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Post by connors on Mar 2, 2017 13:11:39 GMT
I'm curious at to the general state of grass roots adult basketball in the UK. Anyone care to share the situation in their area?
I'm currently playing in the Durham County League. It has 3 mens, 1 ladies and 1 u18 boys division. The mens divisions have only 6 teams in each and across the 18 teams in those 3 divisions 9 are made up from 2 clubs.
The standard in Div 1 is excellent - a very good sprinkling of current Div 2 National League players as well as others who've previously played at that level. Its a well run league but certainly very dependent on a handful of clubs who in turn are dependent on a small amount of volunteers to keep them running. We have an open cup as well as division cups and a finals day as well.
The reason I ask is that the league I spent most time in the Middlesex Basketball League seems to have stopped running if its website is anything to go by. It had a catchment area of West London as well of parts of North and South London and some of the surrounding home counties. How can there not be a league for that area with that population? I recall when it also was stacked with teams across 3 mens divisions.
Whats the situation like in the rest of the country? The junior scene seems pretty healthy and well provided for but without clubs and leagues for players to join when they leave education it affects the growth of the sport.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2017 13:28:41 GMT
The London Met league had 3 divisions, 30 clubs
Herts League has 2 divisions, 18 clubs - also crosses the border into Beds and Essex, has included Cambs in the part.
Essex League 2 divisions, 15 (I think) clubs.
How that compares to the past, I don't know. But I think Essex & Herts have had similar numbers for the last ten years.
IMO NBL Division 4 is unnecessary and the clubs should be in local leagues.
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Post by connors on Mar 2, 2017 16:24:58 GMT
I agree about NBL Div 4. Better to have strong local leagues and the logical step being up to Div 3.
I notice the Wessex League (Bucks, Berks, Surrey and Hants!!!!) that I also played in sometimes is still going relatively strong with about 27 teams across 3 mens divisions and 2 womens divisions. It also seems though to rely on several clubs supplying multiple teams across the divisions.
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Post by BetaTested on Mar 2, 2017 19:23:36 GMT
Exeter and District League has 3 male divisions and one female division.
D1 and D2 have five teams in each. D3 has 6 teams. There is inter-division play and relegation between those divisions.
There are 9 teams in the female division. IMO that division could do with being divided, there is a big difference between top and bottom results.
Exeter University provide five teams, one in each male division and two in the female division. Exeter Nomads and Torbay Tigers have two teams in the top two male divisions. MarJons and Plymouth Uni contribute teams to the local leagues, the male teams play local league in a central Plymouth league that includes Cornwall and the suburbs of Plymouth. They play all of their games at MarJons, so a lot of travelling for some teams. Exeter Eagles, who play in NBL Div 4 contribute a female team also, but no team in the local league. Most of the players are present in other teams however.
The league itself covers quite a large area, from South Molten to Plymouth, Exeter to Weymouth.
With regards to the necessity of NBL DIV 4, it would be nice to see basketball be more pyramid like in its structure. Anyone who makes the step in the SW to a better playing system has to travel far...often to Wales and the 'greater south west'...No Gloucester is not in the South West.
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Post by lieutenantdeng on Mar 3, 2017 12:01:21 GMT
The Leicestershire League has 4 mens divisions of about 10 teams in each. The standard is not too bad; A couple of ex-bbl/ex-nbl players pop up on some of the div 1 teams I think. The website isn't brilliant, but most of the information you might need is on there www.leicesterbasketball.co.uk |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2017 19:31:33 GMT
The Plymouth league has 8 teams (1 of them from Cornwall) the league is slowly dying with lack of teams competing. No teams from the 2 universities in the city which is a serious shame. No development league and no women's league. Playing wise our league has former NCAA players, former pros and some very good local league players, I'd argue 1 of our teams could easily compete in the top of half of the NBL2 Facebook page has great coverage www.facebook.com/panddbasketball and the league is starting to have a great relationship with the Plymouth Raiders having our playoff final before a bbl game next month too |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2017 19:33:53 GMT
Exeter and District League has 3 male divisions and one female division. D1 and D2 have five teams in each. D3 has 6 teams. There is inter-division play and relegation between those divisions. There are 9 teams in the female division. IMO that division could do with being divided, there is a big difference between top and bottom results. Exeter University provide five teams, one in each male division and two in the female division. Exeter Nomads and Torbay Tigers have two teams in the top two male divisions. MarJons and Plymouth Uni contribute teams to the local leagues, the male teams play local league in a central Plymouth league that includes Cornwall and the suburbs of Plymouth. They play all of their games at MarJons, so a lot of travelling for some teams. Exeter Eagles, who play in NBL Div 4 contribute a female team also, but no team in the local league. Most of the players are present in other teams however. The league itself covers quite a large area, from South Molten to Plymouth, Exeter to Weymouth. With regards to the necessity of NBL DIV 4, it would be nice to see basketball be more pyramid like in its structure. Anyone who makes the step in the SW to a better playing system has to travel far...often to Wales and the 'greater south west'...No Gloucester is not in the South West. Exeter Eagles nbl4 folded mate |
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Post by BetaTested on Mar 6, 2017 14:45:35 GMT
Exeter and District League has 3 male divisions and one female division. D1 and D2 have five teams in each. D3 has 6 teams. There is inter-division play and relegation between those divisions. There are 9 teams in the female division. IMO that division could do with being divided, there is a big difference between top and bottom results. Exeter University provide five teams, one in each male division and two in the female division. Exeter Nomads and Torbay Tigers have two teams in the top two male divisions. MarJons and Plymouth Uni contribute teams to the local leagues, the male teams play local league in a central Plymouth league that includes Cornwall and the suburbs of Plymouth. They play all of their games at MarJons, so a lot of travelling for some teams. Exeter Eagles, who play in NBL Div 4 contribute a female team also, but no team in the local league. Most of the players are present in other teams however. The league itself covers quite a large area, from South Molten to Plymouth, Exeter to Weymouth. With regards to the necessity of NBL DIV 4, it would be nice to see basketball be more pyramid like in its structure. Anyone who makes the step in the SW to a better playing system has to travel far...often to Wales and the 'greater south west'...No Gloucester is not in the South West. Exeter Eagles nbl4 folded mate Ah really, when did that happen? I've not spoken to anyone down there since Christmas! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2017 23:32:28 GMT
Exeter Eagles nbl4 folded mate Ah really, when did that happen? I've not spoken to anyone down there since Christmas! Not sure when but it didn't end well. Club pulled even though the players wanted to pay all fees and had a replacement coach. Pretty messy really |
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Post by MacSporran on Mar 9, 2017 12:46:00 GMT
Strathclyde Local League (in Scotland) seems to be flourishing
4 Senior Mens leagues - 1 Senior Womens league - 1 under 18's Mens League - 1 Under 16 Mens league - 1 U 16 Ladies team and an U 14 Mens League.
Senior Mens Division 1 - 6 teams
Senior Mens Division 2 - 7 teams
Senior Mens Division 3 - 9 teams
Senior mens Division 4 - 7 teams
Senior Womens League - 7 teams
U18's Mens league - 5 teams
U16 's Mens league - 6 teams
U16's Ladies League - 4 teams
U14's Mens league - 7 teams
Of course many clubs field multiple teams e.g. In Renfrew Rocks we have a Senior Division 2/Senior Division 3/ Senior Womens/ U18's mens and an U16 mens team.
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Post by Dave f on Mar 10, 2017 11:19:11 GMT
Tyneside
The Tyne Metropolitan League has 3 divisions with over 30 teams in total.
On the junior side the eagles community Foundation Central venue League has weekly games at U12,14,16, and 18. each league has more than 10 teams in (from memory it is 43 or 44 in total) : we are working at intriducing a rookie league at U10 level in the near future.
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intertatters
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Post by intertatters on Mar 10, 2017 11:33:36 GMT
Sheffield Basketball League (although it covers South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and as far as Worksop and Retford) has 4 Divisions and 30 teams. 6 clubs have 2 teams, but none more than that. It is still run as a "Central Venue" league. It used to be run out of Hillsborough Leisure Centre when I played, but it's now been moved to the EIS and All Saints school by the looks. www.sheffieldbasketball.co.uk |
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Post by GroundCrew on Mar 10, 2017 13:44:40 GMT
WEBBA (West of England - mainly Bristol, but up to Gloucester, Swindon, Warminster, Weston, Cardiff!) currently has 3 men's divisions, 9,8,8 and 1 women's with 9. Some development going on to harness the junior programmes of Bristol Flyers and Bristol Storm, along with women's development headed up by Flyers Women, as well as some effort to pull in 'returnees'. Div 1 is a reasonable standard with ex Flyers (EBL & BBL) along with ex pros from Lithuania and Poland. www.webba-basketball.org.uk |
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Post by BetaTested on Mar 12, 2017 19:04:34 GMT
Strathclyde Local League (in Scotland) seems to be flourishing 4 Senior Mens leagues - 1 Senior Womens league - 1 under 18's Mens League - 1 Under 16 Mens league - 1 U 16 Ladies team and an U 14 Mens League. Senior Mens Division 1 - 6 teams Senior Mens Division 2 - 7 teams Senior Mens Division 3 - 9 teams Senior mens Division 4 - 7 teams Senior Womens League - 7 teams U18's Mens league - 5 teams U16 's Mens league - 6 teams U16's Ladies League - 4 teams U14's Mens league - 7 teams Of course many clubs field multiple teams e.g. In Renfrew Rocks we have a Senior Division 2/Senior Division 3/ Senior Womens/ U18's mens and an U16 mens team. What Devon / Cornwall needs is a good youth league. A lot of good young athletes want to play but can't unless they are good enough to play up. Often they aren't so they just stick to the Rugby. |
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Post by BetaTested on Mar 12, 2017 19:05:35 GMT
Ah really, when did that happen? I've not spoken to anyone down there since Christmas! Not sure when but it didn't end well. Club pulled even though the players wanted to pay all fees and had a replacement coach. Pretty messy really That's a shame, hopefully Broadclyst can fill me in over the Summer. |
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Post by number23 on Mar 19, 2017 23:01:42 GMT
Herts League has 2 divisions, 18 clubs - also crosses the border into Beds and Essex, has included Cambs in the part. There's a separate Cambridge League which seems to have taken the Cambridgeshire clubs (and some from Beds/Suffolk). Not sure if they're a new organisation or if they're just gathering more of the local clubs, but they're currently made up of 12 teams split over two divisions.
How do playoffs work at the county/regional league level? Do the top teams in each league just play each other like in the BBL/NBL1, or do the top teams from each county take on the best teams in the neighbouring leagues? (For example, do the top teams from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex & Cambridge have a playoff to find an 'East Anglia Champion'?)
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Post by connors on Mar 20, 2017 12:13:30 GMT
The Durham league crowns it divisional winners with no play offs again say the Tyne Met league to see who the NOrth East Champs are. Would be a great idea though. Not sure how much cooperation there is amongst local leagues though...probably a bit of competition for clubs loyalties who are on the border!
We also have an "open cup" where mainly teams from Div 1 thrash D2/D3 teams (if the D3 teams don't bottle it and give walkovers) in the first few rounds before two Div 1 teams contest the final. In addition there is a Div 1,2,3 Cup and Ladies Cup and the finals of these are all played back to back at Sunderland Uni on a finals day that is very popular. Realistically though you only need to win 2-3 games.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2017 12:32:45 GMT
Herts League has 2 divisions, 18 clubs - also crosses the border into Beds and Essex, has included Cambs in the part. There's a separate Cambridge League which seems to have taken the Cambridgeshire clubs (and some from Beds/Suffolk). Not sure if they're a new organisation or if they're just gathering more of the local clubs, but they're currently made up of 12 teams split over two divisions.
How do playoffs work at the county/regional league level? Do the top teams in each league just play each other like in the BBL/NBL1, or do the top teams from each county take on the best teams in the neighbouring leagues? (For example, do the top teams from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex & Cambridge have a playoff to find an 'East Anglia Champion'?)
AFAIK there's no cross-league play-offs. I think there are (or has been) clubs who run teams in more than one league |
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