British Basketball Federation hands 15-year licence to Glickman
The British Basketball Federation (BBF) has defied Super League Basketball (SLB) clubs by signing a 15-year deal with Marshall Glickman’s GBB League Ltd (GBBL) to operate the men’s professional league from 2026.
SLB clubs warned last week that they would take legal action to block the sale of the licence, which they say is illegal. They claim they were deemed to be key stakeholders but not sufficiently consulted on the tender process.
BBF chair Chris Grant said: “We’re delighted to welcome GBBL to the British Basketball family. The award of this licence not only heralds the biggest ever level of financial investment into the league, it also brings the knowhow, connections and vision to excite those who already love the game and to attract new fans and participants.
“The GB women’s and men’s teams have both qualified for Fiba EuroBasket this summer, and our progress on the court will be boosted through the LA Olympic Cycle funding recently announced by UK Sport.
“To have booming professional leagues which enable our top players to compete in front of British fans, week in and week out, is just what we need in order to fulfil British Basketball’s huge potential.”
Who are Marshall Glickman and GBB League?
Glickman is the former acting CEO of Euroleague Basketball and one-time president of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. GBBL also includes partners Chris Dillavou, former COO of the Greg Norman Companies, and Arjun Metre, former investment director in sports, media and entertainment for Intel Capital.
“We are fully committed to uplifting the popularity of basketball in Great Britain,” said Glickman. “We are especially focused on making our league attractive to homegrown players, both in terms of economics and development. We want to see our players lead the GB national team to the 2028 LA Olympics.
“It is also essential that we use the league as a platform to celebrate British culture – we believe in the fusion of sports with music, fashion, wellness and equality. We believe basketball is a next generation experience that we will embrace in a variety of ways – both physically and digitally.”
The BBF said there could be scope for the clubs, who formed SLB last summer following the dissolution of the British Basketball League, to continue running the men’s top division next season as an interim measure.
How has SLB and its clubs responded to BBF?
However, in response – and amid simmering animosity – the SLB said it planned to continue regardless of GBBL acquiring the licence, raising the prospect of two rival leagues.
“The new league operator proposed by the British Basketball Federation has no clubs, fans, arenas or expertise to build the infrastructure and future that British basketball and its communities deserve,” a spokesperson said.
“Super League Basketball (SLB) has been clear from the outset that the tender process undertaken by the British Basketball Federation (BBF) was illegal and unjust.
“SLB would like to make clear that it does not legally require a BBF license to continue to operate the professional basketball league in Britain.
“SLB clubs and their owners have worked tirelessly and invested well over £15m this season alone to create a sustainable future for professional basketball in Britain, its fans and the communities it serves.
“All nine partner clubs are united in the vision to continue operating a stable and viable league for the 2025-26 SLB season and beyond.”
BBF eyes new teams in Liverpool and Edinburgh
“In a defining moment for the sport, the deal will see the greatest ever direct investment of funds into the professional league, with an upfront commitment of £15m to support operations and growth activities in the first two years,” said the BBF.
“The agreement will align the men’s professional league, its clubs and GB academy structures to provide a radical boost in the development of talented British players and will bring the excitement of high-quality basketball competitions to fans across England, Scotland and Wales.
“Following an open tender process, a majority-independent panel of experts assessed GBBL’s credentials, plans and finances before the BBF Board accepted their recommendation to enter an exclusive negotiating period.
“The successful conclusion of those negotiations means that the new operator will prepare to take control of the premier men’s professional league from the start of the 2026/27 season (September 2026) bringing new expertise and capacity to the British game.
“SLB elected not to bid for the long-term licence to run the league and the BBF has now activated a clause in the interim licence agreement enabling it to be terminated at the end of the current season.
“Options under consideration for the management of a transitional 2025/26 season include another club-led arrangement. Meanwhile, GBBL will seek to engage with the current SLB owners as well as conducting a process to evaluate opportunities in population centres currently without a presence at the highest level such as Liverpool, Leeds, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Birmingham.”