Super League Basketball

Last updated
Super League Basketball
Founded2024;0 years ago (2024)
First season 2024–25
Country Great Britain
Federation British Basketball
Confederation FIBA Europe (Europe)
Number of teams9
Level on pyramid 1
International cup(s) Champions League
FIBA Europe Cup
Basketball current event.svg 2024–25 Super League Basketball season

Super League Basketball (SLB) is a men's professional basketball league. Established in 2024, the competition replaces the former British Basketball League (BBL) as the top-level men's basketball competition in Great Britain.

Contents

History

From 1987, the British Basketball League (BBL) was the pre-eminent basketball competition in Great Britain. By 2024, Basketball League Ltd (BLL), the operating company behind the BBL, was in severe financial difficulties. [1] Due to this uncertainty, the British Basketball Federation (BBF) terminated BLL's operating license to run the men's professional league, with immediate effect. [2] On the same day a new organisation, Premier Basketball Limited, was formed by a consortium of existing basketball teams formerly of the BBL. The consortium, led by Sarah Backovic, director of Sheffield Sharks, was granted a three-year license by the BBF to operate the top-level men's basketball competition, in place of the former BBL. [3]

On 2 August, Super League Basketball was announced as the name for the new competition. [4]

Teams

Current teams

TeamLocationArenaCapacityFounded
Bristol Flyers Flag of England.svg Bristol SGS College Arena 7502006
Caledonia Gladiators Flag of Scotland.svg East Kilbride Playsport Arena 1,8001998
Cheshire Phoenix Flag of England.svg Ellesmere Port Cheshire Oaks Arena 1,4001984
Leicester Riders Flag of England.svg Leicester Mattioli Arena 2,4001967
London Lions Flag of England.svg London (Stratford) Copper Box Arena 6,0001977
Manchester Flag of England.svg Manchester National Basketball Centre 2,0002024
Newcastle Eagles Flag of England.svg Newcastle Vertu Motors Arena 2,8001976
Sheffield Sharks Flag of England.svg Sheffield Canon Medical Arena 2,5001991
Surrey 89ers Flag of England.svg Guildford Surrey Sports Park 9702024

Corporate structure

Chairpersons

Players

Import players

Rules currently allow for each team to have a maximum of six non-British qualified players per game. This excludes players with naturalisation and leave to remain.

Salary cap

There is a salary cap, reportedly £500,000 per season, for all SLB teams.

Transfer regulations

Teams must field no more than nine import players in any one season. Signings are allowed to be made throughout the pre-season and during the regular season until the league's transfer deadline on 28 February, or if during a leap year, 29 February.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheffield Sharks</span> British professional basketball team

The Sheffield Sharks, currently known as "B.Braun Sheffield Sharks" for sponsorship reasons, are a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. The Sharks compete in the British Basketball League and play their home matches at Park Community Arena, which opened in 2023. They are one of the most successful teams in the history of British basketball and dominated domestic competitions throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Basketball League</span> Former professional basketball league founded 1987

The British Basketball League (BBL) is a former men's professional basketball league in Great Britain. Since its establishment in 1987 the BBL represented the highest level of basketball competition within the United Kingdom. The organisation that operated the competition, Basketball League Limited, folded in July 2024 after the British Basketball Federation terminated its operating license. It was succeeded as the top-level men's basketball competition with Super League Basketball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Riders</span> British professional basketball team

Leicester Riders are a British professional basketball team and the oldest club in the British Basketball League (BBL). Established in 1967, the club have played in various locations around Leicestershire before moving to their current purpose-built home venue, the Mattioli Arena, in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surrey Scorchers</span> British professional basketball team

The Surrey Scorchers were an English professional basketball team based in Guildford, Surrey, that compete in the British Basketball League.

The 2005–06 BBL season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from 23 September 2005 through to 11 April 2006. The season started earlier than usual because of England's participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which took place during the regular season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBL Cup</span> British basketball competition

The British Basketball League Cup, often shortened to the BBL Cup, was an annual cup competition for the British Basketball League (BBL). It was one of two peripheral competitions operated by the League during the regular season, with the other being the BBL Trophy. The competition was usually played as a single game knock-out tournament, and was only contested by members of the British Basketball League. The final takes place in early January at the Arena Birmingham in Birmingham.

The 2009–10 BBL season of the British Basketball League (BBL) was the 23rd season since the league's establishment in 1987. The regular season commenced on 25 September 2009, when Milton Keynes Lions claimed the first win of the season with a 94–81 victory in the opening game against Worcester Wolves.

The 2011–12 BBL season was the 25th campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 11 teams from across England and Scotland, with Durham Wildcats appearing in their first campaign after election from EBL Division 1. The League did not feature two teams from the previous season; Worthing Thunder had stepped down to the EBL, whilst Essex Pirates withdrew just two weeks prior to the season starting due to the loss of a major sponsor. There was also uncertainty regarding the participation of reigning champions Mersey Tigers, who had to postpone their first game due to off-court problems and operational issues.

The 2012–13 BBL season was the 26th campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 12 teams from across England and Scotland including a new entrant, the reformed Manchester Giants, who were based on the original franchise of the same name that folded in 2001. East London Royals were due to become the 13th member of the League, but after their financial backing fell through weeks before the start of the season, the League deferred their entry until the 2013–14 season. The pre-season also saw long-time member franchise Milton Keynes Lions relocate to London and rebrand itself as the London Lions, whilst Cheshire Jets – encountering severe financial difficulties and threatened with the franchise being dissolved – were saved by campaigning local fans and businessmen and renamed as Cheshire Phoenix midway through the season.

The 2013–14 BBL season was the 27th campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 12 teams from across England and Scotland, including new entrant Birmingham Knights. East London Royals and Essex Leopards were both due to become the 13th and 14th League members respectively, but after deferring their original entries from the 2012–13 season for a season, both franchises withdrew their applications to join the BBL due to financial constraints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's British Basketball League</span> Top womens basketball competition in Great Britain

The Women's British Basketball League (WBBL) is the top-level women's basketball league in Great Britain, founded on 5 June 2014 as the women's counterpart to the British Basketball League (BBL). The league's headquarters are in Leicester alongside the offices of the men's BBL.

The 2014–15 BBL season was the 28th campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 13 teams from across England and Scotland, including new entrants, Bristol Flyers and Leeds Force. The season started on 26 September 2014 and ended on 10 May 2015 with the Play-off Final at The O2 Arena.

The 2016–17 BBL season was the 30th campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 12 teams from across England and Scotland. The season started on September 23, 2016, and ended on May 14, 2017.

The 2017–18 BBL season was the 31st campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 12 teams from across England and Scotland.

The 2018–19 BBL season was the 32nd campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 12 teams from across England and Scotland.

The 2019–20 BBL season was the 33rd campaign of the British Basketball League, the top British professional basketball league, since its in 1987. The season featured 12 teams from across England and Scotland. On 17 March 2020, the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. On 1 June 2020, the season was cancelled, with no League or Playoffs champions declared.

The 2020–21 BBL season was the 34th season of the British Basketball League, the top British professional basketball league, since its establishment in 1987. The season featured 11 teams from across England and Scotland.

The 2021–22 BBL season was the 35th season of the British Basketball League, the top British professional basketball league, since its establishment in 1987. The season featured 10 teams from across England and Scotland.

The 2022–23 BBL season was the 36th season of the British Basketball League, the top British professional basketball league, since its establishment in 1987. The season featured 10 teams from across England and Scotland.

The 2021–22 Plymouth City Patriots season was the first season of the franchise and the team's first appearance in the British Basketball League (BBL).

References

  1. Sam Neter (21 May 2024). "BBL engages with new investors amidst 777 controversy". Hoopsfix.com. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  2. "Company running BBL has licence terminated". BBC Sport. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  3. "Consortium of clubs awarded licence to run men's basketball league". BBC Sport. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  4. "Super League Basketball Launched In Great Britain". riders.basketball. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.