championship, providing they meet the requirements and financial conditions that would permit promotion via commercial principles.
• Schedule. The board decided to shorten the Betsafe LKL season by shortening the length of the Play-Off series.
  • The Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals will be played in a best-of-three format.
  • The Finals will be played in a best-of-five format. The Third-Place Series will continue to be played in a best-of-five format.
  • According to the preliminary schedule, the Betsafe LKL championship will start on September 22 and will end no later than May 31.
• King Mindaugas Cup. The board decided to change the format of the King Mindaugas Cup for the 2018-19 season, conducting the competition in four rounds. The first three rounds would be played at a home-and-away format. After the approval of the new format, the administration of LKL will discuss the possibility to include four NKL teams in the competition.
• The LKL board includes Paulius Motiejunas (Zalgiris Kaunas), Darius Gudelis (Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius), Sigitas Ambrazevicius (Neptunas Klaipeda), Alvydas Bieliauskas (Lietkabelis Panevezys), Arturas Nacickas (Siauliai), Rimantas Endrijaitis (Pieno Zvaigzdes Pasvalys), Zydrunas Urbonas (Juventus Utena), Tomas Pacesas (Dzukija Alytus), Romanas Seliava (Nevezis Kedainiai), Aurimas Bartuska (Vytautas Prienai-Birstonas), Remigijus Milasius (LKL President), Romualdas Brazauskas (LKL General Director).