GBBL pushes start date back to 2027 to align with NBA
GBBL, the organisation led by Marshall Glickman that was awarded the 15-year licence to run the professional basketball league in the UK, has announced its delaying launch until 2027.
In a statement released today, a spokesperson for the GBBL pointed to aligning with the NBA Europe League, and claimed both the London and Manchester NBA franchises, which are yet to be officially announced, are expected to play in the GBBL.
A spokesperson for GBBL said:
“GBB League Ltd. (GBBL) will launch the first season of its new British basketball league in September 2027, coinciding with the anticipated first season of NBA Europe, and to provide sufficient time to work with the British Basketball Federation (BBF), the Home Country Associations and the British basketball community to prepare for the launch of a new elite academy for young players who will represent the future of the Great Britain National Team. Two NBA Europe teams – based in London and Manchester – are expected to compete in GBBL’s new league.”
It means – as things stand – there will be no officially sanctioned professional league in the UK for at least the next two years.
The announcement comes in the same week that FIBA have publicly revealed they’ve set up a British Basketball Club Matters taskforce to try to resolve the ongoing dispute between the BBF and SLB over the license, which was awarded to GBBL.
The BBF is currently being sued by SLB, which argues the BBF’s invitation to tender (ITT) for the new league licence was unlawful, anti-competitive, and designed to exclude existing clubs.
SLB maintains that under FIBA regulations it only requires recognition – not a BBF licence – to operate, and has accused the federation of abusing its position by withholding Governing Body Endorsements (GBEs) and blocking European competition entries.
Meanwhile, SLB has counter-sued the BBF for “anti-competitive behaviour”.
Hoopsfix has contacted both the NBA and BBF for comment.
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