What is the Basketball Super League?

In the world of professional and semi-professional basketball, it’s easy to get lost. There’s so many different teams and leagues, all playing at different levels yet trying to make it to the same level. The Basketball League is the most competitive minor league in North America…or is it? With the creation of the Basketball Super League, it may no longer hold that title. Let’s break down what the Basketball Super League is, and what it plans to do.

The Basketball Super League functions on a similar model to TBL…probably because the league was made by the same people who run TBL. The BSL (as it is known) is modeled like professional soccer in Europe. There are 49 teams in the league, and instead of playing 24 games like TBL teams do, BSL teams play 34 games, 20 at home and 14 on the road. The reason for all the extra home games is because the league wants to give teams more opportunities to acquire fans, and that happens with more home games.

Instead of being a journey league(which players play in on their journey as a professional basketball player to earn larger contracts), like TBL, the BSL is a destination league, a place where players will presumably aspire to reach. It helps that league ownership determines which teams will be allowed into the league, venues have a minimum seating requirement of 2,500, and unlike TBl with its set contracts, there is no salary cap for BSL.

As I mentioned earlier, BSL is built upon a similar model to overseas soccer and basketball. Teams being promoted and relegated between the BSL and TBL could be a possibility, though ownership’s stance on that isn’t as clear yet.

BSL’s season launches in December, and will run through June. League ownership has yet to determine how the playoffs will work, but they’ll likely be occurring at the same time as the TBL’s playoffs; great news if you’re a fan of both leagues!

We’ll presumably get more information on the league soon. In the meantime, you can check out their website here.

And…

If you want to buy tickets to a Raleigh Firebirds game this season…

Then you already know where to go 😁 

-Tex