British Basketball Federation awards long-term licence to operate the men’s professional league.

The British Basketball Federation (BBF) has signed a licence with GBB League Ltd (GBBL) to operate the premier men’s professional league in Great Britain for 15 years.

In a defining moment for the sport, the deal will see the greatest ever direct investment of funds into the professional league, with an upfront commitment of £15 million to support operations and growth activities in the first two years. The agreement will align the men’s professional league, its clubs and GB academy structures to provide a radical boost in the development of talented British players and will bring the excitement of high-quality basketball competitions to fans across England, Scotland and Wales.

Following an open tender process, a majority-independent panel of experts assessed GBBL’s credentials, plans and finances before the BBF Board accepted their recommendation to enter an exclusive negotiating period. The successful conclusion of those negotiations means that the new operator will prepare to take control of the premier men’s professional league from the start of the 2026/27 season (September 2026) bringing new expertise and capacity to the British game.

The professional men’s league is currently operated by Super League Basketball Ltd. (SLB) under an interim licence agreed between the BBF and SLB’s nine participating clubs in July 2024. This enabled the 2024/25 season to go ahead following the termination of the agreement with the previous licence-holders. SLB elected not to bid for the long-term licence to run the league and the BBF has now activated a clause in the interim licence agreement enabling it to be terminated at the end of the current season.

Options under consideration for the management of a transitional 2025/26 season include another club-led arrangement. Meanwhile, GBBL will seek to engage with the current SLB owners as well as conducting a process to evaluate opportunities in population centres currently without a presence at the highest level such as Liverpool, Leeds, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

GBBL is led by Marshall Glickman, former Acting CEO of Euroleague Basketball and former President of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, together with partners Chris Dillavou, former COO of the Greg Norman Companies and Arjun Metre, former Investment Director, Sports, Media and Entertainment, for Intel Capital.

Prioritising the financial health and sustainability of the participating clubs, GBBL has committed to providing 100% of the investment and operating risk for the league while guaranteeing a minimum annual distribution to each of the league’s clubs from day one, plus a share of profits.

GBBL’s collaborative approach will see them investing into initiatives supporting the ongoing work of the BBF, Basketball England, Basketball Scotland and Basketball Wales to ensure the health and growth of British Basketball at all levels. The incoming licensee will also work alongside the National Governing Bodies and clubs to build on the sport’s impressive track record, making a positive difference for individuals and communities around Britain which will be documented through the production of an annual Social Impact report.

This dovetailing of aspirations and standards for the professional league and national side will create an attractive proposition and future for young players coming through the system. A clear and well-resourced pathway is a crucial part of retaining and developing British talent. This will combine with competitive possibilities that extend beyond the current offering to provide career opportunities at home which are comparable to those for which players currently have to travel abroad.

Player welfare is a key pillar in the new operator’s plans. Opportunities will be created to raise personal profiles through further commercial and ambassadorial activities as well as provision for a Players’ Association, amplifying player voices and representation within the game.

The new licence also makes provision for alignment with developments in international club competition structures, most notably the prospect of a new European league being explored by the NBA and FIBA, the International Basketball Federation. The BBF expects that any British clubs playing at this level will also be able to compete in the domestic league, and the GBBL will support this through its key strategic aim to maintain competitive balance and economic sustainability between clubs.

This agreement puts a thriving league front and centre of all its objectives. Fans can look forward to further opportunities to watch their teams play, with an expanded league, new broadcast viewing options, the introduction of new formats, and basketball-anchored festivals that enable cutting edge fan engagement opportunities. GBB League Ltd will offer new league-funded prize pools for players and clubs and will work with clubs on operations and experiences. The intention is to substantially improve the fan experience inside and outside the venues, attracting new fans to the game and implementing collaborative strategies for the benefit of players, fans, clubs and communities alike.

BBF Chair, Chris Grant said: “We’re delighted to welcome GBBL to the British Basketball family. The award of this licence not only heralds the biggest ever level of financial investment into the league, it also brings the knowhow, connections and vision to excite those who already love the game and to attract new fans and participants. The GB women’s and men’s teams have both qualified for FIBA EuroBasket this summer, and our progress on the court will be boosted through the LA Olympic Cycle funding recently announced by UK Sport. To have booming professional leagues which enable our top players to compete in front of British fans, week in and week out, is just what we need in order to fulfil British Basketball’s huge potential.”

GBB League Managing Director and CEO Marshall Glickman said “We are fully committed to uplifting the popularity of basketball in Great Britain, We are especially focused on making our league attractive to homegrown players, both in terms of economics and development. We want to see our players lead the GB national team to the 2028 LA Olympics.”

He continued, “It is also essential that we use the league as a platform to celebrate British culture – we believe in the fusion of sports with music, fashion, wellness and equality. We believe basketball is a next generation experience that we will embrace in a variety of ways – both physically and digitally.”

media@gb.basketball