The men's premier professional league in the UK, the British Basketball League has been at the pinnacle of British hoops since its inception in 1987, and has a colourful history including great teams, dynasties, memorable moments, and unforgettable players and coaches. In the present day there are twelve franchises in major towns and cities across the nation, spanning Plymouth in the south-west all the way up to Glasgow north of the border. BBL clubs are increasingly built on the foundations of strong community programmes, overseen by the Basketball Foundation. The league is a key partner in the development of basketball in Britain, and considers both the national governing body, Basketball England, and the Team GB national programme, run by British Performance Basketball, to be fellow prominent partners in the development of basketball in Britain. The league is owned and run by its member clubs with the board including one director from each club, and is administered by a central office.Franchise development is at the fore of the league’s strategic intentions, in order to bring top-level basketball to as many people as possible.