New Rules in the EuroLeague and ACB League - What to Expect in the New Season?

In the new Euroleague and ACB league seasons, basketball fans can expect several significant rule changes. These rules not only bring more fairness to the court but also provide additional transparency in refereeing decisions.
Let’s take a look at what to expect in the 2024-25 season.
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New Rules in the EuroLeague – Instant Replay System and Defensive Semicircle

These changes are coming into effect to make Euroleague and EuroCup games as fair as possible for players and easier to understand for fans. In the new set of Euroleague rules, violations during ball transitions have been added to the Instant Replay System (IRS). Also, other rule changes have been aligned with FIBA regulations. Especially about “violations” during jump balls and the defensive semicircle.

Now, referees will be able to review situations in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter. Also, the final two minutes of overtime, during contested ball transitions across the court. Coaches will be able to challenge such decisions at any point during the game. Other FIBA rules pertain to violations during jump balls and the defensive semicircle. During a jump ball, there will no longer be an inbound from the center court or a reset of the shot clock to 24 seconds.

Instead, if the violation occurs in the opponent’s half, the ball will be inbounded from the backcourt with 24 seconds on the shot clock. If the violation happens in their half, the team will inbound the ball with an added 14 seconds on the clock. Regarding player positioning within the defensive semicircle, the new rules state that a defender will be considered outside the semicircle if their foot is lifted above the semicircle line. Previously, they were considered within the semicircle in this specific situation.

ACB League Introduces Two New Rules – More Transparency

The Spanish ACB league is also implementing new rules that will affect how teams play. Teams will now have the option to choose the area of the court where play will resume after a timeout. Also, discussions between referees will be made publicly accessible.

The first change allows teams to choose whether, after a timeout, they want to inbound the ball from the backcourt (with 24 seconds of possession) or from the frontcourt (with 14 seconds). This choice was previously only possible in the last two minutes of the game. Players will also be able to choose whether to inbound the ball from the bench or from the opposite side of the court.

“I think this is positive because they can choose the side where they will run plays, whether left or right. I wasn’t good at this, but I believe the players will adapt,” said referee Alfonso Olivares.

The second change will allow the public to hear the communication between referees during video reviews. Until now, only the final decision could be heard. But, starting this season, the entire discussion and reasoning behind the decisions will be available to the public.

“You’ll hear why a decision was made. Previously, it felt like an imposed decision when you only heard the final outcome,” the referee explained, highlighting the importance of this change. “We need to be more transparent in our decision-making and get closer to the fans. We can’t just communicate in referee jargon,” he added.

The new rules in the EuroLeague and ACB League will affect the dynamics and increase transparency on the court. These changes are aimed at fairer play, more accurate refereeing decisions, and better communication with fans. These changes promise an exciting season in which basketball will become even more accessible and engaging.

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