No NBL this season

Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA) president Dr Mark Broomfield says the nation's premier basketball competition, the National Basketball League (NBL), will not return this year.

The NBL was last contested in 2013. However, administration problems left the association without a president for almost two years, plus the league's three-year contract with Flow expired that same year, leaving the competition without a sponsor.

"We have approached some companies and the consensus is that the sponsors would consider next year, not this year because budgets would have already been cast," Broomfield told The Gleaner.

"But we have been speaking to sponsors and there are some interest but it's just that we will have to wait (another year)," he told The Gleaner.

Rebuild JABA brand

"We would love to have a sponsor (for this year), but we understand the market space and everyone wants to be in football and track and field. But basketball provides one of the largest mediums and sends away a host of players on scholarship each year," he pointed out.

"We are confident that we are going to rebuild the (JABA) brand. The process has started and when the brand is seen, corporate Jamaica will come on board."

With more than a year of inactivity, players are currently getting restless and clubs are desperate for action. So although there will be no official tournament, Broomfield revealed that a makeshift competition will be staged just to keep teams occupied.

"Our (NBL) players are a little impatient right now because they haven't played for a while. The conferences have been doing some things to keep players active, but this year we want to have a smaller version of the NBL like a confed league, so that the NBL teams can be engaged. We are seeking to run a confederation cup - it will not be as long, but this will keep them active.

"We are looking at (starting) August and we're trying to get some funds to run that and we hope this will keep them active until we get our sponsors to come on board in a big way next year," he stated.

"The NBL is our face. The NBL and the youth development programmes are what drive Jamaica's basketball, so we understand its importance. But we want the sponsors to see the value in our local product and come on board and help us.

"We are confident that we will get sponsors on board, so yes I will say that (the NBL will be played next season)," he added.