BUCS Consider New Elite National League - Hoopsfix.com

BUCS Consider New Elite National League

BUCS Basketball Final 8s Day 2

BUCS Basketball Final 8s Day 2The governing body for university sport in the UK, British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), is considering a new elite “National League” to begin in the 2013/14 season.

The new league will sit above the Premier North and South leagues, which are currently the highest tier of university basketball in the country. The potential re-structure is a result of a number of universities feeding back the difference in standard of the top 3 or 4 teams in the country compared to the rest of those in the Premier leagues, as well as British Basketball trying to incorporate university sport as part of the performance pathway.

It is proposed the National League will be made up of six teams, (the top 6 finishers at the 2012/13 Final 8s, regardless of North/South) with the quarter finals at the end of the season also including the winners of play-offs between the winners and runners up of the Premier leagues (winner of Prem North vs runner-up of Prem South, winner of Prem South vs runner up of Prem North).

As part of the consultation BUCS is also considering replacing the Final 8s with standalone games for the quarter finals, semi finals and finals.

The Premier North and Premier South will contain 6 teams each and the ten teams who don’t advance to the National League (Championship) quarter finals will play their own knockout competition to be crowned ‘Vase’ champions (which will be the competition above the Trophy). The bottom finishers will end up being relegated.

You can read full details of the new proposals and consultation on the BUCS website here and here.

The consultation is open to all universities to express their views and BUCS are encouraging responses to the contact details provided on their site.

What do you think? Would you like to see a new elite league? Drop the Final 8s? Let us know in the comments!

Image Credit: Nathan Dainty

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