In the lead-up to the grand finale of the CBL season, we had the opportunity of catching up with the league’s well-versed Commissioner, Nhamo Shire. He took a moment to reminisce about the season’s success stories and challenges, offering an insightful glimpse into the upcoming season and the potential transformations in store.
Q: With another season ‘in the books’ how would you say this past season has gone?
Nhamo Shire: It’s certainly been an exciting journey filled with unique challenges and rewarding moments. One of the primary issues we’ve grappled with in London is the accessibility of facilities. The sudden retraction of a new facility during the season brought unexpected pressure to our team, but we pulled through. Seeing the joy and enthusiasm in the young players participating in the CBL has been a testament to the collective resilience of our small but skilled team.
Q: You touched on the issues around facility accessibility. How can these be improved?
Nhamo Shire: The problem isn’t the lack of basketball courts across London; it’s the accessibility. Given the financial strains many educational and local authorities are under, it’s challenging for community basketball to compete with more lucrative bookings. However, the value of our league and its contribution to society can’t be measured monetarily. Until our game’s worth is re-evaluated, we’ll continue to face challenges in this area.
Q: The increase in team entry registration for the new season, does this reflect the cost of facilities?
Nhamo Shire: Not necessarily. The pricing for teams remains constant per game. Our pricing formula covers the cost of facilities, referees, and officials. Any other costs are usually offset through sponsorships. With more teams joining, we’re seeing an increase in the number of games played, which contributes to this surge in demand.
Q: Can you share more about the increase in games for next season?
Nhamo Shire: For the 2023-2024 season we’re moving all teams up to a 15 game regular season, apart from the U10’s, as there has been a major increase in team applications this year, which means we will have more teams in each division. More people are playing basketball across London than ever before. We see it in our league, our clubs and the massive increase in applications from players and teams to join the league and so we continue to play our role in providing the opportunity and encouraging players at all levels to get involved and join a team in the CBL so they can enjoy the game at a deeper level against comparable competition. Practice is great, but nothing beats actually playing in games and we want to make sure the CBL continues to provide an ever-improving platform for players to enjoy. Increasing the number of games for each team, achieves that.
Q: Are there any other changes teams should expect for the upcoming season?
Nhamo Shire: Yes, a couple. We’re planning to eliminate National League players in Division 2 completely, to ensure that every player has a positive and inspiring experience. There needs to be a platform where new and early stage players can play organised games against comparable competition. Nobody wants to see unfair talent mismatches and blow outs, so our new ‘D League’ (which is the name we’re aligning all Division teams to) will solve that. We’re also working on an enhanced platform for Division 1 teams, which will help improve performance, increase their profile, and boost their social media presence. While I can’t share specifics just yet, I can promise that it’s an exciting time to be part of the CBL and it’s only going to get better.
Q: How can people stay updated on CBL news and how they can join?
Nhamo Shire: The website remains the best source of all things CBL, from news and updates to sign-up forms for new teams and players. We’ll also be revamping our social media platforms, including the launch of a CBL TikTok channel. We invite all basketball enthusiasts, players, coaches, parents, volunteers, and supporters to join us and contribute to the grassroots basketball movement. Welcome to the CBL, where the vibes are always right!
This interview was conducted, recorded and transcribed by Micah Adams, a journalism intern. If you’re interested in volunteering, interning or getting work experience with the CBL, please get in touch: CONTACT US
