The Asociacion de Clubes de Baloncesto (ACB), or Spanish Basketball Clubs Association in English, is the governing body for professional basketball in Spain.
Founded on March 3, 1982, the ACB is headquartered in Barcelona and is affiliated with the Union of European Leagues of Basketball.
The ACB oversees the top professional league in Spain, known as the Liga Endesa. This league consists of 18 member clubs that play each other twice per season, once at home and once away, for a total of 34 games.
Clubs earn one point for a win and zero points for a loss. If clubs finish with equal points, head-to-head records, point differential, and total points scored are used as tiebreakers.
At the end of the regular season, the top eight clubs qualify for the playoffs, with the winner crowned league champion. Meanwhile, the bottom two clubs are relegated to the second-tier LEB Oro league, with the top two LEB Oro clubs taking their place in Liga Endesa for the following season.
The ACB is governed by a general assembly, which is made up of representatives (usually the presidents) from each of the 18 Liga Endesa clubs and associated sports companies. The general assembly makes decisions using parliamentary procedure.
The day-to-day operations of the ACB are handled by the president and executive committee. The current president is Antonio Martín, who was elected on July 16, 2018. Martín also serves as the president of Liga Endesa club CB Granollers.
Some of the most successful and well-known clubs in ACB history include Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Saski Baskonia. These clubs have won multiple Liga Endesa titles and have featured many of Spain’s greatest players.
Real Madrid has been particularly dominant, with a record 35 Liga Endesa championships. The club has been home to Spanish basketball legends like Fernando Martín, Alberto Herreros, and Felipe Reyes.
FC Barcelona has also had great success, with 18 Liga Endesa titles. The club has featured stars like Juan Carlos Navarro, Pau Gasol, and Ricky Rubio.
Saski Baskonia, based in the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, has won four Liga Endesa titles and has developed many top Spanish players, including brothers Pau and Marc Gasol.
The ACB has played a crucial role in the growth and success of Spanish basketball. The league is widely considered one of the best domestic leagues in Europe and has helped develop many of the country’s top players.
The Spanish Men’s National Team, which won the FIBA World Cup in 2006 and 2019 and captured Olympic silver medals in 1984, 2008, and 2012, has relied heavily on ACB talent.
In addition to its domestic responsibilities, the ACB also works closely with the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) and the Union of European Leagues of Basketball to promote and develop the sport at the European level.
The ACB has been a driving force behind the creation and success of the EuroLeague, Europe’s premier club basketball competition.