University Basketball League Australia Explained

University Basketball League Australia
Sport:Basketball
Founded:2019
Ceo:Mark Sinderberry
Inaugural:2021
Teams:14
Country:Australia
Continent:FIBA Oceania (Oceania)
Sponsor:New Balance
Website:UniSport.com.au

The University Basketball League Australia (UBL) is a basketball league in Australia run by UniSport. The UBL is the only national university league for any sport in Australia[1] and is the only student-based basketball competition that is supported by Basketball Australia.[2]

Fourteen universities from six states participate in the competition in both men's and women's divisions. The league's inaugural season took place in 2021.

History

In September 2018, the National Basketball League (NBL) announced a partnership with UniSport Australia to develop a men's and women's national university league.[3] [4] [5] Twelve months later, UniSport announced that the inaugural University Basketball League season would commence in 2020.[6] The league was endorsed by Basketball Australia. Eight universities were set to compete in the new student-only league,[7] [8] but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was cancelled.[9]

The UBL launched in 2021 with seven universities[10] [11] and a four-month schedule,[12] but was forced to cancel its finals due to COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns.[13] The league grew by four universities in 2022, with two more joining in 2023 and one more joining for 2024.[14]

Universities

As of December 2023, the UBL is affiliated with fourteen universities across six states, with all universities having men's and women's teams.

UniversityCityStateJoined UBLChampionships
Australian Catholic UniversityMelbourne Victoria20230
Curtin UniversityPerth Western Australia20220
Federation University AustraliaBallarat Victoria20220
La Trobe UniversityMelbourne Victoria2021W: 2 (2022, 2023)
M: 1 (2024)
RMIT UniversityMelbourne Victoria20220
University of AdelaideAdelaide South Australia20220
University of MelbourneMelbourne Victoria2021W: 0
M: 1 (2023)
University of New South WalesSydney New South Wales20240
University of SydneySydney New South Wales2021W: 1 (2024)
M: 1 (2022)
University of Tasmania[15] [16] Hobart/Launceston Tasmania20230
University of Technology SydneySydney New South Wales20210
University of the Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Queensland20210
University of Western AustraliaPerth Western Australia20210
Victoria UniversityMelbourne Victoria20210
Sources:[17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Sponsorship

Naming rights

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ACU Joins the University Basketball League. Australian Catholic University. 7 March 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208112434/https://acusport.acu.edu.au/acu-active/news/acu-is-set-to-enter-the-university-basketball-league. 8 December 2023.
  2. Web site: Prentice. Tristan. Finding balance: On the UBL's growth and how it's facilitating player and coaching development opportunities. PickAndRoll.com.au. 22 May 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208093018/https://pickandroll.com.au/p/how-the-ubl-is-providing-talented. 8 December 2023.
  3. Web site: Uluc. Olgun. NBL partners with UniSport to establish University Basketball League. Fox Sports. 27 September 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208093712/https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nbl-partners-with-unisport-to-establish-university-basketball-league/news-story/844745503880b5b12fd56517af081f44. 8 December 2023.
  4. Web site: University Basketball League First for Australian Sport. NBL.com.au. 27 September 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208094207/https://nbl.com.au/news/university-basketball-league-first-for-australian-sport. 8 December 2023.
  5. Web site: Rowbottom. Mike. UniSport Australia partner with National Basketball to develop new league system. Inside the Games. 28 September 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208183908/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1070449/unisport-australia-partner-with-national-basketball-to-develop-new-league-system. 8 December 2023.
  6. Web site: O'Kane. Patrick. University Basketball League plans announced by UniSport Australia. Inside the Games. 6 September 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208142354/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1084400/australian-university-basketball-league. 8 December 2023.
  7. Web site: Melbourne one of Eight Universities in New University Basketball League. University of Melbourne. 19 December 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208095632/https://sport.unimelb.edu.au/news/melbourne-one-of-eight-universities-in-new-university-basketball-league. 8 December 2023.
  8. Web site: Gillen. Nancy. Inaugural University Basketball League to begin in Australia next year. Inside the Games. 21 December 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208141822/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1088419/inaugural-university-basketball-league. 8 December 2023.
  9. Web site: Coaches looking forward to UBL tip-off. University of Melbourne. 21 February 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208100555/https://sport.unimelb.edu.au/news/coaches-looking-forward-to-ubl-tip-off. 8 December 2023.
  10. Web site: 2021 UBL Founding Universities Announced!. UniSport. 23 March 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208151352/https://www.unisport.com.au/post/2021-ubl-founding-universities-announced. 8 December 2023.
  11. Web site: Morgan. Liam. UniSport Australia unveils founding teams for inaugural University Basketball League. Inside the Games. 29 March 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208142355/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1106043/unisport-australia-basketball-league. 8 December 2023.
  12. Web site: Prentice. Tristan. Developing league of its own – UBL aims eventually to emulate college basketball. PickAndRoll.com.au. 7 April 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208103550/https://pickandroll.com.au/p/developing-league-of-its-own-ubl. 8 December 2023.
  13. Web site: The 2021 UBL season wraps up following the cancellation of finals. UniSport. 7 September 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208141821/https://www.unisport.com.au/post/the-2021-ubl-season-wraps-up-following-the-cancellation-of-finals. 8 December 2023.
  14. Web site: New university announced to join the 2024 University Basketball League Australia. UniSport. 4 December 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208141212/https://www.unisport.com.au/post/new-university-announced-to-join-the-2024-university-basketball-league-australia. 8 December 2023.
  15. Web site: University enters intervarsity competition for the first time. TasmanianBrowser.com.au. 10 December 2022. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20221210090933/https://tasmanianbrowser.com.au/university-enters-intervarsity-competition-forthe-first-time/. 10 December 2022. 8 December 2023.
  16. Web site: Lawler. Jarrod. Tassie students ready to ball out against the nation's best in UTas first. The Mercury. 10 March 2023. dead. https://archive.today/20231208113423/https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/tassie-students-ready-to-ball-out-against-the-nations-best-in-utas-first/news-story/c5f93f274e09e3c8170a6aea9b57f01f?amp&nk=760c8fce6887ff0a62637079adddba2f-1702035270. 8 December 2023.
  17. Web site: 2021 UBL Results. UniSport. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208195302/https://www.unisport.com.au/_files/ugd/8e3023_58722a2dd918484d886e9858d674ceaf.pdf. 8 December 2023.
  18. Web site: 2022 UBL Results. UniSport. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208200319/https://www.unisport.com.au/_files/ugd/8e3023_e403140ef2cd49abb6bd64a46ff2a7e1.pdf. 8 December 2023.
  19. Web site: 2023 UBL Results. UniSport. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208195301/https://www.unisport.com.au/_files/ugd/8e3023_7c02b782fa5649bdbc83665a92386504.pdf. 8 December 2023.
  20. Web site: Big upsets end the 2023 UBL season with Victorian universities taking home both champion trophies. UniSport. 1 June 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231208160913/https://www.unisport.com.au/post/big-upsets-end-the-2023-ubl-season-with-victorian-universities-taking-home-both-champion-trophies. 8 December 2023.
  21. Web site: HISTORY MADE IN 2024 NEW BALANCE UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL SEASON. UniSport. 5 June 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240607032031/https://www.unisport.com.au/post/history-made-in-2024-new-balance-university-basketball-season. 7 June 2024.
  22. Web site: UBL secures naming rights partnership with New Balance and signs Nagravision's Sporfie as a new broadcast partner. UniSport. 15 March 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240315095619/https://www.unisport.com.au/post/ubl-secures-naming-rights-partnership-with-new-balance-and-signs-nagravision-s-sporfie-as-a-new-broa. 15 March 2024.