Please click on the questions below to find answers to the most common CBL queries. However if you don't find an answer to your specific question, remember you can always CONTACT US directly for further help and information.
If you are a player without a team to play for in the CBL, your first step in joining the league is to fill out the CBL New Player Sign Up form. Once completed, a member of staff from the league will be in touch to advise you of next steps.
The league (and teams in it) are always looking for new players. We aim to accommodate all players interested in playing in the league, however are also limited each season by the number of teams in the league. If there are no available playing spots left in any season, please be patient, as the CBL expands every year with more teams and additional playing spots.
Complete online team registration. Registrations for the new season are live in March 2020, while the closing date for applications for the 2020/21 season is 30th June 2020. Please be advised that the league runs a ‘first come, first served’ policy and are limited in the overall number of teams we can accommodate - so interested teams are encouraged to register early to avoid disappointment. The league also reserves the right to close applications earlier than 30th June if all team places are filled. Any applications received after the application window is closed will be put on our waiting list.
Please follow the following link to complete your form online: Team Application Form.
The CBL provides competitions across the following formats:
CBL Regular Season & Playoffs - All teams are entered into this competition, which is split into age, gender and ability divisions. Teams play a minimum of 7 regular season games, vying for positioning in the regular season tables. This is then followed by a 'knockout' single-elimination playoff tournament, where the finalists will play a further 3 games on a total 10-game season.
CBL London Cup - Teams compete within their age and gender groups and are split into pools, where they play 3 games each, with the top team from each pool advancing to the semi-finals, and then if successful, the cup finals. Finalists in each division will play 5 games within the current format - providing a potential15 game season for those who are successful in both playoffs and cup competitions.
CBL All-Star Game - Top players from each division are selected to play in a CBL 'All-Star' game for their respective division, which showcases the top players in the league each year. The CBL All-Star Games take place during a standalone special event on CBL All-Star Saturday event and feature games and entertainment for spectators to come and enjoy.
Teams participating in the CBL for the 2020/21 season play a MINIMUM of 12 games and a maximum of 18 games per team entry, depending on how well a team does in the playoffs and cup.
Full Entry fee for 2020/21 season is £500 for new teams. Returning teams will receive a 10% CBL returning team discount on entry, providing they sign up and pay in full before the deadline.
The CBL season traditionally starts in October and culminates with the playoff finals at the end of May/beginning of June. The league reserves the right to slightly amend these dates if necessary.
The CBL hosts divisions across the following divisions for the 2019/20 season:
- U12: 12 & Under (Must be aged 12 or under on 1st September 2019)
- U14: 14 & Under (Must be aged 14 or under on 1st September 2019)
- U16: 16 & Under (Must be aged 16 or under on 1st September 2019)
- U18: 18 & Under (Must be aged 18 or under on 1st September 2019)
- Senior Men: Open age division for adult men
Yes. The CBL run 2 divisions at each age category. Within division 1, teams can play as many National League players as they like. Division 2 teams have a limit of 2 National League players on a team at one time.
The CBL runs to a 'central venue league' format which pools resources by all teams in the league sharing the same 'home' court and same pool of officials and administrators throughout the league. This allows teams to participate and compete in a quality driven competition, without the heavy financial overheads of National League competitions.
For example, in regular/National League competitions, teams have to budget for officials and court hire and administration every single game, often running costs into several thousand pounds (£) per season. The CBL provides a more accessible solution by covering all of these costs in a one time registration fee which covers teams for up to 11- 15 games per season.
'CBL Sundays' feature multiple games in the same venue and normally require venues with a minimum of 2 courts to schedule the games on. Wherever possible, we schedule the games in centrally accessible locations.
CBL venues being utilised this season include:
- City Sport, 124 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7DP
- Brixton Recreation Centre, 28 Station Road, London SW9 8QQ
- Burlington Danes Academy, Wood Ln, London W12 0HR
- Ark Elvin Academy, Cecil Avenue, Wembley HA9 7DU
The full set of rules for playing in the CBL for all teams can be found here: CBL RULES
Yes. The CBL places the highest premium on the safety and well-being of all young people in our league. Please take a moment to read through the following CBL Policies and Guidelines:
