The British Basketball Federation (BBF) is on the brink. They are on the verge of liquidation due to deep fiscal pressure from continued litigation with Super League Basketball (SLB). The BBF is going through a tough financial period. Continued legal battles have increased expenses, leaving the future of basketball governance in Great Britain in limbo.
Closer to home, the Great Britain Basketball League (GBBL) has been consulting with legal advisors. What they are still assessing is how the BBF’s financial blow-up impacts the brewing license they were awarded. The GBBL, headed by American entrepreneur Marshall Glickman, has been awarded a 15-year license. This license gives them the opportunity to run a new professional men’s competition. This license was intended to provide at least £15 million of funding within the first two years. Its intent was to help start and grow the league.
While the SLB is administratively separate from the GBBL, the two complement each other well. It has sought to delegitimize the BBF’s tender process for the license, calling it “illegal and unjust.” This long-standing conflict has driven a major wedge among the basketball players and business people. All nine of the other SLB clubs have elected not to participate in the newly created GBBL.
Those challenges for the BBF mounted further after Fiba, basketball’s world governing body, suspended it due to governance disputes. The suspension raised legitimate alarm as to whether the BBF would be able to financially return. Many were concerned about its capacity to be the long-term governing body of basketball in Great Britain.
“We have taken robust steps throughout this period of uncertainty to safeguard public funds and to help enable GB teams to continue to compete.” – UK Sport
UK Sport is working in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Additionally, they are proactively working with other stakeholders in the basketball community to determine the best way forward for the game during this unprecedented pandemic.
While GBBL continues to consider its legal options, the state of play is still in flux. A spokesperson for GBBL stated that they are “working with its legal counsel to evaluate its options,” underscoring their commitment to navigating through these challenges.