MIES, Switzerland (Basketball Champions League) - The 2017 national champion of Germany will play in the upcoming Basketball Champions League third season, with more champions and leading clubs from across the continent due to sign-up as domestic league positions are finalized.

Brose Bamberg, 9-time German champion (winner of 7 titles the last 9 seasons), will participate in the Basketball Champions League over the next five years based on satisfiable sporting qualification criteria. 

"It is important for us to have planning security for the coming years," said Brose Bamberg General Manager Rolf Beyer.

"We have received this through a long-term partnership with the Basketball Champions League. We are confident that the Champions League will continue to gain in importance in the coming years and become the best European competition. Other major European basketball clubs will follow our example."

"We are delighted to welcome Brose Bamberg to the Basketball Champions League family," said Patrick Comninos, CEO of the Basketball Champions League.

"The best German club of the last 15 years and one of the top clubs in Europe has made a long term commitment to the Basketball Champions League and this is a firm confirmation that the BCL is fast developing into an elite competition. We look forward to a great collaboration with the club and to the unique atmosphere of games in "Freak City"!"

The Basketball Champions League third season gets under way on 9 October. 32 teams will contest the Regular Season. They will play in four groups of 8 teams each with the top four in each group going through to a home and away Round of 16 ahead of the Quarter-Finals which will determine the Final Four.

An initial draw sorting the Qualification Rounds and the Regular Season phase will take place on Wednesday 11 July at the House of Basketball in Geneva, Switzerland. The draw will be livestreamed on www.championsleague.basketball.

(Photo credit: Brose Bamberg)