Changes to BBL competitions

Jun 13 2008 Chester Chronicle

CHANGES have been made to some of the BBL competitions Jets will be taking part in next season.

Fixtures for the BBL Cup will be drawn all at once according to a matrix-style system, with six teams in each side of the draw. Unlike last season, clubs will now have prior knowledge of who their prospective opponents will be in the next round.

The first round and quarter-finals will be one-off games, with the semi-finals being contested over two legs (home and away). The culmination of the BBL Cup will take place in a one-off game at a central venue in January.

The BBL Trophy will undergo minor changes in the 2008/09 campaign. BBL clubs will be separated into four groups of three teams on a regional basis and will play each other home and away within their group. After each team has played their four group stage games, the top team from each group will progress to the knockout semi-finals, with the two winners going on to contest the final.

The BBL Championship season will begin on Friday, September 26 and the format will remain the same as the 2007/08 campaign.

The Birmingham Panthers have had their franchise withdrawn by the BBL, but the addition of the Worthing Thunder sees the league maintain a 12-club structure.

The full fixture list, BBL Cup draw and BBL Trophy groups are due to be announced early in July.