BBL announces competition changes for 2023-24 season

The BBL Play-offs will move to a best-of-three series, while the league will drop the Cup competition and add in an All-Star game, CEO Aaron Radin announced today.

The news, first reported by journalist Mark Woods last week, means there will only be three pieces of silverware up for grabs next season, with the All-Star game taking place in March to replace the Trophy final which nows moves to January in replacement of the Cup.

The All-Star game will feature a North vs South exhibition, with fan voting selecting at least one player from all 10 BBL franchises, along with an Elam ending being used.

The league season will make its return on the weekend of Thursday 14 September with the opening round of fixtures in the Championship season, before a mid-season pause from Championship action, will see clubs turn their focus and attention to compete in the British Basketball League Trophy, which tips off on Thursday 4 January.

With a new format, the Trophy comprises of two five team groups formed from British Basketball League clubs before the action concludes with a Semi-Final to decide who heads to Birmingham to compete in the Final on Sunday 29 January.

The new layout of the British basketball calendar will allow for sole focus on each individual competition.

Upon the conclusion of the Championship season, the top eight teams will fight in the Play-offs, which sees an upgraded format of a “best of three” series for both the Quarters and Semi-Finals of the competition, and should a lower seeded team defeat a higher seeded team, that team will assume the seeding of the higher seed team they defeated.

As always, the season finale sees the league head to London and The O2 for the Play-off Finals on Sunday 19 May.

“We’re really pleased to be launching new formats for the 23/24 season, which I know will excite British Basketball fans,” Radin said.

“We wanted to ensure the format of the season was clearer for our clubs, partners and fans to follow, ensuring that all the thrilling action flowed throughout the season.

“The reintroduction of an All-Star game will be an amazing showcase of the sensational talent we have in the British Basketball League and adds another landmark moment into the basketball calendar. It’s been an incredible year for the league and we’re only going to continue to grow in the season’s ahead.”

The league added that the Women’s British Basketball League will follow a similar format to the men’s league, with clubs facing off twice throughout the course of the championship season.

The Women’s British Basketball League Chairman, Jim Saker, said:

“It is brilliant to be working in tandem with the men’s league, so we can all capitalise on the monumental growth the sport continues to see in the UK.”

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