Super League Basketball

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.

Super League Basketball
Founded2024; 0 years ago (2024)
First season2024–25
CountryGreat Britain
FederationBritish Basketball
ConfederationFIBA Europe
Number of teams9
Level on pyramid1
International cup(s)Champions League
FIBA Europe Cup
TV partnersDAZN
Websitesuperleaguebasketballm.co.uk
2024–25 Super League Basketball season

History

edit

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

edit

Current teams

edit
Team Location Arena Capacity Founded
Bristol Flyers   Bristol SGS College Arena 750 2006
Caledonia Gladiators   East Kilbride Playsport Arena 1,800 1998
Cheshire Phoenix   Ellesmere Port Cheshire Oaks Arena 1,400 1984
Leicester Riders   Leicester Mattioli Arena 2,400 1967
London Lions   London (Stratford) Copper Box Arena 6,000 1977
Manchester Basketball   Manchester National Basketball Centre 2,000 2024
Newcastle Eagles   Newcastle Vertu Motors Arena 2,800 1976
Sheffield Sharks   Sheffield Canon Medical Arena 2,500 1991
Surrey 89ers   Guildford Surrey Sports Park 970 2024

Corporate structure

edit

Chairpersons

edit
  • Vaughn Millette (2024-present)

Regulations

edit

Import players

edit

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

edit

There is a salary cap set at £400,000 per season, excluding the highest paid British-qualified player, for all SLB teams. Teams are fined for exceeding this limit.

Transfer regulations

edit

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

edit

References

edit
  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.
edit