British basketball divided over new league plan

Super League Basketball (SLB) says it is prepared to break away from the British Basketball Federation (BBF) after claiming to have been shut out from discussions over the future of Britain's men's professional basketball league.

Governing body the BBF announced on Wednesday it had granted preferred bidder status to a group led by Portland Trail Blazers president Marshall Glickman in its search for a long-term league operator.

The BBF said the tender process had "entered a new phase", with Glickman - alongside partners Chris Dillavou and Arjun Metre - entering an exclusive negotiating period.

However, SLB - formed last summer to replace the British Basketball League which collapsed amid financial concerns - said it had not been consulted and was prepared to continue outside the BBF's jurisdiction.

SLB chair Vaughn Millette told BBC Sport the league's nine clubs had "engaged in good faith" with the BBF last summer and, having been awarded an interim three-year license to operate, "understood then that a collaborative approach would be undertaken to secure a longer-term licence on behalf of the SLB".

Millette said: "Following the BBF's decision to run an open invitation to tender for the long-term license to run the men's professional league in Great Britain, the SLB's shareholders and directors unanimously took the difficult decision to withdraw from the process after concerns were raised over the legality of the BBF's actions.

"Despite communicating these concerns to the BBF over a period of months, the SLB never received any substantive responses and the tender document did not allow for any changes to fees and conditions. This approach would have rendered the league un-investable."

The BBF told BBC Sport it believed SLB would bid to become the long-term licensee and therefore deemed it inappropriate for SLB "to be closely involved in defining the proposed terms and assessment criteria".

"Despite the BBF's encouragement, SLB chose not to enter the process. That was their decision to make, but it was one which meant they would not be awarded a long-term licence," the BBF said.

"Now each club will decide whether it wishes to engage with the preferred bidder in order to understand and - if they wish - to negotiate what's on offer."

SLB was formed last summer, when a consortium of nine clubs was awarded the licence to run the division after former operator Basketball League Ltd had its licence terminated.

In an initial statement after the BBF's announcement, SLB said: "We will operate the SLB with its continuing success and planned strategic growth but will no longer be under the purview of the BBF.

"The SLB clubs are united in this decision and look forward to developing this incredible league for many years to come."

The BBF board's "unanimous decision" regarding the long-term licence for Britain's men's professional league was taken based on recommendations from a panel featuring two independent experts and the chair of the federation's finance, audit and risk committee.

BBF chair Chris Grant said: "This is a pivotal moment as we work to fulfil British Basketball's enormous potential.

"Marshall Glickman's group bring huge basketball and business knowhow. They have embraced the vision of British Basketball as a force for good, which can already be seen in the substantial contributions made by the existing professional clubs in their communities."

Glickman said his group intend to "work alongside existing stakeholders", adding: "We look forward to working with the BBF to cross the finish line."

The inaugural SLB championship began in October and is scheduled to run until May, when the play-off finals take place in London.