The latest turmoil concerning the British League extends to the dismissals from the British Basketball League, BBL
By Eurohoops Team/ [email protected]
A group of 18 former British Basketball League employees is taking legal action against Super League Basketball.
Adding to recent developments surrounding the transition to SLB, the former BBL staff point to unfair dismissal, breach of contract, and significant unpaid wages amounting to millions of pounds.
In July 2024, just two days after SLB was awarded the license to run the league, the entire BBL workforce was dismissed without consultation, notice, or pay, as noted in the following press release.
“A group of 18 former employees of Basketball League Limited (BLL), the company that operated the British Basketball League until summer 2024, have filed claims in the Employment Tribunal against Super League Basketball (SLB), alleging that SLB is legally required under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (“TUPE”) to recognise and continue their employment.
The claimants include senior managers, broadcast specialists, operations staff, and executives, who state that they worked to grow professional basketball in the UK and that they were in good employment standing. They say they were dismissed by BLL on 19 July 2024 without consultation, notice, or payment of wages and accrued entitlements, just two days after SLB was awarded the licence to operate the league.
Timeline of Events (as set out in the claim):
● On 12 June 2024, the British Basketball Federation (BBF) terminated BLL’s licence to operate the league, citing financial concerns.
● On 28 June 2024, Premier Basketball Ltd now known as Super League Basketball was incorporated, according to Companies House records, by a couple of existing club owners.
● On 17 July 2024, the BBF granted the professional licence to Premier Basketball Ltd.
● On 19 July 2024, all 27 BLL employees were dismissed. The claimants state they received no consultation, notice, or pay, including July wages, accrued holiday, or notice periods.
The claimants allege that SLB has since:
● Hired several of the same staff into the same or equivalent roles.
● Asked some staff to return in freelance or reduced-pay roles.
● Continued to run the same league structure and competitions (Regular Season, Trophy, Cup, and Play-Off Final).
● Adopted BLL’s commercial deals, sponsorships, ticketing systems, and intellectual property.
The employees argue that the continuation of the league represents a “relevant transfer” under TUPE, meaning their jobs and rights should have been transferred automatically. They claim that staff lost not just jobs but also pay they had already earned, with families and careers disrupted while the league carried on without interruption
Spokesperson for the Claimants said:
“This is about fairness. TUPE exists to protect employees when a business changes hands. The league is the same league, it just changed its name. Yet loyal staff in good standing were dismissed without pay or consultation. We are taking this action to ensure our rights, and the principle of fair treatment, are upheld.”
The claimants are seeking remedies for:
● Unfair and automatic unfair dismissal.
● Failure to inform and consult under TUPE.
● Unpaid wages, notice pay, and holiday pay.
● Breach of contract.
This case, currently before the Employment Tribunal, highlights a broader issue in British sport: the need to safeguard employees when governance and management structures change.”
Photo Credit: YouTube
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