Competition Law’s Newest Frontier in British Basketball: Analysing the Dispute with Super League Basketball
Basketball is the newest frontier for big-ticket competition litigation in the sports sector. A claim was filed before the UK High Court on 23 June 2025 by Super League Basketball (SLB) against the British Basketball Federation (the governing body for basketball in Great Britain) and GBB League alleging an abuse of dominant position. This legal action has followed months of contention between Super League Basketball and its governing body.
SLB’s primary legal position is that the British Basketball Federation engaged in at least six forms of anti-competitive behaviour.[1] Specifically, it is alleged that the British Basketball Federation has:
- Held an unlawful tender process for the men’s professional basketball league;
- Following that tender process, entered into an illegal “exclusive” license with GBB League to run the UK men’s professional basketball league from the 2026/27 season;
- Delayed recognising SLB as a competitor basketball league when it withdrew from the tender process and sought recognition;
- Offered a one-year license to recognise SLB as a competitor basketball league with onerous and illegal conditions including that SLB had to waive its legal rights;
- Prevented SLB from obtaining Governing Body Endorsements (GBEs) which allow international players and coaches to work in the UK; and
- Prevented SLB’s member clubs from competing in European competitions.
This article examines the background behind the dispute, analyses the key legal arguments, assesses the strength of each party's position and explores what this case means for the future of sports governance in the UK.
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- Tags: Breakaway Leagues | British Basketball Federation (BBF) | Competition | Competition Act 1998 | Competition Law | Dispute Resolution | FIBA | Governing Body Endorsements (GBE) | Regulation | United Kingdom (UK)
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Written by
Samuel Cuthbert
Samuel is a Barrister practising from chambers at 4 New Square Chambers. Samuel is described by Legal 500 as “a real star of the future” in sports law. Samuel regularly acts on behalf of athletes, clubs, and national governing bodies. Samuel is instructed in CAS proceedings, rule K arbitrations, and sporting appeals. Notably Samuel has appeared in front of FA Appeal Boards, and FIBA Appeal Boards. He is currently instructed in several ongoing anti-doping prosecutions, financial regulatory disputes, and a number of high-profile safeguarding matters before arbitral panels and in the High Court. Samuel recently acted in High Court proceedings following the transfer of Emiliano Sala, and was also counsel for the National League in Southend FC’s appeal against the imposition of a £1m bond. Samuel is currently representing an international football player in relation to betting charges. Samuel’s commercial and sports practices frequently overlap and he is often instructed to advise sports clients, including both clubs and players in the premier league, in relation to commercial disputes.
His practice encompasses sports regulation, betting, safeguarding, disciplinary cases, anti-doping cases, and commercial sports matters. Samuel regularly appears in CAS proceedings, rule K arbitrations, and sporting appeals. Samuel is also instructed in sports related inquests, and is also experienced in litigating head injuries in sport. Samuel is currently instructed in High Court proceedings on behalf of a major football club in a multi million pound dispute with its key sponsor, and has previously acted in arbitrations born out of similar facts. He recently appeared before the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Appeal Board in a matter for which the underlying claim was worth £5,000,000.
Kelly Yu
Kelly Yu is barrister at 4 New Square Chambers. She is a commercial junior with experience across all of Chambers’ practice areas. She has a particular focus on general commercial litigation, construction, intellectual property, sports, professional negligence, and arbitration.
Kelly’s recent highlights include:
- Successfully obtaining US$1.9mil summary judgment against defendants in claims involving foreign exchange transactions and cash shipments to Singapore (led by Tim Chelmick)
- Acting as junior counsel for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Tenant Management Organisation in relation to £350mil recovery actions arising out of the Grenfell Tower fire (led by David Turner, Clare Dixon, Isabel Barter and others)
Kelly also frequently appears as sole counsel in interim hearings and at trial, and has successfully acted in claims for professional negligence, breach of contract, and other claims.
