European basketball is heading to Tyneside after the Seriös Group Newcastle Eagles confirmed ambitious plans to realise a long-held dream.
Homecourt fans are guaranteed at least three midweek fixtures against top class overseas opposition next season with Marc Steutel’s men joining the Bristol Flyers in the European North Basketball League (ENBL).
And an exciting move means the Vertu Motors Arena will welcome competitive European basketball to the region for the first time in 33-years when, as the Sunderland Saints, the franchise faced Greece’s PAOK in the 1990–91 FIBA European Cup Winners’ Cup.
The decision to join the ENBL follows this week’s announcement that the Seriös Group Newcastle Eagles is the new name for professional basketball in the North East.
And owner Paul Blake admitted it’s high time the rebranded and refocused Eagles spread their wings following decades of success on the domestic stage.
“It’s been a long-held ambition of the club to test itself against top European clubs and we feel the time is right to take the next step,” he explained. We have a world class basketball arena and a head coach who’s proved himself on the international stage with Great Britain.
“Hosting leading European clubs has become a regular feature of our pre-season programmes and the feedback we get from the visiting teams is always 100 per cent positive. Everything points towards playing competitive basketball against overseas opposition.
“Joining the ENBL is an excellent opportunity to enhance our reputation on the global stage and to take Newcastle Eagles to the next level.”
Founded in 2021, the ENBL is one of the fastest growing basketball leagues in Europe. Newcastle and Bristol could compete against clubs from Holland, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Israel and Ukraine.
The top four teams from two groups will advance to the ENBL playoffs, before a final four held at a central location in April 2024.
“We’ve come off the back of one of our best supported seasons ever and I’m convinced our fans will get behind the club’s inaugural ENBL campaign,” said head coach Steutel.
“It’s a really exciting move for everyone involved with the club — from players to coaches and staff to volunteers.
“I’m hoping this will be an opportunity to celebrate everything that’s positive about the Eagles organisation and reward the people who’ve put so much into the franchise for so many years.
“We’re very proud to be joining Bristol in the ENBL. When we looked into the league and the calibre of the opposition it just seemed like the perfect move.
Romania’s CSO Voluntari, who beat Leicester Riders in last season’s Basketball Champions League qualifiers, have been added to this season’s ENBL competition.
The 2021 Romanian Cup winners join Bristol and Holland’s Landstede Hammers in the first raft of clubs confirmed to take part. The draw for the 2023-24 ENBL campaign takes place mid-August with ticket details and fixtures to follow.
With the countdown to the new season continuing, you can still get your British Basketball fix by following the League on social media or heading to our YouTube channel to relive all of the best moments from last year!
