British Basketball civil war: GBB League delayed to 2027 as SLB and BBF strike conciliatory tone
The controversial league that has been handed the rights to operate the professional men’s tier in British basketball from next season is to be delayed by a year, The Yorkshire Post can reveal.
The GBB League was due to launch in September 2026 after being awarded the licence by the British Basketball Federation in a move that has driven a wedge through the sport in this country.
But in an interview with Marshall Glickmann, the American behind the GBB League, a journalist writing for OregonLive.com stated that the league was due to launch in 2027 - and after repeated requests by this newspaper to respond - the league has now confirmed that the start-up will indeed be delayed by a year.
In a statement to The Yorkshire Post, the GBB League 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 is understood the GBB League wants more time with knowledge of where things were progressing with FIBA getting involved, and to find a compromise between themselves and the existing clubs.
The news comes after it reports in Hoopsfix and CityAM that world governing body FIBA has written to the BBF and Super League Basketball, saying they have established a taskforce to try and resolve the dispute in the sport.
Fiba secretary general Andreas Zagklis wrote: “It is evident that several actions by clubs within your territory require clarification and regularisation and that at this stage, the BBF is not in a position to ensure full compliance.”
Both the BBF and SLB have since struck conciliatory tones with BBF chair Chris Grant quoted as saying: “The BBF is ready to recognise SLB on the basis of what we consider to be reasonable terms and assurances.”
Sanjay Bhandari MBE, the new independent chair of the SLB, has written an open letter to fans in which he states: “It is no secret that, regrettably, the SLB and British Basketball Federation (BBF) are in a legal dispute. I have approached this role and looked at this dispute with a fresh pair of eyes but also with the benefit of 30 years’ experience in managing litigation.
“Nobody who loves the sport wants to see it embroiled in a lengthy civil war and I would not want to generate unnecessary heat by litigating the dispute in public. But I also understand that fans, volunteers, match officials and players are asking for clarity and certainty.
“In my experience, most disputes can be solved without getting to court. I can assure you that SLB has had good faith dialogue with BBF and we remain open to further dialogue. Our ambition in that dialogue is to achieve a sustainable resolution rather than reach for a sticking plaster. In my experience, to achieve such a resolution may take a little time to work through.
“BBF and SLB need to create the right time and space for that constructive dialogue, minimising the damage to the sport in the meantime.
“I have written recently to the BBF, the FIBA Taskforce for British Basketball Club Matters and other interested parties to set out a framework for that dialogue. We have expressed our firm view that, until the dispute is resolved, the “Do No Harm” principle must be observed. “The season must proceed without unnecessary barriers being erected and the game itself should remain the focus. This will ensure that players, match officials, and fans are never collateral damage in disputes.”