The 2019/20 season lights are off • Any proposal to announce a temporary break from the Premier League and a late return to activity has been disqualified • There is no decline, nor is the champion's identity disputed - but the financial troubles will move the industry to legal proceedings.

• The emergency meeting yesterday. A sweeping refusal to increase the league next season

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  Encourage Carney

1. If there is no last minute change, the Basketball League Administration will announce the closing of the league for the 2019/20 season. There are still directors trying to lead a move that "the league will stop and not close," but they are a minority. The proposal by Haim Ohayon, Gilboa / Galil's owner, that the entire league of its players, coaches, judges and broadcast teams will be isolated for two weeks, followed by a two-week lightning tournament to determine the champion, rejected by the Ministry of Health outright, so there is no escape now League.

2. A senior administration official explained yesterday: "The Israeli government's closure is in the first phase until April 19. That means most groups are prevented from practicing for at least 35 days. Even if they are approved to return to graded activity, it will be without a crowd. The groups will also need at least two weeks of training And reorganization. "

In such a situation, most of the group's representatives, including Maccabi Tel Aviv, chose yesterday to close the league except Hapoel Jerusalem, Ness Ziona and Gilboa / Galilee. The pressure of foreigners to return to the US (not because the situation is better, but because of the possibility of the Corona virus Expanding to other countries, US President Donald Trump will close all US entrances), and in particular the economic aspect, which means that the continued holding of the teams could cost them a lot and closing the league now will save them money, is the deciding factor.

3. A senior director in the administration was surprised yesterday by Maccabi Tel Aviv's position to close the league immediately. "My job assumption is that this season of Maccabi Tel Aviv she would like to wait and with the return of basketball in Europe she can even take a trophy (Euroleague; SS). But Maccabi probably knows that the Euroleague will not return, so they have expressed the most extreme position to close the league immediately, because they are probably not worth the whole system just for a theoretical return of the league. "

Some directors intend to fight the clear decision, according to which Maccabi Tel Aviv will be declared champion for 2019/20, and want this season to be declared "ended" without a decision.

4. The consequences of closing the league may take a long time. One of the reasons for its closure today is the cessation of payments to players and their leave to the US (free vacation) due to "force majeure." In such a situation the players will have to claim their salary from Social Security. The players' organization does not intend to raise hands, and yesterday appointed an action team that includes three jurists, the interns In labor law.

5. Another meaning of closing the league is that there is no down. Maccabi Ashdod, the last in the league at the end of the 21st round, has to step down, but as in 2014, when she went down and bought the right to stay out of Netanya, she will be saved and remain. The Basketball Association, for its part, should announce two immigrants from the National League (currently: the Herzliya and Hapoel Haifa).

The League's administration will strongly oppose such a move, even as increasing the league to 14 teams will reduce the funds for any group that comes from the administration, and in the problematic financial situation of most groups, this is the last thing they want. For him, the Basketball Association is loyal to its promise and should appeal to the Supreme Court of the Union to decide. The orange ball will drop off the field today and move to court.