British Basketball League campaign cancelled by COVID-19

The British Basketball League (BBL) has voted unanimously to end the 2019/20 season without awarding the league title. In a league statement, BBL Chairman Sir Rodney Walker said: “Obviously this is not the way anyone wanted to see the season end and we worked hard to try to find an alternative solution.”

Prior to the league’s suspension, Glasgow Rocks had led the BBL standings by four points. In response to the BBL’s curtailment a Glasgow Rocks spokesperson said: “It is disappointing but not in the least bit surprising, that the BBL board have decided to dismiss the efforts of our coach and players who at the time had proved themselves to be the strongest team in the Championship. Glasgow Rocks accept the decision of the BBL and will make no further comment on the matter.”

The independent directors of the BBL Management Board declared that the 2019/20 championship would not be awarded following the season’s curtailment because multiple teams remained in title contention before the league’s suspension.

Playing to full arenas would be ideal but there is currently no certainty

– British Basketball League

The BBL confirmed its intention to return in the autumn, although the future of basketball in the United Kingdom remains unclear due to the social distancing measures. The costs of holding fixtures behind-closed-doors could prove inhibitive to the start of the 2020/21 BBL season.

“As we move forward and look to the 2020/21 season, the vision is that the Cup and Trophy competition formats remain as they were in 2019/20 with the Championship returning to a format where teams play each other three times throughout the season,” a league statement read.

“At present, we’re working towards starting in the autumn as we would be normally but we will only set our launch date when we have information from the Government that it is safe to do so.

“Playing to full arenas would be ideal but there is currently no certainty on when that will be, and we are exploring all options in close consultation with our Clubs. The atmosphere at games across the League is always electric and we look forward to welcoming you back as soon as possible.

“The safety of players, coaches, club staff and fans is paramount and we will be adhering to all guidelines to allow you all to return safely. We do understand that these plans can change and so we’re doing appropriate contingency planning while retaining flexibility, so that we can act quickly and safely when we need to.”

We are approaching the moment of maximum risk for clubs

The future of Basketball in the UK hangs in the balance. With the financial strain growing, clubs across the country will be weary as the summer months creep by. The decision to halt the 2019/20 season is logical: the play was never likely to resume. Glasgow are unsurprisingly unimpressed by the decision not to award them the title, but the BBL made the right call. With the Lions within touching distance, it would have been impossible to justify naming the Rocks 2019/20 regular season champions.

Going forwards, basketball will need to play its cards right. With flight restrictions looming, teams will be conscious of recruiting international players during the summer. The BBL must be careful: we are approaching the moment of maximum risk for clubs fighting for their financial lives amid COVID-19 pandemic.