Category: League Direction
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Funds Can’t Play Basketball
The day after the NBA brought a regular-season game to the O2, a different room in London hosted a different kind of audience. 250 invite-only guests gathered at the Raffles Hotel for private briefings on the NBA’s plans for Europe. In one sense, the event worked. Not because a league was announced, or because clubs
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A Subtle Shift in the SLB Calendar
Buried in this season’s regulations is a small change to how games are scheduled. Under 17.9 in the SLB operating rules, teams will no longer be required to play two domestic fixtures on consecutive days — commonly referred to as back-to-back games. Last season, back-to-backs were one of the clearest pressure points in the calendar
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What To Do With the London Lions?
The London Lions have built a team that fits neither competition. In the SLB they’re steady; in EuroCup they’re struggling to stay afloat. The same roster that never looked like losing against Bristol can’t stay in a game against Budućnost. Through the opening weeks, London have beaten every SLB opponent comfortably, posting the league’s highest
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A Ball in the Air
The opening night of the second season of the SLB was meant to be about the basketball. Six teams took the floor with refreshed rosters and a summer of preparation, eager to prove the league was more than an improvised debut. Instead, it arrived in the shadow of refereeing uncertainty and FIBA intervention. When the
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The SLB Play-offs Need a Better Structure
You can’t manufacture legitimacy. You earn it. And if the SLB wants to keep earning it, the play-off format has to change. The regular season has had its moments—but they’re the exception, not the rule. With eight of the league’s nine teams qualifying for the play-offs and no real reward for finishing first, the structure
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The Untapped Potential of the SLB Cup
Knockout tournaments capture the imagination of sports fans like nothing else. The FA Cup has been a staple of British football for over a century, delivering underdog stories, giant-killings, and moments that unite communities. A basketball equivalent should be a perfect fit—giving lower-league teams a shot at top-tier opposition while also helping British basketball establish
