Basketball England has received a request from the British Basketball Federation (BBF) for assistance in funding the Great Britain national teams.
The BBF require £250,000 a year to operate the GB senior men’s and women’s teams and the male and female age-group teams at under-20, under-18 and under-16 levels.
The Basketball England AGM, held at the University of Essex on September 27, heard an appeal from the BBF that BE members be asked for a financial contribution of £8 per senior member and £4 per junior member to support the operational costs of the GB teams.
The meeting heard a passionate address from GB women’s head coach Chema Buceta (see below) about the need for unity and cooperation to help basketball grow across the country, highlighting senior players’ status as role models for the wider game.
A financial request has been made to the members of the other Home Country Associations, Basketball Wales and Basketball Scotland.
The meeting heard comments from the floor in unanimous support of the proposal and received an assurance from BE board member Russell Bell that supplementary funds raised from the membership would be ring-fenced for operational basketball needs of the GB teams.
Other avenues to support the GB teams, such as public funding and private sponsorship, are being explored.
Basketball England will enter a consultation period with members until October 31 to gauge support for the proposal of a supplementary fee, additional to the membership fee, to be provided to support the national teams until the BBF can secure alternative funding.
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