Turkish Basketball League

The Turkish Basketball League (TBL) is the top men’s professional basketball league in Turkey, which is also called Turkish Premier Basketball League (Turkish: "Türkiye 1. Basketbol Ligi"). There is also a Turkish Basketball Second League (TB2L) consisting of 2 divisions (A and B).

History

The first basketball game played in Turkey was at the Robert College in Istanbul in 1904. Galatasaray High School formed the first basketball team in 1911. The next basketball team founded was of Fenerbahçe in 1913. An unofficial league was founded in 1927 in Istanbul, which lasted until the establishment of a regional official league in 1933. From 1946 on, basketball championships were organized between the leading clubs of Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir.

The League, in the current form, was founded on December 13, 1969 by the Turkish Basketball Federation, and began play with the 1968–1969 season.

The competition

There are 16 teams in the league and they play against each other twice in the league manner, once at their home and the other away. At the end of the season, the top 8 teams are entitled to participate at the playoff games. The two top teams of the Second League are promoted to the Premier League. The two lowest placed teams of the Premier League play, respectively, with the third and fourth ranking teams of the Second League in a one game knock-out playoff. The winning top two teams are entitled to play in the Premier League, and the losing two others are relegated into the Second League. Mutlu Akü Selçuk Üniversitesi and CASA TED Kolejililer placed last two standings and relegated to Second League in 2008–2009 season. They were replaced with Bornova Belediye and Tofaş for 2009–10 season.

Current clubs

TBL Finals

Titles

Notable players

Italic players still plays in the league

Other participants

• Adana Demirspor (1973–1974, 1975–1976)
• Altay (1967–1972, played as Egepen Altay in 2000–2001)
• Altınordu (1966–1973)
• Anadoluhisarı (1984–1985)
• Ankaragücü (1970–1975)
• Antbirlik (1981–1982, 1994–1996, 2000–2001)
• Bakırköyspor (1993–1994)
• Beslen Makarna (1986–1992, withdrew after finish of 1991–92 season)
• Büyük Kolej (2000–2006)
• Büyük Salat (1988-1988, withdrew after 7 matches)
• Çukurova Sanayi (1981–1992)
• DSİ Spor (1966–1982, played as Suspor between 1966–1975)
• Eczacıbaşı (1974–1990, 1991–1992, Eczacıbaşı Holding closed basketball branch after relegation to Second League in 1992)
• Göztepe (1968–1969, 2002–2003)
• Güney Sanayi (1980–1984)
• Hilalspor (1984–1986, 1987–1988)
• Jandarmagücü (1967–1969)
• İTÜ (1966–1978, 1979-1994, 1996–1998, 1999–2000, 2001–2006, played as Raks İTÜ in 1996–97 and Aras İTÜ in 2003–2004 seasons)
• Kadıköyspor (1966–1969, 1972–1975) (Became Efes Pilsen in 1976)
• Karagücü (1968–1970)
• Konyaspor (1992–1993, 1996–2001, played as Kombassan Konyaspor between 1996–2001 and withdrew in 2001)
• Kuşadasıspor (1998–1999)
• Kurtuluş (1966–1968)
• Meysuspor (1992–1993, 1994–1998)
• Modaspor (1968–1971)
• Muhafızgücü (1966–1976, 1977–1978, 1980–1983, played as Silahlı Kuvvetler Gücü between 1982–1983)
• Muratpaşa Bld. (1993–1996, 1997–1999, played as Antalyaspor between 1993–1996 and joined to Antalya Büyükşehir Belediyespor in 2001)
• Mülkiye (1980–1981)
• Nasaşspor (1986–1987, 1989–1993) (The team was played in İzmit, it was relocated to İstanbul and became Ülkerspor in 1993–94 season, Alpellaspor in 2006–2007 one. It was finally relocated to Trabzon and became Trabzonspor in 2008–2009 season). Trabzonspor played in TBL as Alpellaspor between 2006–2008 and promoted to TBL again in 2009–10 season as champions.
• Netaş (1995–1997)
• ODTÜ (1975–1977, 1980–1983)
• Olin Gençlik (2010–?)
• Ortaköy (1992–1998, played as Mis Süt Ortaköy in 1993–94 season, Mavi Jeans Ortaköy between 1994–1997 and Emlakbank Ortaköy in 1997–98 season)
• Paşabahçe (1987–1992, İş Bankası closed basketball branch in 1992)
• Samsunspor (1973–1974, withdrew after finishing first half of season)
• Şekerspor (1966–1968, 1971–1983, 1986–1987)
• Taçspor (1978–1982, 1994–1995)
• Tarsus İdman Yurdu Erkutspor (1985–1986, withdrew and played any matches)
• Tekelspor (2002–2007)
• Tofaş (1976–1989, 1990–2000, 2003–2004, 2006–2007, played as Tofaş SAS between 1976–1989 and withdrew from the league in 2000–2001 season)
• TTNet Beykozspor (1988–1990, 205–2008, played as Sümerbank Beykozspor between 1988–1990 and Beykozspor between 2005–2007)
• Yenişehir (1976–1983, 1985–1986, played as Yenişehir Meysu between 1977–1979, as İstanbul Bankası Yenişehir between 1979–1983 and as Hortaş Yenişehir between 1985–1986)
• Tuborg Pilsener (1995–2001, 2003–2006, played as Tuborg between 1995–1999 and Troy Pilsener between 1999–2001 and withdrew in 2001 and in 2006)
• Yıldırımspor (1992–1994, withdrew from the league in 1994)
• Ziraat Fakültesi (1977–1982, 1983–1984)

External links

• (English) www.TBLStat.net
• (Turkish) Turkish Basketball League official website
• (Turkish) Turkish Basketball Federation official website