British basketball is facing a governance crisis that could jeopardize its future despite recent successes on and off the court. The sport has grown significantly in popularity, with over 1.5 million people playing regularly, and it secured a £4.47 million grant for development. The national teams are also performing well, with the women’s team qualifying for the European Championship and the men’s team having a chance to qualify.
However, behind the positive surface, the sport is grappling with significant governance issues that have reached a boiling point. The crisis escalated last year when 777 Partners, an investment firm, bought a 45% stake in the British Basketball League (BBL) and a controlling interest in the London Lions. When 777 Partners was liquidated, the BBL collapsed. This led to the formation of a new league, Super League Basketball (SLB), which now controls nine professional clubs, with plans to run the league for three years under Premier Basketball Ltd, a consortium led by Sheffield Sharks’ director Sarah Backovic.
In parallel, the British Basketball Federation (BBF), the sport’s governing body, held a tender process to find partners for a new men’s professional league. This process culminated in the selection of an American consortium, but clubs have expressed dissatisfaction with how the tender was handled. There are concerns about the financial background of the chosen group and the lack of transparency regarding their offer. The clubs have now sent a dossier of complaints to the BBF and government officials, with investigations promised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The situation has become tense, with the clubs threatening to form their own league if their concerns are not addressed. The BBF has promised a meeting with the chosen group, but a date for this meeting has not been set. UK Sport and Sport England, which provide funding for the sport, have been notified of the issues. The financial uncertainty has also led to worries about clubs defaulting on Covid loans, with some already facing difficulties in repayment.
Clive Betts, a Labour MP, raised concerns in parliament about the risk to these loans and criticized the BBF for outsourcing the running of the league to a consortium with no prior experience in sports management. However, DCMS officials have stated that it is not the government’s role to intervene in the commercial decisions of sports organizations, although they acknowledged the importance of good governance.
As both sides dig in, the future of British basketball remains uncertain. While the NBA’s interest in holding games in Manchester in 2026 is a potential boost for the sport, the priority for now is ensuring a stable and functional domestic league. The crisis, however, suggests that resolution may be a long way off.
