Basketball Flyers thrilled to be joining European league next season
BRISTOL Flyers will become the first British team to compete in the European North Basketball League (ENBL) next season.
Founded in 2021, the ENBL was established for professional clubs in northern, central and eastern Europe who aspire to compete internationally at the highest level.
Now one of the fastest growing basketball leagues in Europe, the Flyers will fly the British Basketball League flag in the ENBL alongside teams from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Israel and Ukraine.
The addition of the Flyers will take the ENBL to 16 teams for the 2023-24 campaign - with clubs drawn into two eight-team groups, competing in seven midweek games during the regular season.
The top four from each group will advance to the ENBL play-offs, before a final four will be held at a central location in April 2024.
Speaking on the club’s new European adventure, Flyers director Jon Lansdown said: “We are really excited to join this competition. Participating in the ENBL brings to life our European ambitions and offers us a platform to continue to grow and build further momentum for the Flyers.
“It will be fantastic to introduce European basketball to Bristol and we look forward to what the competition will bring, not just for the club but our fans and the city too.”
Andreas Kapoulas, Bristol Flyers head coach added: “This is an exciting opportunity to experience European competition and understand what it takes to compete at this level, both on and off the court.
“As a club we are on an incredible journey over the last 18 years and with our new venue on the horizon, we want to continue our progress by taking the next steps in the development of our programme.”
The Bristol Flyers, were established in 2005, securing promotion to Basketball England’s NBL Division One in 2007, becoming National Cup champions in 2010 and being crowned as Division One champions in 2011.
In 2014, the club secured financial backing from Bristol Sport Ltd to enter the top-flight British Basketball League and have climbed through the ranks during their nine-year spell in the league reaching the BBL Cup final in 2020 and securing their highest league finish of third during this season.
Speaking on the addition of Bristol Flyers, Edgars Zanders, secretary general of the European North Basketball League said: “The ENBL has been working hard since day one to have team from the UK join our ENBL family and Bristol Flyers have proven their professionalism, both on and off the court.
“This season has been another record-breaking year for the Flyers, having secured the most singleseason wins in program history and a third-place finish in the British Basketball League, and the home arena is always full of fans.
“The ENBL are certain the Flyers will add great value to the European North Basketball League.”
❝ It will be fantastic to introduce European basketball to Bristol