Sport Basketball Inaugural season 1964 No. of teams 10 | Founded 1964 CEO Hannes S. Jónsson Country Iceland | |
First Division or D1 (Icelandic: 1. deild karla) is the second tier basketball competition among clubs in Iceland. It is organized by the Icelandic Basketball Federation (Icelandic: Körfuknattleikssamband Íslands - KKÍ). The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 18 games, followed by a four-team playoff round. Both semifinals and finals series are best-of-three. The top team from the regular-season phase and the four-team playoff round winner are promoted in the Premier League (Icelandic: Úrvalsdeild karla). The bottom clubs are relegated, and replaced by the top team from the regular-season phase and the four-team playoff round winner of the second-level Second Division (Icelandic: 2. deild karla).
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Creation
The First Division (Icelandic: 1. deild karla) was founded in 1964. Up until 1978 it was known as Second Division.
ÍS and ÍKF's dominance
For the first years, from its foundation in 1964 until the 1970–71 season, the First Division was led by the ÍS (with 3 wins) and ÍKF (with 2 wins).
Fram Reykjavík's leadership
Some years later, from the 1974–75 season, the Fram Reykjavík started their leadership on the First Division and their series of wins, that ended in the 1985-86 season when they won their fourth title.
The double fall of ÍR
After their golden years, in which they won 15 Premier League titles in less than 25 years, the ÍR was relegated to the First Division. In the 1986-87 season they won for their first time the First Division and came back to the Premier League. Afterwards, the ÍR was relegated again to the First Division. In the 1999-00 season they won their second First Division title and came back to the Premier League.
Modern era
In the 2006-07 season, the Þór Akureyri won their fifth title. In the following season, the 2007-08 season, also the Breiðablik UBK won their fifth title, becoming the most successful franchise together with the Þór Akureyri. In the 2011–12 season, the KFÍ won their fourth title.
Teams
The First Division originated in 1964 and, currently, consists of 10 teams. The Breiðablik UBK and the Þór Akureyri have won the most championships with 5 First Division wins. The current First Division teams for the 2011-12 season are: