Liga de Baloncesto Puertorriqueña
Second tier level men's professional basketball league in Puerto Rico
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Liga de Baloncesto Puertorriqueña (LBP) is the second tier of professional basketball in Puerto Rico. It is a FIBA-sanctioned league, founded by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. The current champions are the Capitalinos de San Juan.
| Founded | 1984 (as La Liga del Pueblo) |
|---|---|
| Country | Puerto Rico |
| Federation | Puerto Rican Basketball Federation |
| Confederation | FIBA Americas |
| Divisions | 4 |
| Number of teams | 43 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| International cup | Champions League |
| Current champions | Guerrilleros de Rio Grande (1st title) |
| TV partners | Telemundo WAPA 2 Deportes DirecTV Puerto Rico |
| Website | www |
History
Founded in 1984 as “La Liga del Pueblo”, the second-tier league in Puerto Rico was intended as a place to develop local players who would represent their communities with pride.[1][2] There was originally an age limit of 20–30.[3] The success of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in the 1980s prompted this demand. Soon the league would spread from coast-to-coast and include up to 48 teams, garnering a TV deal with Northstar Communications, and leaguewide sponsorships from Toyota and Popular, Inc.[4]
Current Teams
For the 2021–2022 season which begins 12/1/2021, there are 44 teams.[4] These teams are grouped into four divisions, Norte (North), Este (East), Sur (South), and Oeste (West).[5] Many reflect the first-tier clubs that share the city; i.e. Cariduros de Fajardo being the designation for both the Baloncesto Superior Nacional team and the LBP team.[6]