A night to remember: ABA League celebrates 25 years in Ljubljana

ABA League celebrated its 25th anniversary in spectacular fashion. The Gala Ceremony was held at the legendary Tivoli Hall in Ljubljana - the venue where the first game in ABA League history was played and where the competition’s first champion was crowned. More than 300 guests attended the celebration of this major milestone - a quarter of a century of regional basketball.

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The ceremony brought back memories of how the idea of reviving a basketball league across the region was born - a competition that had once been regarded as the strongest in Europe - and how the basketball court provided an ideal opportunity and the best possible platform to reconnect the entire region.

Special awards for the creation of the ABA League were presented to the visionaries behind its foundation: Božo Miličević, Radovan Lorbek, Roman Lisac, Zmago Sagadin and, posthumously, Danko Radić, whose daughter Antonija accepted the award on his behalf. Unfortunately, Josip Bilić was unable to attend the ceremony.

Awards were also presented to the people who, at the time, were at the helm of the four clubs that co-founded the League: Nihad Imamović of Bosna, Veselin Barović and Danilo Mitrović of Budućnost, and Jože Mermal of Olimpija. Mladen Šutalo of Cibona was unable to attend the celebration. The awards were presented by ABA League j.t.d. President Ostoja Mijailović.

The ABA League underwent a major transformation in the summer of 2015, when it was reorganized into a general partnership headquartered in Zagreb. Special awards for Contribution to the Development and Progress of the League, recognizing leadership and dedication, were presented to Dragan Bokan, Mladen Veber and Nebojša Čović, who in 2015 were at the helm of Budućnost, Cedevita and Crvena zvezda respectively - three clubs that served as the driving force behind the reforms that followed. The awards were presented by ABA League j.t.d. Vice President Davor Užbinec.

The growth, development and rise of the ABA League would not have been possible without the successful companies that supported the competition financially from its very beginning and throughout its 25-year history, associating their brands with the ABA League and providing essential backing for its continued operation. Special plaques were therefore presented to the League’s title sponsors over the years - Goodyear, NLB Bank and AdmiralBet - in recognition of their reliable partnership and support.

A special chapter in the development and rise of the ABA League belongs to its partnership with TV Arena Sport, which began in 2009 and has made it possible for every ABA League game to be broadcast live throughout all these years. This partnership has had an enormous impact on the promotion of players and the growing popularity of the League itself.

A total of 3,665 live broadcasts have been produced across the ABA League 1, ABA League 2, ABA Super Cup and ABA League Junior Tournament.

The ceremony also paid tribute to renowned commentator Edin Avdić, who passed away far too soon on 3 June this year. Through his unique and authentic style, Avdić enjoyed enormous popularity among viewers and earned tremendous respect from players and coaches alike.

In recognition of its long-standing partnership, trust and support, TV Arena Sport was presented with a special plaque, which was accepted by TV Arena Sport Creative Director Zoran Panjković.