Super League Basketball (SLB) is a men's professional basketball league established in 2024. The competition replaced the former British Basketball League (BBL) as the top-level men's basketball competition in Great Britain.
History From 1987, the British Basketball League (BBL) was the pre-eminent basketball competition in Great Britain. By May 2024, Basketball League Ltd (BLL), the operating company behind the BBL, was in severe financial difficulties. Due to this uncertainty, the British Basketball Federation (BBF) terminated BLL's operating licence to run the men's professional league, with immediate effect. On the same day a new organisation, Premier Basketball Limited, was formed by a consortium of existing basketball teams formerly of the BBL. The consortium, led by Sarah Backovic, director of Sheffield Sharks, was granted a three-year licence by the BBF to operate the top-level men's basketball competition, in place of the former BBL. On 2 August 2024, "Super League Basketball" was announced as the name for the new competition.
Expansion Plans for a new professional team emerged in August 2025, when SLB was reported to be seeking a tenth member club with backing from an American investor. Liverpool was identified as the league's principal expansion target during August and September 2025.
Liverpool Basketball was announced publicly on 5 August 2026, ahead of the 2026–27 season. The team is owned by Kings Dock Sports Group Ltd, the sports holding company founded by media executive and sports investor Jason Dolan. The launch returned top-flight men's professional basketball to Liverpool for the first time in more than a decade; the Mersey Tigers had played at the same arena from 2008 to 2010.
Teams Current teams
TeamLocation ColoursArena Capacity Founded Bristol Flyers Bristol SGS College Arena 750 2006 Caledonia Gladiators East Kilbride Playsport Arena 1,800 1998 Cheshire Phoenix Ellesmere Port Cheshire Oaks Arena 1,400 1984 Leicester Riders Leicester Mattioli Arena 2,400 1967 Liverpool Basketball Liverpool M&S Arena 7,513 2026 London Lions London (Stratford) Copper Box Arena 6,000 1977 Manchester Basketball Manchester National Basketball Centre 2,000 2024 Newcastle Eagles Newcastle Vertu Motors Arena 2,800 1976 Sheffield Sharks Sheffield Canon Medical Arena 2,500 1991 Surrey 89ers Guildford Surrey Sports Park 970 2024
Corporate structure Chairman Vaughn Millette (2024–2025) Sanjay Bhandari MBE (interim 2025–2026)
The Board Responsible for the overall direction of the company and setting a business plan for shareholders to approve.
The Shareholders The clubs, who have ultimate ownership of the company and approve matters reserved for them.
SLB League Central Staff Responsible for carrying out the operational and administrative functions of the organisation including managing the Competitions and ensuring clubs are compliant with the operating rules.
SLB Integrity Department Responsible for maintaining Competition Integrity and operates a range of functions including; Discipline, Officiating, Medical, Safeguarding, and Anti-Doping.
Regulations Import players Rules currently allow for each team to have a maximum of six non-British qualified players per game, and any number of British-qualified (National or Right-to-Work) players. During the course of a season, any Club may license a maximum of 12 non-national players, and any non-national player who is delicensed and subsequently relicensed by a club will count as a new licence for the purposes of the calculation.
Transfer regulations Players may be licensed at any time prior to midday on the last day of March during that season.
Salary cap There is no salary cap in the league. Instead, clubs' total player emoluments are monitored and used to determine registration eligibility, including limits on the number of non-national players permitted in SLB Competitions.
Clubs are limited on the number of non-national players they are permitted to field in SLB Competitions, based on their total declared emoluments: Less than £500,000 net, the club may field a maximum of six (6) non-national players. Between £500,000 and £800,000 net, the club may field a maximum of five (5) non-national players. Greater than £800,000 net, the club may field a maximum of four (4) non-national players.
Results Championship +Overview of SLB ChampionshipsSeasonChampionsRunners-up2024–25London Lions Leicester Riders2025–26London Lions Cheshire Phoenix
Playoff Finals SeasonWinnersScoreRunners-upVenueMost Valuable Player2024–25Leicester Riders105–74Newcastle EaglesThe O2 Arena, London Jaylin Hunter2025–26London Lions104–81Cheshire PhoenixThe O2 Arena, London Joel Scott
Trophy Finals SeasonWinnersScoreRunners-upVenueMost Valuable Player2024–25Newcastle Eagles97–78Bristol FlyersArena Birmingham, Birmingham Mike Okauru2025–26London Lions74–68Newcastle EaglesArena Birmingham, Birmingham Deane Williams
Cup Finals SeasonWinnersScoreRunners-upVenueMost Valuable Player2024–25Sheffield Sharks105–97Surrey 89ersNottingham Arena, Nottingham Donovan Clay2025–26London Lions83–74Manchester BasketballManchester Arena, Manchester Kameron McGusty
Honours board
Awards
Player of the Year Award (MVP) Player of the Month Award Coach of the Year Award Coach of the Month Award Defensive Player of the Year Award Most Improved Player of the Year Award 6th Player of the Year Award Community Champion of the Year Team of the Year All-British Team of the Year Defensive Team of the Year
See also Super League Basketball Women British Championship Basketball (2nd tier) National Basketball League (3rd–5th tiers) Scottish Basketball Championship Men (3rd tier) British Basketball League (1987–2024)
References
External links
GB Basketball official website