The British Basketball League (BBL) is a professional basketball league for men. It was formed back in 1987 when the clubs opted for a competition that is franchise based as opposed to relegation or promotion. Some of the top facts that you need to know about the British Basketball League are highlighted below.
The First BBL Championship Title Was Awarded in 1988
After being formed in 1987, the first championship title was awarded to Portsmouth in 1988. The following two seasons were won by Kingston, which became the first team to win the title back to back. Currently, Newcastle Eagles hold the record of having won the most titles, which is a total of seven.
Commercialism of the League Took Place in 1990
In 1990, the popularity of the league increased quite significantly. The games started being televised in the 90s, which was a key attraction for mainstream sponsors like Lego, Peugeot, Budweiser, and Playboy. The attendance at the game venues also increased, which significantly boosted income to the league.
The Opening Game for 1995/1996 Season Record Attendance
The record attendance for the season opener, which was between Manchester Giants and London Leopards, was 14251 fans. The game was played at the Nynex Arena. This crowd record for any basketball game stood until 2006 when the NBA hosted preseason games at the O2 Arena.
The League Runs as an Independent Company
The British Basketball League is owned by its franchise members, with each franchise having an equal shareholding. Each franchise also has at least one representative on the board of directors. That means that all the clubs take part in decision making processes regarding issues, rules, and policies of the league. The chairperson of the board is elected. The current chairperson is Sir Rodney Walker, who has served since 2016.