British Basketball Civil War Takes Fresh Twist As 18 Former Employees Sue New League

A group of 18 erstwhile labor of British Basketball League (BBL) are taking ineligible action against nan title that replaced it, Super League Basketball, successful nan latest improvement successful nan bonzer civilian warfare that has engulfed nan sport.

The Guardian has learned that nan erstwhile BBL unit person revenge claims for unfair dismissal, breach of statement and unpaid wages worthy millions of pounds astatine nan London employment tribunal successful a move that threatens to overshadow nan commencement of nan caller Super League Basketball season, which originates connected Friday. An first proceeding day has been scheduled for July 2026, though nan lawsuit whitethorn not beryllium resolved until nan pursuing year.

British hoops has been successful turmoil since nan illness of its erstwhile financial backers 777 Partners, who bought a 45% liking successful nan BBL 4 years agone and were moving nan convention until past year, erstwhile nan American finance institution founded by Josh Wander was declared insolvent amid a grounded effort to bargain Everton.

Subsequently 777’s operating licence was suspended by nan British Basketball Federation (BBF) successful June 2024 which led to nan 9 apical BBL clubs mounting up a caller competition, Super League Basketball, which was granted a impermanent licence by nan BBF.

Relations betwixt those 2 organisations soured this twelvemonth aft nan BBF awarded nan league’s semipermanent licence to an American finance group led by nan erstwhile NBA executive Marshall Glickman, which led to nan clubs suing nan federation. SLB declare that nan BBF’s tender process was unlawful, anti-competitive, and designed to exclude existing clubs, pinch nan lawsuit to beryllium decided successful nan precocious court.

The Super League clubs are now facing a ineligible declare themselves for millions successful damages from a group of erstwhile BBL unit including elder executives, who declare they were dismissed without consultation, announcement and wages 2 days aft SLB was awarded nan licence to run nan convention connected 19 July 2024.

The ineligible declare is based connected nan contention that arsenic SLB was a continuation of nan BBL pinch nan aforesaid clubs and commercialized partners, nan unit were legally entitled to support their occupation nether nan Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 [TUPE]. The SLB has nan aforesaid title building and clubs arsenic its predecessor, while a league-wide kit woody pinch Reebok that was negotiated by nan BBL’s commercialized squad successful February 2024 was announced by SLB nan pursuing August.

A spokesperson for nan claimants told nan Guardian: “This is astir fairness. TUPE exists to protect labor erstwhile a business changes hands. The convention is nan aforesaid league, it conscionable changed its name. Yet loyal unit successful bully opinionated were dismissed without salary aliases consultation. We are taking this action to guarantee our rights, and nan rule of adjacent treatment, are upheld.”

Another claimant added: “The owners fundamentally moved nan institution crossed nan thoroughfare and ran nan aforesaid business, but near nan unit behind. We had spent years moving to turn master hoops successful nan UK, but were near precocious and dry.

“Many of america person suffered financially arsenic a result, person been forced to time off nan state successful hunt of work, pinch a awesome effect connected our families.”

The claimants are understood to person made galore approaches to nan SLB clubs seeking a mediated colony earlier filing nan declare without receiving a affirmative response. If successful, nan ineligible action would person a perchance devastating effect connected nan finances of a athletics and title that is already facing an uncertain future.

The caller Glickman-run convention is owed to commencement adjacent twelvemonth pending nan result of SLB’s ineligible action, but has yet to denote immoderate teams aliases venues.

The statement could besides jeopardise £4.75m successful authorities backing hoops is owed to person complete nan adjacent 4 years. As antecedently reported by nan Guardian, nan sports curate Stephanie Peacock has been successful interaction pinch backing agency, UK Sport, expressing concerns astir nan situation.

SLB and BBF declined to comment.