Rytas Vilnius CEO Martynas Giga shared key details about the 2027-28 NBA Europe qualification process. While FIBA Basketball Champions League finalists will earn two direct spots, an 8-team tournament featuring the two losing BCL semifinalists and six additional clubs from the highest-ranked domestic leagues will determine the remaining two spots.
Rytas Vilnius CEO Martynas Giga shared new insights about how the qualifiers for the inaugural NBA Europe season will work.
During a press conference on Thursday in Vilnius, Giga revealed that 8 teams are expected to compete in the qualifying tournament for two spots in the 2027-28 NBA Europe season.
NBA Europe qualifying process
“The two [FIBA Basketball Champions League] finalists will get direct spots for the NBA Europe. [The qualifying tournament] will consist of the two teams that lose in the [BCL] semifinals, and six teams from the highest-ranked domestic leagues,” Giga said.
“From what we understand, Rytas should be participating [in the qualifying tournament]. Obviously, it depends on our results in the domestic league. That’s why the LKL is important to us, and we aren’t writing it off.
“The qualifying tournament is expected to take place after the end of the season. Therefore, our contracts have been extended for a longer term, taking into account the possibility of playing in that tournament.
“I don’t have the details on where the qualification tournament will take place yet, but the expectation is that 8 teams will be participating in it, with two clubs receiving a place in NBA Europe,” the Rytas CEO added.
Credit Paulius Peleckis/BNS
Giga’s statements confirm what BCL CEO Patrick Comninos said, and BasketNews reported back in July.
“We are happy to confirm that the Basketball Champions League Season 11 winners and finalists will qualify for the first season of the NBA and FIBA backed league expected to launch in the fall of 2027,” Comninos said back then in a statement.
Rytas won the BCL championship last season, and Giga admitted it has become a running joke in the club’s office.
“We joked 100 times already that we won it too early,” Giga said. “That said, if we did it last year, maybe there’s a chance to repeat it this season.
Rytas Vilnius budget for 2026-27 season
On Thursday, Rytas also presented their budget for the 2026-27 campaign. The Lithuanian powerhouse plans to generate €10.765 million in revenue, while projecting expenses of €10.535 million.
Player and coach salaries make up the largest share of expenses, totaling €5.32 million.
Additionally, the club plans to allocate €1.835 million to game organization and ticketing, €1.525 million to administrative operating costs, €1.42 million to sports team expenses, and €435,000 to youth teams.
Commercial revenue represents the largest income source, projected at €5.11 million.
For comparison, the 2025-26 season ended with revenues of €8.059 million against expenses of €7.078 million, recording a surplus of €980,000 after last season.
Before the 2025-26 campaign, Rytas had projected €6.834 million in revenue with expected expenses of €6.629 million.
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