BBL Reveals Format Changes for 2019-20 Season

The BBL has revealed major changes to the competition format next season, with the move to a best-of-3 playoff series, shortened regular season, and new Cup schedule.

Being implemented for the 2019-20 season will be a best-of-3 series format for the Quarter-Final and Semi-Final stages of the BBL Play-Offs ahead of the Finals at The O2 in May, 2020. The BBL has received much criticism over the years for having a two-leg (home and away) post-season format, with winners having advanced on the aggregate result; they were previously best-of-3 in the Quarter-Finals in the late 90s.

The regular season will be reduced to just 22 games (down from the current 33), with each team facing off home and away, whilst qualification for the post-season remaining the same; the top eight teams in the BBL Championship standings advancing to the Play-Offs.

The 2019-20 season will begin in September with BBL Cup action as the start of the regular Championship season will follow the conclusion of a new group stage. The previous format saw the Cup take place concurrent with the regular season over rounds.

The 12 BBL sides will be split into two groups of six to play home and away fixtures before the top four in each group advance to the Quarter-Finals.

The top two in each group will host the one-legged ties in the last eight before the Semi-Finals are played over two legs to decide the two teams heading to Arena Birmingham for the Cup Finals on Sunday 26 January, 2020.

The BBL Trophy will remain the same with the adopted bracket format used for the current 2018-19 season retained. The path to the Finals – at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena, in March, 2020 – is mapped out with a First Round draw as the 12 BBL sides will again be joined by four invited non-BBL sides.

Fixtures for next season will be revealed in full during the summer.

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