Four leading British basketball clubs could be blocked from European competition next season as a deepening civil war within the sport intensifies. The British Basketball Federation (BBF) is refusing to endorse European place applications from Manchester Basketball, London Lions, Newcastle Eagles, and Bristol Flyers, putting their participation at risk.
The BBF is also reportedly threatening to thwart visa applications for overseas players for next season made by several Super League Basketball (SLB) clubs. The dispute stems from the BBF awarding a 15-year licence to operate a new Great Britain Basketball League from 2026-27 to an American consortium led by former NBA executive Marshall Glickman. The nine existing SLB clubs have refused to join and had their interim licence suspended.
The BBF offered the SLB a 12-month licence to operate next season, but the clubs rejected it. The BBF argues that since the SLB is operating without a licence, it cannot endorse applications to competitions organised by the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), as doing so would jeopardise its own position.
Manchester has missed the deadline to register for the Basketball Champions League after the BBF refused endorsement. An email from the BBF stated it would only endorse clubs competing in officially sanctioned national championships. Manchester is exploring legal action on grounds of restraint of trade, while other SLB clubs are reportedly united in support.
The BBF is also not backing London Lions' bid for the EuroCup or Newcastle and Bristol's attempts to join the European North Basketball League. However, those competitions are not organised by Fiba, so the BBF's ability to block them is unclear. The BBF denies blocking visa applications, stating it cannot endorse unlicensed clubs.
A London Lions spokesperson said: 'The London Lions stand unequivocally for the principle that British clubs should have the freedom to pursue excellence... We hope the decision to keep Manchester out of the Basketball Champions League is reversed.'
