Pallacanestro Virtus Roma
Pallacanestro Virtus Roma, known for sponsorship reasons as Acea Virtus Roma, is an Italian professional basketball club based in Rome, Lazio. It will play in the Italian second division from the 2015-16 season.
It was formerly a major side in Europe, winning the 1984 European Champions Cup and being one of only 13 clubs to hold a Euroleague A license. However its standing later waned and Virtus became less competitive in both Europe and the domestic Serie A - which it had won in 1983 - before voluntaraily relegating to the second division in July 2015.
For past club sponsorship names, see sponsorship names.
History
The club was formed by the merger of two Roman sides, San Saba and Gruppo Borgo Cavalleggeri, under the name Virtus Aurelia in the late 1960s, the founding date of San Saba, 1960, was kept as Virtus'.
In 1972, Virtus Aurelia merged with GS Banco di Roma, the sporting wing of the similarly named bank, forming Pallacanestro Virtus Banco di Roma.
The side reached the second division in 1978, staying two years before moving up to the Serie A in 1980.