Super League Basketball season gets green light after visa breakthrough
Super League Basketball clubs plan to begin their new season next month after overcoming a block on obtaining visas for overseas players that had stymied their recuitment.
The hold up came when the British Basketball Federation terminated SLB’s licence and refused to sign off on governing body endorsements (GBEs) required for the visas.
After weeks of legal wrangling, the block has been overcome after the Home Office told Basketball England it could back the GBEs instead of the BBF, of which it is a member.
Clubs have now submitted visa applications and say the new season will begin on 19 September.
“We’re grateful to the Home Office and BE for their clarification in resolving this key issue,” said SLB interim independent chair Sanjay Bhandari.
“Our clubs have shown real ambition and determination throughout the summer, pushing ahead with roster plans in the face of uncertainty.
“Now that this issue has been resolved, we can all look ahead to what promises to be a thrilling season of Super League Basketball with a full fixture list to be announced in the coming weeks.”
It comes amid an ongoing High Court battle between SLB and the BBF over the future of the domestic game which threatened to leave the UK without a top league in 2025-26.
SLB is suing the BBF after it sold a 15-year licence to US investors GBBL in a process that it says infringed competition law. The BBF is counter-suing SLB.
The new SLB season fixtures will be announced later this month.