British Basketball League
Encyclopedia
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball
league in the United Kingdom
. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup
and the BBL Trophy
.
The BBL is not to be confused with the English Basketball League
(EBL) or the Scottish Basketball League (SBL), which effectively form the second tier of British basketball. There is currently no promotion or relegation
between the EBL, SBL and BBL because of the franchise system in use in the BBL, although Plymouth Raiders
, Worcester Wolves
and Durham Wildcats
amongst others have all been elected from the EBL in recent years.
The league currently consists of 11 teams with representation from both England
and Scotland
. The 2011 Champions were Mersey Tigers, while Guildford Heat
were the league's most recent representatives in Europe, competing in the ULEB Cup
during the 2007-08 season
.
Member franchises of the BBL jointly own the league, and a chairman is elected by the teams to oversee league operations. The current Chairman is Paul Blake
, the Managing Director of Newcastle Eagles. The head offices are located in Leicester
, where the country's oldest team, the Leicester Riders
is also based.
scene in 1987 as the game's foremost clubs opted for a franchise-based competition without promotion or relegation
. Seeking to improve the sport's image through greater professionalism, the BBL fast became the benchmark for quality competition in the UK
In 1988 Portsmouth
emerged from the pack to clinch the inaugural BBL Championship title but the following year saw the famous Kingston Kings
side of the late 80s and early 90s win the first of three back-to-back league crowns.
, Lego
, Playboy
and Budweiser
came flooding in, as did the crowds. The Manchester Giants
opened the 1995-96 season in front of a record 14,251 fans at the NYNEX Arena against the London Leopards - a record crowd that stood for a basketball game until 2006 when the NBA started staging pre-season games at the O2.
London Towers
, Crystal Palace
and the Greater London Leopards ushered in an era of capital success in the mid-1990s and in 1999 a Conference format was introduced, which was mirrored by the NBL
the following season. For three seasons the cream of the north and the south followed an American-style system with London Towers
invincible in the South.
cost the league dear, with many franchises struggling to recover from the lost revenue that the £21 million contract was providing. Long established franchises such as the Giants
, the Leopards
, Derby Storm
, Thames Valley Tigers
and Birmingham Bullets
have all dropped out in the years since, never to be seen again.
The membership crisis brought about the addition of new franchises such as Guildford Heat
(Formed by fans of the defunct Thames Valley Tigers) and elected teams from the lower-tier English Basketball League
, like the Plymouth Raiders
, both making a refreshing impact on the old boys, with the Heat qualifying for the post season playoffs in 2005-06
, their rookie season.
During the same season Newcastle
won 30 of their 40 regular season league fixtures to clinch the League Championship crown - the previous season saw the Eagles win 31 matches but lose out to Chester Jets in the final week, by just two points. That title was one of four pieces of silverware won during the dubbed "clean-sweep" season of 2005-2006
, the Eagles marching on to claim the BBL Cup
, BBL Trophy
and Playoff's - the complete set.
Guildford Heat, only in their second season in 2006-2007
, stole the headlines by storming to their first League title coupled with the BBL Cup
, to mark a historic moment for the young club and its fans. Plymouth Raiders also put themselves on the map by overcoming their underdog tags to beat Newcastle on their own court in the BBL Trophy final, their first silverware as a BBL team. Newcastle managed to redeem themselves at the very end, after a poor season, by their standards, by claiming the Playoff title against rivals Scottish Rocks
.
is marketing the game at home and abroad, and after successfully gaining representation in the ULEB Cup
with Guildford Heat's appearance in 2007-08
the league is slowly recovering from a low ebb.
There is a strong emphasis on recruiting and developing homegrown talent with a view to supporting Team GB
's London 2012 medal bid. With British NBA star Luol Deng
committing to the team and various other stars eligible to also play for Britain, including Ben Gordon, Pops Mensah-Bonsu
, and Joel Freeland
.
, of Newcastle Eagles
is the current elected Chairman. The following club representative's on the Board of Directors are:
. Teams play each other on three occasions throughout the season, resulting in a thirty game campaign for each team, meeting each of their counterparts once at home, once away, and once home or away in the 11-team league structure. Matches are played according to FIBA rules and games consist of four quarters of 10 minutes each. Two points are awarded for a win, with the game going into overtime
if the score is tied at the final buzzer - unlimited numbers of 5 minute overtime periods are played until one team is ahead when a period ends.
In the league season, team schedules are not identical and neither are matchdays, with games scheduled mainly around venue availability. Because of this teams may find themselves playing a series of four or five home games consecutively followed by a straight set of away games. As the regular season is also particularly short, many games are played over weekends as 'doubleheader
s', whereby a team will play games (possibly a home and away game) on consecutive days, something that is not commonplace in British
sports, although often seen in the National Basketball Association
and other American sports.
Following the completion of the Championship regular season, the top eight placed teams advance into the post-season Play-offs which usually take place during April.
The culmination of the post-season is the grand final, which sees the two Semi-final winners play a one-game event to determine the eventual victors of the Play-offs. Traditionally held during the final weekend of April, the showpiece event is held at the National Indoor Arena
in Birmingham
.
is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the BBL during the regular season. The tournament emerged from a breakaway of the National Cup and was contested for the first time in 2003-04
, when Sheffield Sharks
were the inaugural winners. It is a pure knockout competition featuring all BBL-member clubs, with the final hosted at the prestigious National Indoor Arena
in Birmingham
, usually in early January. With the withdrawal of the Essex Pirates
for the 2011/2012 season it has been confirmed that SBL side Edinburgh Kings will take their place in the fixture against Glasgow Rocks.
started out as the Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1985 was initially a competition between teams from both the English and Scottish leagues. It was rebranded as the League Trophy in 1987 following the reorganisation and amalgamation of the leagues. The tournament begins with a regional group format made up of all BBL-member clubs plus an invitee from the EBL. The winners of each group go through to play each other in a two-legged Semi-final, with the two winners then going on to the Final, which for the 2011 edition was held at the O2 Arena
.
requirements are the Newcastle Eagles
, with the Glasgow Rocks awaiting construction of their new 5,000 seater stadium as part of the city's Commonwealth Games bid.
Notes
Possible expansion teams:
(EU) - whilst the remaining players on the roster must have citizenship
of an EU country, either by birth or by naturalisation. The current ruling was integrated at the beginning of the 2006-07 season
, reverting from the previous law which allowed four imports along with naturalised players. Because of this previous rule, it was possible for a team to field an entirely American
starting five, which was often the case.
With the 2012 Olympics in mind, an attempt to develop home grown talent has taken incredible steps forward in British basketball in development of more British players. Contributing to this cause, the BBL has implemented a new ruling which would have been in effect from the start of the 2007-08 season
, whereby only two imported (non-EU) players are permitted in each roster. However, with an expansion of three more franchises for the 2007-08 season, the decision to permit only two non-EU players was revoked because of the lack of available home-grown talent currently available.
, the date is then 29 February.
Andy Betts Karl Brown Steve Bucknall
Dave Gardner
Trevor Gordon Chris Haslam
Martin Henlan Roger Huggins
Colin Irish Iain MacLean Richard Midgley
Steve Nelson Robbie Peers Peter Scantlebury
Nigel Lloyd Greg Francis
Greg Meldrum Pero Cameron
Michael Payne Ted Berry
Rod Brown
Alton Byrd
Terry Crosby
Alan Cunningham Tony Dorsey
Chuck Evans
Kenny Gregory
Tony Holley Shawn Jamison
Danny Lewis
James Life
John McCord Loren Meyer
Terrell Myers
Mike New
Craig Robinson
Dennis Rodman
Jason Siemon Billy Singleton
Lynard Stewart
Clyde Vaughan
Jerry Williams Tony Windless
Charles Claxton
when many national newspapers such as The Sun
reported that former NBA
player Dennis Rodman
had signed for Brighton Bears
only weeks after being evicted from Celebrity Big Brother. The press attention quickly faded after 'Rodmania' had died down following his three game appearance for the Southcoast franchise.
Coverage in the towns and cities where BBL clubs are based is more extensive. Newspapers such as The Plymouth Herald, Sheffield Star
, The Glaswegian, Glasgow Herald, Daily Record
, Leicester Mercury
, Newcastle Chronicle and the Worcester News
have dedicated basketball reporters who cover the local team.
throughout the season, with both delayed coverage and live games shown each week. The League is into its second year of its Sky Sports coverage deal which was announced in October 2010 and marked the return of BBL action on Sky Sports after a 9-year gap.
The history of television coverage of the BBL is extremely minimal and sparodic. During the 2007-08 season
international broadcaster Setanta Sports
saw one game a week shown live on Setanta Sports 2. The coverage proved a ratings success and it was hoped that live televised games would continue during the 2008-09 season, however no deal was ever reached.
In 2006, League officials signed a £2.5 million broadcasting rights agreement with MKTV
to provide coverage of 40 live games per season. However only two matches were screened and the deal eventually collapsed when the channel closed. Though the BBL Cup
final had been broadcast live over the internet two months previously, by UKTV
, this was the first time in five years that the BBL was screened live on television, since the collapse of ITV Digital
in 2002. Before then, the league also enjoyed coverage from Channel 4
in the 1980s and Sky Sports from 1995 to 2001, where audiences peaked at around 150,000.
Last Updated November 6, 2011
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
league in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
and the BBL Trophy
BBL Trophy
The BBL Trophy is one of three cup competitions operated by the British Basketball League. The competition begins with a regional group format and comprises the BBL clubs divided into four regional qualifying groups of three...
.
The BBL is not to be confused with the English Basketball League
English Basketball League
The English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
(EBL) or the Scottish Basketball League (SBL), which effectively form the second tier of British basketball. There is currently no promotion or relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
between the EBL, SBL and BBL because of the franchise system in use in the BBL, although Plymouth Raiders
Plymouth Raiders
The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
, Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester which plays in the British Basketball League. The Wolves currently play at in the 800-seat capacity Sports Hall of the University of Worcester, although they are to use the new Worcester Arena as their home venue once completed in...
and Durham Wildcats
Durham Wildcats
Durham Wildcats is a basketball team based in County Durham, England. Established in 2005, the club has enjoyed a rapid rise through the English Basketball League system with three promotions in the past three seasons...
amongst others have all been elected from the EBL in recent years.
The league currently consists of 11 teams with representation from both England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The 2011 Champions were Mersey Tigers, while Guildford Heat
Guildford Heat
Guildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
were the league's most recent representatives in Europe, competing in the ULEB Cup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
during the 2007-08 season
British Basketball League 2007-08
The 2007-08 season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, commenced on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders succumbed to the Guildford Heat in the inaugural Cup Winners' Cup competition...
.
Member franchises of the BBL jointly own the league, and a chairman is elected by the teams to oversee league operations. The current Chairman is Paul Blake
Paul Blake
Paul Blake is the current Chairman of the British Basketball League, succeeding Vince Macaulay-Razaq in 2006, as well as working as the current Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles basketball franchise....
, the Managing Director of Newcastle Eagles. The head offices are located in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, where the country's oldest team, the Leicester Riders
Leicester Riders
The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
is also based.
1980s: Elite establishment
The British Basketball League burst onto the British hoopsBasketball in England
Basketball, although invented in the United States, has a very long history in England, having been introduced there by the YMCA almost immediately after it was created. World War I and II further spurred its popularity. The four highest profile team sports in the United Kingdom are football,...
scene in 1987 as the game's foremost clubs opted for a franchise-based competition without promotion or relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
. Seeking to improve the sport's image through greater professionalism, the BBL fast became the benchmark for quality competition in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
In 1988 Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
emerged from the pack to clinch the inaugural BBL Championship title but the following year saw the famous Kingston Kings
Guildford Kings
Guildford Kings was a successful British basketball franchise, most prominent in the British Basketball League during the early 1990s. They ceased operations at the end of the 1993-94 season....
side of the late 80s and early 90s win the first of three back-to-back league crowns.
1990s: Television, sponsors and crowds flood in
The 1990s also saw an exciting growth in popularity and commercialism of the league. Television crews and exciting sponsors such as PeugeotPeugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
, Lego
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
, Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
came flooding in, as did the crowds. The Manchester Giants
Manchester Giants
Manchester Giants was a team in the British Basketball League from 1990 to 2001.During its existence, the team won the Trophy in 1999 and the BBL Championship in 2000. The tenure of coach Nick Nurse, which included these two seasons, was the most successful period in the club's history...
opened the 1995-96 season in front of a record 14,251 fans at the NYNEX Arena against the London Leopards - a record crowd that stood for a basketball game until 2006 when the NBA started staging pre-season games at the O2.
London Towers
London Towers
London Towers was a professional basketball team based in London, England. They were one of the most successful and recognised British sports teams of the 1990s, collecting many titles in the British Basketball League as well as regularly competing in European competitions such as the Euroleague...
, Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace Basketball
Crystal Palace was a basketball team competing in the British Basketball League , until they merged with the London Towers in 1998. They played in the Crystal Palace Sports Centre and were one of the forerunners of the league in the mid-1990s....
and the Greater London Leopards ushered in an era of capital success in the mid-1990s and in 1999 a Conference format was introduced, which was mirrored by the NBL
National Basketball League (United Kingdom)
The National Basketball League, or NBL for short, is a British basketball league. The league started in 1972 and continued through to 2003 renamed the English Basketball League.-1972-1993:...
the following season. For three seasons the cream of the north and the south followed an American-style system with London Towers
London Towers
London Towers was a professional basketball team based in London, England. They were one of the most successful and recognised British sports teams of the 1990s, collecting many titles in the British Basketball League as well as regularly competing in European competitions such as the Euroleague...
invincible in the South.
2000s: The millennium slump
A single-league BBL returned in 2002 and five different franchises have won the Championship title in the five years since. However the new millennium also saw a series of downfalls for the BBL. The collapse of ITV DigitalITV Digital
ITV Digital was a British digital terrestrial television broadcaster, which launched a pay-TV service on the world's first digital terrestrial television network as ONdigital in 1998 and briefly re-branded as ITV Digital in July 2001, before the service ceased in May 2002. Its main shareholders...
cost the league dear, with many franchises struggling to recover from the lost revenue that the £21 million contract was providing. Long established franchises such as the Giants
Manchester Giants
Manchester Giants was a team in the British Basketball League from 1990 to 2001.During its existence, the team won the Trophy in 1999 and the BBL Championship in 2000. The tenure of coach Nick Nurse, which included these two seasons, was the most successful period in the club's history...
, the Leopards
Essex Leopards
The Essex Leopards, or just Leopards as they were more commonly known, was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League...
, Derby Storm
Derby Storm
Derby Storm was a former British Basketball League franchise from the city of Derby, Derbyshire. The team took the decision to sit out the 2002-03 season after failing to find a suitable venue for home games...
, Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. Based in Bracknell, Berkshire, the team's fans setup a new team to replace the Tigers and just a month later the Guildford Heat was born...
and Birmingham Bullets
Birmingham Bullets
The Birmingham Bullets is a basketball team from Birmingham, who competed in the British Basketball League . The club resigned from the BBL league in the summer of 2006 and soon after went into liquidation, and currently no-longer exist as a basketball franchise.-The future of Birmingham...
have all dropped out in the years since, never to be seen again.
The membership crisis brought about the addition of new franchises such as Guildford Heat
Guildford Heat
Guildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
(Formed by fans of the defunct Thames Valley Tigers) and elected teams from the lower-tier English Basketball League
English Basketball League
The English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
, like the Plymouth Raiders
Plymouth Raiders
The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
, both making a refreshing impact on the old boys, with the Heat qualifying for the post season playoffs in 2005-06
British Basketball League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005 through to April 11, 2006. The season started earlier than usual because of England's participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which took place during the regular season.Eleven teams took...
, their rookie season.
During the same season Newcastle
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
won 30 of their 40 regular season league fixtures to clinch the League Championship crown - the previous season saw the Eagles win 31 matches but lose out to Chester Jets in the final week, by just two points. That title was one of four pieces of silverware won during the dubbed "clean-sweep" season of 2005-2006
British Basketball League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005 through to April 11, 2006. The season started earlier than usual because of England's participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which took place during the regular season.Eleven teams took...
, the Eagles marching on to claim the BBL Cup
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
, BBL Trophy
BBL Trophy
The BBL Trophy is one of three cup competitions operated by the British Basketball League. The competition begins with a regional group format and comprises the BBL clubs divided into four regional qualifying groups of three...
and Playoff's - the complete set.
Guildford Heat, only in their second season in 2006-2007
British Basketball League 2006-07
The 2006-07 season, the 20th since its establishment of the British Basketball League, started on September 29, 2006 when reigning champions Newcastle Eagles began with a 85-83 loss away to Sheffield Sharks....
, stole the headlines by storming to their first League title coupled with the BBL Cup
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
, to mark a historic moment for the young club and its fans. Plymouth Raiders also put themselves on the map by overcoming their underdog tags to beat Newcastle on their own court in the BBL Trophy final, their first silverware as a BBL team. Newcastle managed to redeem themselves at the very end, after a poor season, by their standards, by claiming the Playoff title against rivals Scottish Rocks
Scottish Rocks
The Glasgow Rocks is a basketball team which competes in the British Basketball League. Formerly known as Scottish Rocks and also Edinburgh Rocks, they are one of the leading franchises in the top-tier league, and the only team to be based outside of England, playing at the Kelvin Hall...
.
The future
League chairman and Newcastle Managing Director Paul BlakePaul Blake
Paul Blake is the current Chairman of the British Basketball League, succeeding Vince Macaulay-Razaq in 2006, as well as working as the current Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles basketball franchise....
is marketing the game at home and abroad, and after successfully gaining representation in the ULEB Cup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
with Guildford Heat's appearance in 2007-08
British Basketball League 2007-08
The 2007-08 season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, commenced on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders succumbed to the Guildford Heat in the inaugural Cup Winners' Cup competition...
the league is slowly recovering from a low ebb.
There is a strong emphasis on recruiting and developing homegrown talent with a view to supporting Team GB
Great Britain national basketball team
The Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
's London 2012 medal bid. With British NBA star Luol Deng
Luol Deng
Luol Deng is a South Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls and the Great Britain national basketball team. He plays the small forward position.-Early life:...
committing to the team and various other stars eligible to also play for Britain, including Ben Gordon, Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Nana Papa Yaw Dwene "Pops" Mensah-Bonsu is a British professional basketball player of Ghanaian descent.-Amateur career:...
, and Joel Freeland
Joel Freeland
Joel Freeland is a British professional basketball player. He is a forward-center. His playing style has been compared to that of David Lee of the Golden State Warriors and former NBA player Keon Clark...
.
Board members
The British Basketball League is an independent company owned by its member clubs. Each club - or franchise as it is known - has an equal shareholding in the BBL and a representative on the Board of Directors, thus is part of all decision-making regarding League policies, issues, and rules. Paul BlakePaul Blake
Paul Blake is the current Chairman of the British Basketball League, succeeding Vince Macaulay-Razaq in 2006, as well as working as the current Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles basketball franchise....
, of Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
is the current elected Chairman. The following club representative's on the Board of Directors are:
- Cheshire JetsCheshire JetsThe Cheshire Jets are a British professional basketball team based in the city of Chester, in Cheshire, England. Formerly known as the Chester Jets, their home court is the Northgate Arena and they play in the top-tier British Basketball League....
- Peter Hawkins - Durham WildcatsDurham WildcatsDurham Wildcats is a basketball team based in County Durham, England. Established in 2005, the club has enjoyed a rapid rise through the English Basketball League system with three promotions in the past three seasons...
- Quentin Sloper - Glasgow Rocks - Ian ReidIan ReidIan Reid may refer to:* Ian Reid , former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta* Ian Reid , Australian educator* Ian Reid , Scottish footballer...
- Guildford HeatGuildford HeatGuildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
- Alison Reeve - Leicester RidersLeicester RidersThe Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
- Kevin Routledge - Mersey Tigers - Steve Brookfield
- Milton Keynes LionsMilton Keynes LionsThe Milton Keynes Lions, officially called Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions due to sponsorship, is a basketball team which represents Milton Keynes in the British Basketball League, the top level men's basketball league in the United Kingdom. The franchise’s only trophy success to-date is the BBL...
- Vince MacaulayVince MacaulayVince Tunde Macaulay-Razaq is the current owner of British Basketball League franchise Milton Keynes Lions.A former player for Brixton Topcats, Tower Hamlets, London Towers and Hemel Royals, Macaulay acquired the Royals franchise in 1998 for an upfront fee of £1,500 and relocated it to Milton... - Newcastle EaglesNewcastle EaglesNewcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
- Paul BlakePaul BlakePaul Blake is the current Chairman of the British Basketball League, succeeding Vince Macaulay-Razaq in 2006, as well as working as the current Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles basketball franchise.... - Plymouth RaidersPlymouth RaidersThe Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
- Bob Widdecombe - Sheffield SharksSheffield SharksSheffield Sharks, officially named One Health Sheffield Sharks due to sponsorship, is a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. Sharks currently play in the British Basketball League and play their home fixtures at English Institute of Sport - Sheffield...
- Sarah Backovic - Worcester WolvesWorcester WolvesWorcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester which plays in the British Basketball League. The Wolves currently play at in the 800-seat capacity Sports Hall of the University of Worcester, although they are to use the new Worcester Arena as their home venue once completed in...
- Roger Clarke
Former Chairmen
- 1987-1988: unknown
- 1988-2002: Kevin Routledge (Leicester RidersLeicester RidersThe Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
) - 2002-2006: Vince MacaulayVince MacaulayVince Tunde Macaulay-Razaq is the current owner of British Basketball League franchise Milton Keynes Lions.A former player for Brixton Topcats, Tower Hamlets, London Towers and Hemel Royals, Macaulay acquired the Royals franchise in 1998 for an upfront fee of £1,500 and relocated it to Milton...
(Milton Keynes LionsMilton Keynes LionsThe Milton Keynes Lions, officially called Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions due to sponsorship, is a basketball team which represents Milton Keynes in the British Basketball League, the top level men's basketball league in the United Kingdom. The franchise’s only trophy success to-date is the BBL...
) - 2006–present: Paul BlakePaul BlakePaul Blake is the current Chairman of the British Basketball League, succeeding Vince Macaulay-Razaq in 2006, as well as working as the current Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles basketball franchise....
(Newcastle EaglesNewcastle EaglesNewcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
)
Regular season
The regular season of the Championship, which runs from October to April, operates as a league formatSports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
. Teams play each other on three occasions throughout the season, resulting in a thirty game campaign for each team, meeting each of their counterparts once at home, once away, and once home or away in the 11-team league structure. Matches are played according to FIBA rules and games consist of four quarters of 10 minutes each. Two points are awarded for a win, with the game going into overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
if the score is tied at the final buzzer - unlimited numbers of 5 minute overtime periods are played until one team is ahead when a period ends.
In the league season, team schedules are not identical and neither are matchdays, with games scheduled mainly around venue availability. Because of this teams may find themselves playing a series of four or five home games consecutively followed by a straight set of away games. As the regular season is also particularly short, many games are played over weekends as 'doubleheader
Doubleheader
Doubleheader may refer to:*Doubleheader - Two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day.*Doubleheader - An all-inclusive sports broadcast of two games back-to-back....
s', whereby a team will play games (possibly a home and away game) on consecutive days, something that is not commonplace in British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sports, although often seen in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and other American sports.
Following the completion of the Championship regular season, the top eight placed teams advance into the post-season Play-offs which usually take place during April.
Play-offs
The post-season Play-offs sees the top eight teams from the Championship regular season advance into a knockout competition starting with the Quarter-finals. Teams are seeded dependent on their final positioning within the regular season league standings, so first-place faces eighth-place, second versus seventh-place, third against sixth-place and finally fourth plays the fifth-placed team. Both the Quarter-finals and the succeeding Semi-finals are played over a two-game series (home & away) with the higher seed having choice of home advantage in the either the 1st or 2nd leg - aggregate scores will determine the victors.The culmination of the post-season is the grand final, which sees the two Semi-final winners play a one-game event to determine the eventual victors of the Play-offs. Traditionally held during the final weekend of April, the showpiece event is held at the National Indoor Arena
National Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
BBL Cup
The BBL CupBBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the BBL during the regular season. The tournament emerged from a breakaway of the National Cup and was contested for the first time in 2003-04
British Basketball League 2003-04
The 2003-04 season was the 17th campaign in the history of the British Basketball League.-Teams:-Notable occurrences:*Due to uncertainty rearding the future of Aston Events Centre, the Birmingham Bullets were forced to relocate to a new home venue...
, when Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks, officially named One Health Sheffield Sharks due to sponsorship, is a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. Sharks currently play in the British Basketball League and play their home fixtures at English Institute of Sport - Sheffield...
were the inaugural winners. It is a pure knockout competition featuring all BBL-member clubs, with the final hosted at the prestigious National Indoor Arena
National Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, usually in early January. With the withdrawal of the Essex Pirates
Essex Pirates
Essex Pirates is currently inactive British Basketball League team from Southend-on-Sea, in the county of Essex. They were founded in 2009 and play their home games at the Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre...
for the 2011/2012 season it has been confirmed that SBL side Edinburgh Kings will take their place in the fixture against Glasgow Rocks.
BBL Trophy
The BBL TrophyBBL Trophy
The BBL Trophy is one of three cup competitions operated by the British Basketball League. The competition begins with a regional group format and comprises the BBL clubs divided into four regional qualifying groups of three...
started out as the Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1985 was initially a competition between teams from both the English and Scottish leagues. It was rebranded as the League Trophy in 1987 following the reorganisation and amalgamation of the leagues. The tournament begins with a regional group format made up of all BBL-member clubs plus an invitee from the EBL. The winners of each group go through to play each other in a two-legged Semi-final, with the two winners then going on to the Final, which for the 2011 edition was held at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
.
European Competition
As of 2011 no British teams compete in European competition. To compete in the third tier EuroChallenge competition, clubs must play in arenas with a capacity of at least 2,000 people (3,000 if they reach the Final Four stage). Currently the only BBL team that meet the EurochallengeEuroChallenge
The EuroChallenge is the 3rd tier level transnational men's professional club basketball competition in Europe. It is organized and run by FIBA Europe...
requirements are the Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
, with the Glasgow Rocks awaiting construction of their new 5,000 seater stadium as part of the city's Commonwealth Games bid.
Current Teams
| Team | City/Area | Arena | Established | Joined | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheshire Jets Cheshire Jets The Cheshire Jets are a British professional basketball team based in the city of Chester, in Cheshire, England. Formerly known as the Chester Jets, their home court is the Northgate Arena and they play in the top-tier British Basketball League.... |
Chester Chester Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the... |
Northgate Arena Northgate Arena Northgate Arena is an arena and leisure centre complex in Chester, England. Built in the 1970s on the site of the Chester Northgate railway station, Northgate Arena includes swimming pools, a gymnasium, several sports halls and a sauna. The main sports hall is also used for toy and train, antique,... |
1984 | 1991 | Paul Smith |
| Durham Wildcats Durham Wildcats Durham Wildcats is a basketball team based in County Durham, England. Established in 2005, the club has enjoyed a rapid rise through the English Basketball League system with three promotions in the past three seasons... |
Durham Durham Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county... |
Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre | 2005 | 2011 | David Elderkin |
| Glasgow Rocks | Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... |
Kelvin Hall Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena The Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena is located within the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland. It has hosted many athletics competitions including the 1990 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the Aviva International Match since 1988.- History :... |
1998* |  Sterling DavisSterling Davis Sterling Davis is a professional basketball player, currently at British Basketball League club Glasgow Rocks, where he is currently player/head coach.... |
|
| Guildford Heat Guildford Heat Guildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year... |
Guildford Guildford Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region... |
Surrey Sports Park | 2005 |  Creon Raftopoulos |
|
| Leicester Riders Leicester Riders The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League... |
Leicester Leicester Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest... |
John Sandford Centre | 1967 | 1987 |  Rob Peternostro |
| Mersey Tigers | Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... |
Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park | 2007 | Tony Garbelotto Tony Garbelotto Tony Garbelotto is an English basketball coach. He became head coach of Everton Tigers in 2008, and is an assistant coach to Chris Finch with Great Britain.... |
|
| Milton Keynes Lions Milton Keynes Lions The Milton Keynes Lions, officially called Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions due to sponsorship, is a basketball team which represents Milton Keynes in the British Basketball League, the top level men's basketball league in the United Kingdom. The franchise’s only trophy success to-date is the BBL... |
Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes... |
Lions Arena | 1977* | 1987 | Mike New Mike New Mike New is a former American basketball forward-center for the Milton Keynes Lions of the British Basketball League. Since 2007 New has also held the position of Head Coach of the Milton Keynes College Basketball Academy. He is now the head coach of the Milton Keynes Lions-External links:**... |
| Newcastle Eagles Newcastle Eagles Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city... |
Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... |
Sport Central, Northumbria University | 1976* | 1987 | Fab Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy is a player and the head coach for basketball team Newcastle Eagles, who compete in the British Basketball League.... |
| Plymouth Raiders Plymouth Raiders The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004... |
Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound... |
Pavilions Plymouth Pavilions Plymouth Pavilions is an entertainment and sports complex in Plymouth, Devon, England. It has a Fun Pool, Ice Rink, Live Cafe and arena. The arena is used for corporate hire and as an entertainment venue.... |
1983 | 2004 | Gavin Love Gavin Love Gavin Love is a former British professional basketball player and current head coach for his hometown club Plymouth Raiders of the British Basketball League .... |
| Sheffield Sharks Sheffield Sharks Sheffield Sharks, officially named One Health Sheffield Sharks due to sponsorship, is a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. Sharks currently play in the British Basketball League and play their home fixtures at English Institute of Sport - Sheffield... |
Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... |
The EIS | 1991 | 1994 | Atiba Lyons |
| Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves Worcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester which plays in the British Basketball League. The Wolves currently play at in the 800-seat capacity Sports Hall of the University of Worcester, although they are to use the new Worcester Arena as their home venue once completed in... |
Worcester Worcester The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the... |
University of Worcester University of Worcester The University of Worcester is a British university, based in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. It was granted university status in September 2005.-History:... |
2000 | 2006 | Paul James Paul James (basketball) Paul James is a former professional basketball player and current head coach of British Basketball League team Worcester Wolves.... |
Notes
Future teams
Confirmed:- BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
- Name to be announced in summer 2012 and to start playing from the 2012-13 season.
Possible expansion teams:
- BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
(Yet to be confirmed, originally targeting a 2012-13 season launch) - EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
(Yet to be confirmed) - ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
(Yet to be confirmed, expected to start playing from the 2012-13 Season)
Foreign imports
League rules currently allow for each team to have a maximum of three "import" players - from outside of the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) - whilst the remaining players on the roster must have citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
of an EU country, either by birth or by naturalisation. The current ruling was integrated at the beginning of the 2006-07 season
British Basketball League 2006-07
The 2006-07 season, the 20th since its establishment of the British Basketball League, started on September 29, 2006 when reigning champions Newcastle Eagles began with a 85-83 loss away to Sheffield Sharks....
, reverting from the previous law which allowed four imports along with naturalised players. Because of this previous rule, it was possible for a team to field an entirely American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
starting five, which was often the case.
With the 2012 Olympics in mind, an attempt to develop home grown talent has taken incredible steps forward in British basketball in development of more British players. Contributing to this cause, the BBL has implemented a new ruling which would have been in effect from the start of the 2007-08 season
British Basketball League 2007-08
The 2007-08 season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, commenced on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders succumbed to the Guildford Heat in the inaugural Cup Winners' Cup competition...
, whereby only two imported (non-EU) players are permitted in each roster. However, with an expansion of three more franchises for the 2007-08 season, the decision to permit only two non-EU players was revoked because of the lack of available home-grown talent currently available.
Transfer regulations
According to BBL rules, teams must field no more than six import (non-EU) players in any one season, though only three are allowed to be registered to a roster at any one time. Signings are allowed to be made throughout the pre-season and during the regular season until the league's transfer deadline, which is on 28 February, or if during a leap yearLeap year
A leap year is a year containing one extra day in order to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year...
, the date is then 29 February.
Notable former players
John AmaechiJohn Amaechi
John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi OBE is a retired American-born British basketball player who currently works as a psychologist, educator and political activist in Europe and the United States....
Andy Betts Karl Brown Steve Bucknall
Steve Bucknall
Steven Lee Bucknall is a retired English professional basketball player, and former head coach of British Basketball League expansion franchise London Capital....
Dave Gardner
Dave Gardner (basketball)
Dave Gardner is a former professional basketball player, most famous for his stints at Chester Jets and Manchester Giants of the British Basketball League. Gardner also played 59 games for England...
Trevor Gordon Chris Haslam
Chris Haslam (basketball)
Chris Haslam was a British professional basketball player who played for Everton Tigers in the British Basketball League.He learned his game at University of Wyoming in the NCAA I in the mid 90's...
Martin Henlan Roger Huggins
Roger Huggins
Roger Huggins is a British former professional basketball player, notable for earning more than 90 international caps with the England national team and Great Britain national team.-Playing career:...
Colin Irish Iain MacLean Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley is a retired British professional basketball player who finished his career at the age of 26. His final club was Everton Tigers of the British Basketball League...
Steve Nelson Robbie Peers Peter Scantlebury
Peter Scantlebury
Peter Scantlebury MBE is a former professional basketball player, the former head coach of Sheffield Sharks, who compete in the British Basketball League, and a teacher at Aston Comprehensive School....
Nigel Lloyd Greg Francis
Greg Francis
Greg Francis is the Head Coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears men's basketball team, where he replaced the legend Don Horwood, who manned the Bears bench for 26 seasons...
Greg Meldrum Pero CameronPero Cameron
Sean Pero MacPherson Cameron MNZM, known as "Pero", is a former New Zealand professional basketball player. Cameron captained the NZ National Team from 2000 - 2010...
Michael Payne Ted BerryTed Berry (basketball)
Ted Berry is a professional basketball player. The guard attended Christopher Newport University in Virginia....
Rod Brown
Rod Brown
Lelton Gerard Brown , more commonly known as Rod Brown, is an American professional basketball player that currently plays for AEL Larissa in the Greek League....
Alton ByrdAlton Byrd
Joseph Alton Byrd is an American basketball player who also holds British citizenship. He grew up in the San Francisco area, where he was a high school basketball star. He continued to be a basketball star at Columbia University, where he was one of the best point guards in the country in spite...
Terry Crosby
Terry Crosby
Terry Dale Crosby is an American former professional basketball player in the NBA.A 1975 graduate of DeVilbiss High School, he was selected by the Kansas City Kings in the 18th pick of the 3rd round in the 1979 NBA Draft out of the University of Tennessee...
Alan Cunningham
Tony DorseyTony Dorsey
Tony Dorsey is an American professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League.-Biography:...
Chuck EvansChuck Evans (basketball)
Charles "Chuck" Lee Evans is a retired American professional basketball player, and current coach of British team Worcester Wolves....
Kenny Gregory
Kenny Gregory
William Kendrick Gregory is an American professional basketball player. He plays the shooting guard and small forward positions. He is 6 ft 5 ¾ in in height. He currently plays for KK Union Olimpija in Slovenia.-Amateur career:Gregory played high-school basketball at Independence High...
Tony Holley Shawn Jamison
Shawn Jamison
Shawn Jamison is a retired professional basketball player, who last played in England for the Milton Keynes Lions....
Danny Lewis
James LifeJames Life
James Jimmy Life is an American professional basketball player, currently starring in the British Basketball League for the Worcester Wolves....
John McCord Loren MeyerLoren Meyer
Loren Henry Meyer is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1st round of the 1995 NBA Draft...
Terrell MyersTerrell Myers
Terrell Myers is an American professional basketball player.Terrell attended James Hillhouse after graduation then attended St. Thomas More Prep school in Waterbury, Connecticut, followed by Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he studied and played basketball from 1993-1997...
Mike New
Mike New
Mike New is a former American basketball forward-center for the Milton Keynes Lions of the British Basketball League. Since 2007 New has also held the position of Head Coach of the Milton Keynes College Basketball Academy. He is now the head coach of the Milton Keynes Lions-External links:**...
Craig Robinson
Craig Robinson (basketball coach)
Craig Malcolm Robinson is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Oregon State University. He was previously the head coach at Brown University. He was a star forward as a player at Princeton University in the early 1980s and a bond trader during the...
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
Jason Siemon Billy SingletonBilly Singleton
Billy Singleton is a former professional basketball player, most notable for his career in the British Basketball League...
Lynard StewartLynard Stewart
Lynard Stewart is a professional basketball player currently starring for the Newcastle Eagles of the British Basketball League....
Clyde Vaughan
Clyde Vaughan
Clyde Vaughan is a basketball coach and former professional player, who enjoyed a distinguished career at college level and professional level and international level for the England team...
Jerry Williams
Tony WindlessTony Windless
Tony Windless is an American retired professional basketball player with a notable career stretching over a decade in the British Basketball League....
Charles Claxton
Charles Claxton
Charles Claxton Jr. is a retired American basketball player.He attended Miami Carol City High School in Miami, Florida, and played collegiately for the University of Georgia....
Internet
Most British Basketball fans first port of call for the latest basketball information is the Internet with sites like the BBL's official website, plus MVP 24/7, Britball and Inside the Game who provide fans with latest news and results including live commentary from key games.Newspapers
Basketball receives little national media coverage in the United Kingdom. Some national newspapers list results and occasionally provide short summaries of the league's news but more extensive coverage remains minimal. There was a small surge in interest during the 2005-06 seasonBritish Basketball League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005 through to April 11, 2006. The season started earlier than usual because of England's participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which took place during the regular season.Eleven teams took...
when many national newspapers such as The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
reported that former NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
had signed for Brighton Bears
Brighton Bears
Brighton Bears was a British basketball team based in Brighton, Sussex. From 1984 to 1999 the club was known as the Worthing Bears and was based in the town of Worthing, 12 miles west of Brighton. The Bears played in the top-flight British Basketball League until 2006 when the franchise folded...
only weeks after being evicted from Celebrity Big Brother. The press attention quickly faded after 'Rodmania' had died down following his three game appearance for the Southcoast franchise.
Coverage in the towns and cities where BBL clubs are based is more extensive. Newspapers such as The Plymouth Herald, Sheffield Star
Sheffield Star
The Star, often known as the Sheffield Star is a daily newspaper published in Sheffield, England, from Monday to Saturday each week. Originally a broadsheet, the newspaper became a tabloid in 1989...
, The Glaswegian, Glasgow Herald, Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
, Leicester Mercury
Leicester Mercury
The Leicester Mercury is a British regional newspaper, owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust, for the city of Leicester and the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland...
, Newcastle Chronicle and the Worcester News
Worcester News
The Worcester News is a tabloid newspaper based in Worcester, UK. The Worcester newspaper, which was re-branded from the Worcester Evening News in July 2005, is the largest selling daily local newspaper in Worcester. The Worcester News is published Monday to Saturday...
have dedicated basketball reporters who cover the local team.
Television
The League is broadcast on Sky SportsSky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
throughout the season, with both delayed coverage and live games shown each week. The League is into its second year of its Sky Sports coverage deal which was announced in October 2010 and marked the return of BBL action on Sky Sports after a 9-year gap.
The history of television coverage of the BBL is extremely minimal and sparodic. During the 2007-08 season
British Basketball League 2007-08
The 2007-08 season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, commenced on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders succumbed to the Guildford Heat in the inaugural Cup Winners' Cup competition...
international broadcaster Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
saw one game a week shown live on Setanta Sports 2. The coverage proved a ratings success and it was hoped that live televised games would continue during the 2008-09 season, however no deal was ever reached.
In 2006, League officials signed a £2.5 million broadcasting rights agreement with MKTV
MKTV
MKTV was a satellite television channel, based in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom. The channel was launched on February 26, 2006 and created by businessman Jawad Siddiqui. The channel was broadcast on Sky channel 227.- Basketball coverage :...
to provide coverage of 40 live games per season. However only two matches were screened and the deal eventually collapsed when the channel closed. Though the BBL Cup
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
final had been broadcast live over the internet two months previously, by UKTV
UKTV
UKTV is a digital cable and satellite television network, formed through a joint venture between BBC Worldwide, a commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Scripps Networks Interactive, spun off from The E.W Scripps Company in 2008...
, this was the first time in five years that the BBL was screened live on television, since the collapse of ITV Digital
ITV Digital
ITV Digital was a British digital terrestrial television broadcaster, which launched a pay-TV service on the world's first digital terrestrial television network as ONdigital in 1998 and briefly re-branded as ITV Digital in July 2001, before the service ceased in May 2002. Its main shareholders...
in 2002. Before then, the league also enjoyed coverage from Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in the 1980s and Sky Sports from 1995 to 2001, where audiences peaked at around 150,000.
All-time leaders
| Rank | Player | Games | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury MBE is a former professional basketball player, the former head coach of Sheffield Sharks, who compete in the British Basketball League, and a teacher at Aston Comprehensive School.... |
540 | 8,324 |
| 2 |  Nigel Lloyd |
402 | 7,838 |
| 3 | Billy Singleton Billy Singleton Billy Singleton is a former professional basketball player, most notable for his career in the British Basketball League... |
454 | 6,950 |
| 4 | Mike New Mike New Mike New is a former American basketball forward-center for the Milton Keynes Lions of the British Basketball League. Since 2007 New has also held the position of Head Coach of the Milton Keynes College Basketball Academy. He is now the head coach of the Milton Keynes Lions-External links:**... |
431 | 6,000 |
| 5 | Tony Windless Tony Windless Tony Windless is an American retired professional basketball player with a notable career stretching over a decade in the British Basketball League.... |
404 | 5,948 |
| 6 | Yorick Williams Yorick Williams Yorick Williams is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Milton Keynes Lions in the British Basketball League.... |
426 | 5,898 |
| 7 | Robert Youngblood |
476 | 5,589 |
| 8 | Russ Saunders |
241 | 5,855 |
| 9 | Tony Dorsey Tony Dorsey Tony Dorsey is an American professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League.-Biography:... |
273 | 5,826 |
| 10 | Tony Holley |
398 | 5,703 |
| Rank | Player | Games | Reb. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tony Holley |
398 | 3,985 |
| 2 | Billy Singleton Billy Singleton Billy Singleton is a former professional basketball player, most notable for his career in the British Basketball League... |
454 | 3,460 |
| 3 | Mike New Mike New Mike New is a former American basketball forward-center for the Milton Keynes Lions of the British Basketball League. Since 2007 New has also held the position of Head Coach of the Milton Keynes College Basketball Academy. He is now the head coach of the Milton Keynes Lions-External links:**... |
431 | 3,369 |
| 4 | Jason Siemon |
353 | 3,057 |
| 5 | Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury MBE is a former professional basketball player, the former head coach of Sheffield Sharks, who compete in the British Basketball League, and a teacher at Aston Comprehensive School.... |
540 | 3,004 |
| 6 | Robert Youngblood |
476 | 2,998 |
| 7 | Martin Henlan | 336 | 2,809 |
| 8 | Fab Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy is a player and the head coach for basketball team Newcastle Eagles, who compete in the British Basketball League.... |
468 | 2,707 |
| 9 |  Shawn MyersShawn Myers Shawn Myers is a professional basketball player of Trinidad origin who currently plays for the Milton Keynes Lions.-Career: Silute, 1997–1998 Tampereen Pyrbasket, 1998–1999 Tindastoll, 1999–2001 Newcastle Eagles, 2001–2002 Chester Jets, 2002 Scottish Rocks, 2002–2003 Newcastle Eagles, 2003–2004... |
303 | 2,663 |
| 10 | Tony Windless Tony Windless Tony Windless is an American retired professional basketball player with a notable career stretching over a decade in the British Basketball League.... |
404 | 2,577 |
| Rank | Player | Games | Ast. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigel Lloyd |
402 | 1,909 |
| 2 | Russ Saunders |
241 | 1,665 |
| 3 | T.J. Walker Tirame Jerome Walker Tiran Jerome Walker is an American professional basketball player, most recently playing for the Cheshire Jets in the British Basketball League, where he also occupied the role of head coach.... |
241 | 1,541 |
| 4 | Fab Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy is a player and the head coach for basketball team Newcastle Eagles, who compete in the British Basketball League.... |
468 | 1,512 |
| 5 | Robert Yanders |
286 | 1,505 |
| 6 | Ronnie Baker Ronnie Baker Ronnie Baker was a famous record producer, bassist, arranger and songwriter. He participated on many Gamble and Huff recordings and was one-third of the production team of Baker-Harris-Young. He was one of The Trammps, who had a #5 UK/#35 US hit with Hold Back The Night.... |
539 | 1,469 |
| 7 | Karl Brown | 392 | 1,293 |
| 8 | Alton Byrd Alton Byrd Joseph Alton Byrd is an American basketball player who also holds British citizenship. He grew up in the San Francisco area, where he was a high school basketball star. He continued to be a basketball star at Columbia University, where he was one of the best point guards in the country in spite... |
152 | 1,188 |
| 9 | Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury MBE is a former professional basketball player, the former head coach of Sheffield Sharks, who compete in the British Basketball League, and a teacher at Aston Comprehensive School.... |
540 | 1,046 |
| 10 | Danny Lewis |
211 | 1,017 |
| Rank | Player | Games | Stl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fab Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy Fabulous Flournoy is a player and the head coach for basketball team Newcastle Eagles, who compete in the British Basketball League.... |
468 | 728 |
| 2 | Nigel Lloyd |
402 | 722 |
| 3 | Russ Saunders |
241 | 686 |
| 4 | Billy Singleton Billy Singleton Billy Singleton is a former professional basketball player, most notable for his career in the British Basketball League... |
454 | 685 |
| 5 | Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury Peter Scantlebury MBE is a former professional basketball player, the former head coach of Sheffield Sharks, who compete in the British Basketball League, and a teacher at Aston Comprehensive School.... |
540 | 675 |
| 6 | John Tresvant John Tresvant John B. Tresvant is a retired American basketball player.A 6'7" forward/center from Washington, DC, Tresvant played three seasons at Seattle University after serving in the United States Air Force. He was selected by the St. Louis Hawks in the fifth round of the 1964 NBA Draft and played nine... |
276 | 604 |
| 7 | Jason Siemon |
353 | 595 |
| 8 | Ronnie Baker Ronnie Baker Ronnie Baker was a famous record producer, bassist, arranger and songwriter. He participated on many Gamble and Huff recordings and was one-third of the production team of Baker-Harris-Young. He was one of The Trammps, who had a #5 UK/#35 US hit with Hold Back The Night.... |
539 | 575 |
| 9 | T.J. Walker Tirame Jerome Walker Tiran Jerome Walker is an American professional basketball player, most recently playing for the Cheshire Jets in the British Basketball League, where he also occupied the role of head coach.... |
241 | 566 |
| 10 | Steve Nelson | 369 | 553 |
Last Updated November 6, 2011
Awards
- Most Valuable Player awardBBL Most Valuable Player AwardThe British Basketball League Most Valuable Player is an annual British Basketball League award given since the 1987-1988 season. The award is decided by a panel consisting of each of the league’s head coaches who submit one vote each at the end of the regular season, and the player with the most...
- Coach of the Year awardBBL Coach of the Year AwardThe British Basketball League Coach of the Year is an annual British Basketball League award given since the 1987-1988 season. The award is decided by a panel consisting of each of the league’s head coaches who submit one vote each at the end of the regular season, and the coach with the most...
- All-Star team award
See also
- Basketball in EnglandBasketball in EnglandBasketball, although invented in the United States, has a very long history in England, having been introduced there by the YMCA almost immediately after it was created. World War I and II further spurred its popularity. The four highest profile team sports in the United Kingdom are football,...
- BBL CupBBL CupThe BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
- BBL TrophyBBL TrophyThe BBL Trophy is one of three cup competitions operated by the British Basketball League. The competition begins with a regional group format and comprises the BBL clubs divided into four regional qualifying groups of three...
- English Basketball LeagueEnglish Basketball LeagueThe English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
- National Basketball LeagueNational Basketball League (United Kingdom)The National Basketball League, or NBL for short, is a British basketball league. The league started in 1972 and continued through to 2003 renamed the English Basketball League.-1972-1993:...
External links
- Official websites:
- Official BBL website
- The BBL on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- The BBL on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- News websites: