(Reuters) -The British Basketball Federation has signed a licence with GBB League Ltd to operate the men's professional league in Britain for 15 years but the existing Super League Basketball said on Wednesday that the tender process was 'illegal'.
BBF said the new deal would have an upfront commitment of 15 million pounds ($19.41 million) in the first two years, with GBBL taking control from the start of the 2026-27 season.
GBBL is led by managing director and CEO Marshall Glickman, the former acting CEO of Euroleague Basketball, who said he is keen to increase the sport's popularity and develop homegrown players ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Britain, seen as an untapped market for the globally popular sport, has competed at the Olympics only twice, in 1948 and 2012, where London hosted both.
"The professional men's league is currently operated by Super League Basketball Ltd (SLB) under an interim licence agreed between the BBF and SLB's nine participating clubs in July 2024," the BBF said in a statement.
"This enabled the 2024-25 season to go ahead following the termination of the agreement with the previous licence-holders.
"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."
SLB, which previously said it would no longer be under the purview of the BBF, added the new body has "no clubs, fans, arenas or expertise" to operate a new league.
"Super League Basketball has been clear from the outset that the tender process undertaken by the British Basketball Federation was illegal and unjust," a spokesperson said.
"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."
($1 = 0.7730 pounds)
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Christian Radnedge)
