British Basketball League
British Basketball League 2007-08
Sport	Basketball
Founded	1987
No. of teams	12
Country(ies)	United Kingdom
Most recent champion(s)	Guildford Heat
Official website	BBL.org.uk

The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to BBL, is the top men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy. BBL often refers to an abbreviation for the British Basketball League. ... Image File history File links Soccerball_current_event. ... The 2007-08 BBL season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, is due to start on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders face the Guildford Heat in the inaugural BBL Cup Winners Cup. ... This article is about the sport. ... See also: 1986 in sports, other events of 1987, 1988 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Bill Elliott won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Dale Earnhardt CART Racing - Bobby Rahal won the season championship Indianapolis 500 - Al Unser, Sr. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ... This article is about the sport. ...

The BBL is not to be confused with the English Basketball League or the Scottish Basketball League, which effectively form the second tier of British basketball. There is currently no promotion or relegation between the EBL, SBL and BBL because of the franchise system in use in the BBL, although Plymouth Raiders, Worcester Wolves and London Capital have all been elected from the EBL in recent years. “EBL” redirects here. ... The Scottish Basketball League is the top mens basketball league in Scotland, and forms the second tier of British basketball (in cohesion with the English Basketball League) after the professional setup of theBBL, where Scotland has just one representative in the Scottish Rocks. ... In many sports leagues around the world (with North American and Australian professional leagues being the most notable exceptions), relegation (or demotion) means the mandated transfer of the least successful team(s) of a higher division into a lower division at the end of the season. ... In the United States, the corporation which owns a major league sports team is often called the franchise as a colloqiual term. ... The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Kularoos Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship, is South-west Englands leading basketball team. ... The Worcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester, which plays in the British Basketball League. ... London Capital, officially called PAWS London Capital in reference to their partnership with PAWS Foundation, is a basketball team from the London, which from the start of the 2007-08 season will compete in the top-tiered professional British Basketball League. ...

The league currently consists of 12 teams (Brighton Cougars will be the 13th), with representation from both England and Scotland. In its two decade history the league has been won by 12 different franchises. The 2006-07 league champions were Guildford Heat, who will be the league's sole representatives in Europe for the 2007-08 season, when they compete in the ULEB Cup. The Brighton Cougars, is an English basketball club from the city of Brighton. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... The British Basketball League season, the twentieth since its establishment, will commence on 29 September, 2006. ... The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ... The 2007-08 BBL season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, is due to start on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders face the Guildford Heat in the inaugural BBL Cup Winners Cup. ... The ULEB Cup is a second-caliber professional basketball league with teams from Europeean federation associated to ULEB (Basketball European Leagues Union), that havent qualified to Euroleague. ...

The member franchises of the BBL jointly own the league, and a chairman is elected by the teams to oversee BBL operations. The current Chairman is Paul Blake, the Managing Director of Newcastle Eagles. The head offices are located in Leicester, where the country's oldest team, the Leicester Riders is also based. Paul Blake is the current Chairman of the British Basketball League, succeeding Vince Macauley in 2006, as well as working as the current Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles basketball franchise. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... DMU Leicester Riders are a British basketball team that play in the British Basketball League (BBL). ...

History

The British Basketball League season, the twentieth since its establishment, will commence on 29 September, 2006. ... The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ... The 2005-06 BBL season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005, through to April 11, 2006. ... The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ... ... The TCS Chester Jets are a British basketball team based in Chester. ... ... Brighton Bears The Brighton Bears is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... ... The Sheffield Sharks (officially known as Westfield Sharks Sheffield after their sponsors) are a basketball club in Sheffield, England. ... ... The TCS Chester Jets are a British basketball team based in Chester. ... The London Towers is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... The Sheffield Sharks (officially known as Westfield Sharks Sheffield after their sponsors) are a basketball club in Sheffield, England. ... The London Towers is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... The Manchester Giants were a team in the British Basketball League (BBL) from 1990 to 2001. ... The London Towers is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... The Sheffield Sharks (officially known as Westfield Sharks Sheffield after their sponsors) are a basketball club in Sheffield, England. ... The Greater London Leopards, or just Leopards as they were more commonly known, was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League. ... The Greater London Leopards, or just Leopards as they were more commonly known, was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League. ... The London Towers is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... The Sheffield Sharks (officially known as Westfield Sharks Sheffield after their sponsors) are a basketball club in Sheffield, England. ... Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League from 1987 to 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. ... Brighton Bears The Brighton Bears is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... The Guildford Kings were a successful British Basketball League franchise during the early 1990s. ... The Guildford Kings were a successful British Basketball League franchise during the early 1990s. ... The Guildford Kings were a successful British Basketball League franchise during the early 1990s. ... The Guildford Kings were a successful British Basketball League franchise during the early 1990s. ... Founded in 1898, Portsmouth Football Club are an English association football club based in the south coast city port of Portsmouth. ...

The 1980s: Elite establishment

The British Basketball League burst onto the British hoops scene in 1987 as the game's foremost clubs opted for a franchise-based competition without promotion or relegation. Seeking to improve the sport's image through greater professionalism, the BBL fast became the benchmark for quality competition in the UK. And with the development and evolution of the BBL Cup and BBL Trophy, there is now ample opportunity for Britain's 10 elite basketball clubs to match ambition with silverware. Basketball, although invented in the United States of America, has a very long history in England, having been introduced there by the YMCA almost immediately after it was created. ... In the United States, the corporation which owns a major league sports team is often called the franchise as a colloqiual term. ... In many sports leagues around the world (with North American and Australian professional leagues being the most notable exceptions), relegation (or demotion) means the mandated transfer of the least successful team(s) of a higher division into a lower division at the end of the season. ... “BBL” redirects here. ... “BBL” redirects here. ... This article is about the sport. ...

In recent years, Newcastle Eagles have been the biggest winner of the game's major prizes after clinching six consecutive major trophies. The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ...

In 1988 Portsmouth emerged from the pack to clinch the inaugural BBL Championship title but the following year saw the famous Kingston Kings side of the late 80's and early 90's win the first of three back-to-back league crowns. Portsmouth Football Club are an English football club based in the south coast city of Portsmouth. ... The Guildford Kings were a successful British Basketball League franchise during the early 1990s. ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

The 1990s: Television, sponsors and crowds flood in

The 1990s also saw an exciting growth in popularity and commercialism of the league. Television crews and exciting sponsors such as Peugeot, Lego, Playboy and Budweiser came flooding in, as did the crowds. The Manchester Giants opened the 1995-96 season in front of a record 14,251 fans at the NYNEX Arena against the London Leopards - still the largest crowd to ever watch a basketball match in Britain. Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën. ... For other uses, see Lego (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Playboy (disambiguation). ... Budweiser, sometimes referred to as Bud, is a global pale lager brand owned by the St. ... The Manchester Giants were a team in the British Basketball League (BBL) from 1990 to 2001. ... The Manchester Evening News Arena or MEN Arena is a large indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. ... The Greater London Leopards, or just Leopards as they were more commonly known, was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League. ...

London Towers, Crystal Palace and the Greater London Leopards ushered in an era of capital success in the mid-1990s and in 1999 a Conference format was introduced, which was mirrored by the NBL the following season. For three seasons the cream of the north and the south followed an American-style system with London Towers invincible in the South. The London Towers is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... Crystal Palace was a basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 1998 when they merged with fellow London team, the London Towers. ... The Greater London Leopards, or just Leopards as they were more commonly known, was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League. ... The National Basketball League, or NBL for short, is a defunct British basketball league. ... The London Towers is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ...

The 2000s: The millennium slump

A single-league BBL returned in 2002 and four different franchises have won the Championship title in the four years since. However the new millennium also saw a series of downfalls for the BBL. The collapse of ITV Digital cost the league dear, with many franchises struggling to recover from the lost revenue that the £21 million contract was providing. Long established franchises such as the Giants, the Leopards, Derby Storm, Thames Valley Tigers and Birmingham Bullets have all dropped out in the years since, never to be seen again. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Manchester Giants were a team in the British Basketball League (BBL) from 1990 to 2001. ... The Greater London Leopards, or just Leopards as they were more commonly known, was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League. ... Derby Storm are a former British Basketball League franchise from the city of Derby, Derbyshire. ... Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League from 1987 to 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. ... The Birmingham Bullets is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League, the top level mens basketball league in the United Kingdom. ...

The membership crisis brought about the addition of new franchises such as Guildford Heat and elected teams from the lower-tier English Basketball League, like the Plymouth Raiders, both making a refreshing impact on the old boys, with the Heat qualifying for the post season playoffs in 2005-06, their rookie season. The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ... “EBL” redirects here. ... The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Kularoos Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship, is South-west Englands leading basketball team. ... The 2005-06 BBL season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005, through to April 11, 2006. ...

During the same season Newcastle won 30 of their 40 regular season league fixtures to clinch the Championship crown - the previous season saw the Eagles win 31 matches but lose out to Chester Jets in the final week, by just two points. The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ... The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ... The TCS Chester Jets are a British basketball team based in Chester. ...

The future

With 13 elite clubs for the 2007-08 - including expansion franchises Birmingham Panthers, Everton Tigers and London Capital - the BBL is deeper and more competitive than ever. League chairman and Newcastle Managing Director Paul Blake is marketing the game at home and abroad. And after successfully gaining a place in the ULEB Cup, and expanding membership to a 13-team league ^[1], with Brighton Cougars and others set to join in 2008, the league is slowly recovering from a low webb. The 2007-08 BBL season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, is due to start on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders face the Guildford Heat in the inaugural BBL Cup Winners Cup. ... The Birmingham Panthers, or to give them their official name Team Birmingham Panthers, is a professional basketball club in the British Basketball League. ... The Everton Tigers are a professional basketball team based in the city of Liverpool, in England. ... London Capital, officially called PAWS London Capital in reference to their partnership with PAWS Foundation, is a basketball team from the London, which from the start of the 2007-08 season will compete in the top-tiered professional British Basketball League. ... The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ... Paul Blake is the current Chairman of the British Basketball League, succeeding Vince Macauley in 2006, as well as working as the current Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles basketball franchise. ... The ULEB Cup is a second-caliber professional basketball league with teams from Europeean federation associated to ULEB (Basketball European Leagues Union), that havent qualified to Euroleague. ... The Brighton Cougars, is an English basketball club from the city of Brighton. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A new sponsorship deal with television company MKTV promised an injection of £2,500,000 in 2006 although, less than 12 months later, the broadcaster went out of business. However individual clubs are striking individual tie-ups with local firms keen to jump on the basketball bandwagon. Attendances are soaring ^[2] and there is a strong emphasis on recruiting and developing homegrown talent with a view to supporting Team GB's London 2012 medal bid. With British NBA star Luol Deng committing to the team ^[3] and various other stars eligible to also play for Britain, including Ben Gordon, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Kelenna Azubuike and Joel Freeland ^[4]. However in April 2007, MKTV closed down. MKTV is a satellite television channel, based in Milton Keynes, England. ... The Great Britain national basketball team, or Team GB for short, represents the United Kingdom in international basketball competitions. ... The British Olympic Association has been working on a London Olympic Bid for the 2012 Summer Games since 1997. ... Luol Deng (born April 16, 1985 in Wau, Sudan) is a British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Associations Chicago Bulls, where he plays small forward. ... Benjamin (Ben) Gordon (born April 4, 1983 in London, England, UK)[1] is an American National Basketball Association player for the Chicago Bulls. ... Nana Papa Yaw Mensah-Bonsu, generally known as Pops Mensah-Bonsu (born September 7, 1983 in London), is a British basketball player and former star at the George Washington University in the Atlantic 10 Conference. ... Kelenna David Azubuike (born December 16, 1983 in London, England) is an English professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBAs Golden State Warriors. ... Joel Freeland (born February 7, 1987) is a British basketball player selected in the 2006 NBA Draft. ...

With British basketball seemingly on the upswing at this given time, interest has grown and although not yet a mainstream sport in the country, a group of American investors, including NBA legend A.C. Green, did issue plans to form a new league in 2005. Simply known as The Basketball Organisation, the group, based in London and New York claimed to be attempting to establish a rival that of the BBL. Though this was greeted with some discomfort amongst the basketball community the new professional league, called the British Basketball Association, failed to materialise. The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ... A.C. Green, Jr. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... The British Basketball Association, or BBA for short, is a professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. ...

Teams

Current teams

British Basketball League
Team	Arena	City/Area
Birmingham Panthers	Walsall Campus Sports Centre	Walsall (Birmingham-area), West Midlands
Brighton Cougars (From 2008-09)	Olympos Burgess Hill	Brighton, East Sussex
Cheshire Jets	Northgate Arena	Chester, Cheshire
Everton Tigers	Greenbank Sports Academy	Liverpool, Merseyside
Guildford Heat	The Spectrum	Guildford, Surrey
Leicester Riders	De Montfort University	Leicester, Leicestershire
London Capital	Capital City Academy	London, Greater London
Milton Keynes Lions	Bletchley Centre	Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Newcastle Eagles	Metro Radio Arena	Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Plymouth Raiders	Pavilions	Plymouth, Devon
Scottish Rocks	Braehead Arena	Paisley (Glasgow-area), Renfrewshire
Sheffield Sharks	EIS Sheffield	Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Worcester Wolves	University of Worcester	Worcester, Worcestershire

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Birmingham Panthers, or to give them their official name Team Birmingham Panthers, is a professional basketball club in the British Basketball League. ... , Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. ... Birmingham (pron. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Brighton Cougars, is an English basketball club from the city of Brighton. ... Brighton is located on the south coast of England, and together with its immediate neighbour Hove forms the city of Brighton and Hove. ... East Sussex is a county in South East England. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Cheshire Jets, officially BiG Storage Cheshire Jets by sponsorship, is a British professional basketball team based in Chester, Cheshire. ... Northgate Arena is the main Leisure Centre for the Chester area. ... , For the larger local government district, see Chester (district). ... Cheshire (or, archaically, the County of Chester)[1] is a county in North West England. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Everton Tigers are a professional basketball team based in the city of Liverpool, in England. ... The Greenbank Sports Academy is North West England’s leading sports and leisure facility for disabled people, located in the Sefton Park area of Liverpool. ... For other uses, see Liverpool (disambiguation). ... Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. ... Image File history File links GuildfordHeatLogo. ... The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ... Guildford Spectrum is a leisure complex in Guildford, Surrey, England. ... , For other places with the same name, see Guildford (disambiguation). ... This article is about the English county. ... Image File history File links LeicesterRidersLogo. ... DMU Leicester Riders are a British basketball team that play in the British Basketball League (BBL). ... De Montfort University (DMU) is a British university situated in Leicester, England. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... Leicestershire ( IPA: (RP), IPA: (locally)), abbreviation Leics. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... London Capital, officially called PAWS London Capital in reference to their partnership with PAWS Foundation, is a basketball team from the London, which from the start of the 2007-08 season will compete in the top-tiered professional British Basketball League. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Milton Keynes Lions is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League, the top level mens basketball league in the United Kingdom. ... The Bletchley Centre is an indoor leisure facility in Milton Keynes, England. ... , Milton Keynes is a large town in northern Buckinghamshire, in South East England, about 45 miles (75 km) north-west of London, and roughly halfway between London and Birmingham. ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ... Metro Radio Arena The Metro Radio Arena Newcastle is a 11,000 seat sports and entertainment venue based in Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. ... This article is about a city in the United Kingdom. ... Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in the North East of England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. ... Image File history File links PlymouthRaidersLogo. ... The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Kularoos Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship, is South-west Englands leading basketball team. ... The Pavilions, located in the centre of Plymouth is Southwest Englands leading entertainment and sports complex. ... , Plymouth (Cornish: ) is a city of 243,795 inhabitants (2001 census) in the south-west of England, or alternatively the West Country, and is situated within the traditional and ceremonial county of Devon at the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar and at the head of one of the... Part of the seafront of Torquay, south Devon, at high tide Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, and Dorset and Somerset to the east. ... Image File history File links ScottishRocksLogo. ... The Scottish Rocks, officially the Scottish Phoenix Honda Rocks by sponsorship, is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... The Braehead Arena is a 5,300-seat multi-purpose arena in Renfrewshire, Scotland. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... Renfrewshire (Siorrachd Rinn Friù in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary authority regions in Scotland. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Sheffield Sharks (officially known as Westfield Sharks Sheffield after their sponsors) are a basketball club in Sheffield, England. ... The English Institute of Sport is a multi-sport facility in Sheffield, England. ... For other uses, see Sheffield (disambiguation). ... South Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber Government Office Region of England, in the United Kingdom. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Worcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester, which plays in the British Basketball League. ... The University of Worcester is a university in Worcester in the United Kingdom. ... Worcester (pronounced ) is a city in the West Midlands of England. ... Worcestershire (pronounced ; abbreviated Worcs) is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England. ...

Inactive teams

• London United withdrew prior to the 2007-08 season due to financial difficulties.

London United is one of many operators of London Buses and is owned by Transdev Group of France. ... The 2007-08 BBL season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, is due to start on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders face the Guildford Heat in the inaugural BBL Cup Winners Cup. ...

Defunct teams

See: List of defunct British Basketball League teams

These British Basketball League team franchises are now defunct (not teams that have moved). ...

BBL Championship

Locations of teams for the 2007–08 season

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 417 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1802 × 2589 pixel, file size: 386 KB, MIME type: image/png) I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 417 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1802 × 2589 pixel, file size: 386 KB, MIME type: image/png) I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free...

Regular season

The regular season, which runs from September to April, operates as a league format, with clubs playing each other on three occasions throughout the season, resulting in a thirty-six game campaign for each team. They will meet each of their counterparts once at home, once away, and once home or away in the thirteen-team league structure. The league is played according to FIBA rules and matches consist of four quarters of 10 minutes each. Two points are awarded for a win, with the game going into overtime if the score is tied at the final buzzer - unlimited numbers of 5 minute overtime periods are played until one team is ahead when a period ends. The International Basketball Federation (French Fédération Internationale de Basketball) is an association of national organizations which governs international competitition in the sport. ... Overtime is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport in order to bring the game to a decision and avoid declaring the contest a tie or draw. ...

In the league season, team schedules are not identical and neither are matchdays, with games scheduled mainly around Arena availability. Because of this teams may find themselves playing a series of four or five home games consecutively followed by a straight set of away games. As the regular season is also particularly short, many games are played over weekends as 'doubleheaders', whereby a team will play games (possible a home and away game) on consecutive days, something that is not commonplace in British sports, although often seen in the National Basketball Association and other American sports. “NBA” redirects here. ...

Following the completion of the Championship regular season, the top eight placed teams will advance into the post-season Championship Playoffs, which take place during April, concluding with the Finals Weekend, which is hosted at one of the country's biggest venues. For the 2006-07 season, the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle played host to the prestigious event. The Finals Weekend is the British Basketball League season showpiece finale, where the Playoff finals of the BBL, English Basketball League and Womens EBL take place. ... The British Basketball League season, the twentieth since its establishment, will commence on 29 September, 2006. ... Metro Radio Arena The Metro Radio Arena Newcastle is a 11,000 seat sports and entertainment venue based in Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. ... This article is about a city in the United Kingdom. ...

Playoffs

The post-season Playoffs sees the top eight teams from the regular season advance into a one-game knockout series. The team finishing in first place will play the lowest seeded eighth team (match 1), as will second place against seventh (match 2), third against sixth (match 3)and finally the fourth and fifth placed teams facing each other in match 4. The top seeded team in each game will have home court advantage, with the four winners then going onto to compete in the semi-finals. The 2007-08 BBL season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, is due to start on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders face the Guildford Heat in the inaugural BBL Cup Winners Cup. ... The British Basketball League season, the twentieth since its establishment, will commence on 29 September, 2006. ... The 2005-06 BBL season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005, through to April 11, 2006. ... ... ... ... ...

Both semi-finals matches are played on the Saturday of the Finals Weekend, usually held during the last week of April at a predesignated 'neutral' venue. The two winners of the semi-finals will then face each other in the Playoff final on the Sunday of Finals Weekend, with the winners being crowned Playoff champions. The Finals Weekend is the British Basketball League season showpiece finale, where the Playoff finals of the BBL, English Basketball League and Womens EBL take place. ...

As well as the league Championship and Playoffs, the BBL also has under its jurisdiction the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy, which are played alongside the regular season. In the 2005-06 season, Newcastle Eagles became only the third team ever to complete a "clean-sweep" of domestic Honours, when they won the League Championship and Playoffs, the BBL Cup, and the BBL Trophy all in one season. The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ...

BBL Cup

Main article: BBL Cup

The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the BBL during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy (Not including the pre-season event, the BBL Cup Winners' Cup). The tournament emerged from the National Cup and was contested for the first time in 2003-04, when the Sheffield Sharks were the inaugural winners. The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the BBL during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy. ... The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the BBL during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy. ... The BBL Cup Winners Cup is a peripheral cup competition of the British Basketball League. ... ... The Sheffield Sharks (officially known as Westfield Sharks Sheffield after their sponsors) are a basketball club in Sheffield, England. ...

Presently it is a pure knockout competition comprising of all ten BBL clubs, with the final hosted by the prestigious National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, usually within the first weeks of January. The current holders are the Guildford Heat. The NIA The National Indoor Arena (NIA) situated in Birmingham, England was opened in 1991. ... Birmingham (pron. ... The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ...

BBL Cup Winners' Cup

Main article: BBL Cup Winners' Cup

The BBL Cup Winners' Cup is a pre-season tournament competed over two legs, one home and one away, between the winners of BBL Cup and BBL Trophy from the previous season. Each leg is staged prior to the beginning of the regular season and is considered the curtain-raiser for the new BBL campaign. The BBL Cup Winners Cup is a peripheral cup competition of the British Basketball League. ... The BBL Cup Winners Cup is a peripheral cup competition of the British Basketball League. ...

The competition was first announced on July 13, 2007 with the inaugural final taking place between Guildford Heat (BBL Cup winners 2006-07) and Plymouth Raiders (BBL Trophy winners 2006-07). The first leg, which took place on September 9 in Plymouth, saw a tight affair finish 83-77 to the visiting Guildford Heat, despite the Raiders clawing back from an 18-point defecit to take the lead during the third quarter. Another close game in the second leg played in Guildford the following weekend, on September 15, saw the Guildford Heat defeat the Plymouth Raiders 93-91 and claim the inaugural BBL Cup Winners' Cup 176-168 on aggregate. is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ... The British Basketball League season, the twentieth since its establishment, will commence on 29 September, 2006. ... The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Kularoos Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship, is South-west Englands leading basketball team. ... The British Basketball League season, the twentieth since its establishment, will commence on 29 September, 2006. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

BBL Trophy

Main article: BBL Trophy

The BBL Trophy, founded along with the league in 1987, begins with a regional group format and comprises the ten BBL clubs plus six invitees from Division 1 of the English Basketball League and the top division of the Scottish Basketball League. The BBL Trophy competition begins with a regional group format and comprises of the ten BBL clubs plus six invitees from Division 1 of the English Basketball League and the top division of the Scottish Basketball League. ... The BBL Trophy competition begins with a regional group format and comprises of the ten BBL clubs plus six invitees from Division 1 of the English Basketball League and the top division of the Scottish Basketball League. ... “EBL” redirects here. ... The Scottish Basketball League is the top mens basketball league in Scotland, and forms the second tier of British basketball (in cohesion with the English Basketball League) after the professional setup of theBBL, where Scotland has just one representative in the Scottish Rocks. ...

The venue for the Final often changes from season to season, with various arenas such as SkyDome Arena in Coventry, Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield and The Brighton Centre hosting the event over the past few years. The 2007 Trophy Final was held at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena on March 4 and despite Newcastle Eagles enjoying home court advantage, the contest was won by underdogs Plymouth Raiders, who ran out 74-65 victors. The SkyDome Arena is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Coventry, England. ... For other uses, see Coventry (disambiguation). ... The arena in ice hockey mode The Hallam FM Arena, originally named the Sheffield Arena, is an arena hosting concerts and sporting events in Sheffield in England. ... For other uses, see Sheffield (disambiguation). ... The Brighton Centre is a conference centre located in Brighton, England. ... is the 63rd day of the year (64th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Kularoos Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship, is South-west Englands leading basketball team. ...

Players

Foreign imports

League rules currently allow for each team to have a maximum of three import players, from outside of the EU, while the rest of the roster must have British citizenship, either by birth or by naturalisation. The current ruling was integrated at the beginning of the 2006-07 season, reverting from the previous law which allowed four imports along with naturalised players. Because of this previous rule, it was possible for a team to field an entirely American starting five, which was often the case. “Citizen” redirects here. ... The British Basketball League season, the twentieth since its establishment, will commence on 29 September, 2006. ...

With the 2012 Olympics in mind, an attempt to develop home grown talent has taken incredible steps forward in British hoops in development of more British players. Contributing to this cause, the BBL has implemented a new ruling which will be in effect from the start of the 2007-08 season onwards, whereby only two imported players are permitted in each roster. However, with an expansion of three more franchises for the 2007-08 season, the decision to permit only two non-EU players was revoked because of the lack of available home-grown talent currently available. (Redirected from 2012 Olympics) Nine cities submitted bids for the 2012 Summer Olympics, and five have made it to the shortlist for hosting the Games of the XXX Olympiad. ... The 2007-08 BBL season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, is due to start on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders face the Guildford Heat in the inaugural BBL Cup Winners Cup. ...

Notable former players

• John Amaechi
• Rod Brown
• Steve Bucknall
• Pero Cameron
• John McCord
• Loren Meyer
• Shawn Myers
• Terrell Myers
• Nate Reinking
• Dennis Rodman
• Billy Singleton
• Andrew Sullivan

Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... John Ekwugha Amaechi (pronounced ) (born November 26, 1970 in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) is a retired English NBA basketball player who currently works as a broadcaster and political activist in the United Kingdom. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image:SteveBucknall. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Sean Pero MacPherson Cameron (born 6 May 1974) is a New Zealand professional basketball player. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Loren Meyer (born December 30, 1972 in Emmetsburg, Iowa), is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1st round (24th overall) of the 1995 NBA Draft. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago. ... Shawn Myers is a UK BBL player, who currently plays for the Chester Jets. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Terrell Myers (born August 28, 1974 in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for ACB club Polaris World Murcia. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Nate Reinking (born December 12, 1973 in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, USA) is a British professional basketball player, currently playing for Euphony Bree in Belgium. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961, in Trenton, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player best known for his fierce defensive and rebounding ability, leading the National Basketball Association in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Andrew Sullivan (born February 12, 1980 in London, England) is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the DKV Joventut in the Spanish ACB. // The only child of Eunice Sullivan, Andrew moved from his London home to the United States in 1996 where he attended Saint Augustine Prep...

Media coverage

Newspapers

Basketball receives little national media coverage in the United Kingdom. Some national newspapers list results and occasionally provide short summaries of the league's news but more extensive coverage remains minimal. There was a small surge in interest during the 2005-06 season when many national newspapers such as The Sun reported that former NBA player Dennis Rodman had signed for Brighton Bears ^[5] only weeks after being evicted from Celebrity Big Brother. The press attention quickly faded after 'Rodmania' had died down following his three game appearance for the Southcoast franchise. The 2005-06 BBL season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005, through to April 11, 2006. ... This article is about a British tabloid. ... “NBA” redirects here. ... Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961, in Trenton, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player best known for his fierce defensive and rebounding ability, leading the National Basketball Association in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven... Brighton Bears The Brighton Bears is a basketball team which plays in the British Basketball League. ... Big Brother is a reality show shown on Channel 4 in which a number of contestants live in an isolated house trying to avoid being evicted by the public with the aim of winning a large cash prize at the end of the run. ...

Coverage in the towns and cities where BBL clubs are based is more extensive. Newspapers such as the Plymouth Evening Herald, Sheffield Star, Glasgow Herald, Daily Record, Leicester Mercury, Newcastle Chronicle and Worcester Standard have dedicated basketball reporters who cover the local team. The Plymouth Herald is Westcountry Publications Plymouth-based newspaper. ... Sheffield Star is a newspaper of the city Sheffield, England. ... The Lighthouse, Charles Mackintoshs Glasgow Herald building The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland. ... Daily Record building at Central Quay, Glasgow The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper, based in Glasgow. ... The Leicester Mercury is a British regional newspaper, owned by the Daily Mail Group, for the city of Leicester and the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. ... The Evening Chronicle is a daily, evening newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne, covering Tyne and Wear, southern Northumberland and northern County Durham. ...

Television

Television coverage of the BBL is minimal. In 2006, league officials signed a £2.5 million broadcasting rights agreement with MKTV to provide coverage of 40 live games per season. ^[6]. However only two matches were screened and the deal eventually collapsed when the channel closed. MKTV is a satellite television channel, based in Milton Keynes, England. ...

Though the BBL Cup final had also been broadcast live over the internet, two months previously, this was the first time in five years that the BBL was screened live on television, since the collapse of ITV Digital in 2002. Before then, the league also enjoyed coverage from Channel 4 in the 1980s and Sky Sports in the late 1990s. The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the BBL during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article is about the British television station. ... Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of 9 channels. ...

Radio

Radio coverage of the league is a little more sparse but coverage is available via the successful Eagles Web Radio and Heat Web Radio which, run by fans of Newcastle Eagles and Guildford Heat respectively, broadcast live game commentary over the internet where the said teams are involved in. The Newcastle Eagles, or officially the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles by sponsorship, is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. ... The Guildford Heat, officially Poujoulat Heat Guildford by sponsorship, are a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. ...

BBC Radio Devon often provide live commentary of Plymouth Raiders games, both home and away, while various local radio stations around the country occasionally offer updates on their respective local teams. BBC Radio Devon is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Devon, and began transmissions on 17 January 1983, replacing a previous breakfast show (Morning SouWest) for Devon and Cornwall broadcast on the local frequencies of Radio 4. ... The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Kularoos Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship, is South-west Englands leading basketball team. ...

Awards

• BBL Most Valuable Player Award
• BBL Finals Most Valuable Player Award
• BBL Coach of the Year Award
• BBL All-Star Team

See also

• Basketball in England
• BBL Cup
• BBL Cup Winners' Cup
• BBL Trophy
• English Basketball League
• Finals Weekend
• National Basketball League

Basketball, although invented in the United States of America, has a very long history in England, having been introduced there by the YMCA almost immediately after it was created. ... The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the BBL during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy. ... The BBL Cup Winners Cup is a peripheral cup competition of the British Basketball League. ... The BBL Trophy competition begins with a regional group format and comprises of the ten BBL clubs plus six invitees from Division 1 of the English Basketball League and the top division of the Scottish Basketball League. ... “EBL” redirects here. ... The Finals Weekend is the British Basketball League season showpiece finale, where the Playoff finals of the BBL, English Basketball League and Womens EBL take place. ... The National Basketball League, or NBL for short, is a defunct British basketball league. ...

Notes

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official BBL website
• Britball.com Archive
• BBL Statistics
• British section of EuroBasket site
• What's Bev Got To Do With It? fan forum