With the BAL's fifth season looming, structural changes signal a shift towards an NBA-style franchise model. As automatic qualifications expand and new host nations emerge, what do these updates mean for African basketball’s future and its growing legacy?
Last Updated on
November 18, 2024
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) is gearing up for its historic fifth season in 2025. That said, the league's front office, headed up by BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall, has implemented several changes to the format, some of which have affected the number of clubs that could qualify via the Road to BAL tournament.
After the successful 2024 Kalahari Conference in South Africa, the league has decided to make it a permanent fixture. This time, however, the SunBet Arena in Pretoria will host the playoffs, while the BK Arena in Kigali will host the Kalahari Conference. Additionally, Morocco will replace Egypt as the host of the Nile Conference.
This means that the domestic league champions of South Africa and Morocco will automatically qualify for the BAL. As a result, there will now be eight countries with automatic qualifications, up from six. Consequently, only four teams, rather than six, will qualify from the East and West Divisions of the Elite 16 tournament. There have been calls to expand the number of teams in the BAL. Still, BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall stated that while expansion is the intention, several conditions must first be met.
These include the development of infrastructure across the continent and the establishment of longer, self-sustaining leagues similar to those in North Africa and Angola. We have already seen progress in this regard, with Rwanda leading the way by building more facilities and running a competitive, well-organised league. Many other countries have since followed suit, which is undoubtedly something the BAL is closely monitoring.
Some pundits have proposed a North American-style closed league system, similar to the NBA or Euroleague. This would involve a fixed set of teams which may signal the end of the Road to BAL tournament. Naturally, this approach has both advantages and disadvantages. Among the key benefits is that it would provide greater longevity than the current format, involve extensive travel, and serve as a platform for teams to secure sponsorships and become financially self-sufficient.
This could be the beginning of something new on the continent and change the financial landscape for athletes and stakeholders. Sports has the ability to change not only the lives of the athletes and coaches but also all those involved in merchandise reselling, catering, cleaning, security, TV rights and the like. This vision is getting closer to becoming a reality, although many steps still need to be taken to ensure that it will be sustainable and bring about its intended change on the continent.
There are cons to this proposal, too. The biggest questions are: what metrics will determine which countries get franchises and which do not? How many franchises will there be? Can there be more than one franchise per country? Can teams be promoted to the new league, and how will they do so?
Furthermore, a fundamental question challenges the very essence of the BAL: if this league was meant to showcase the talent, culture, and history of the continent, which are interwoven into the fabric of African basketball, does such a (proposed new) format (involving a closed league) not risk excluding numerous countries, thus undermining the very progress the BAL has made?
Depending on one's perspective, there is also the potential threat—or opportunity—of a new league emerging to cater to the countries and franchises excluded from the BAL. This could further exacerbate fragmentation on a continent working tirelessly to streamline basketball and compete with football.
These are undoubtedly challenging circumstances, but the certainty remains that the BAL boasts a capable team that will guide the league in a direction that fosters the growth of the sport for the betterment of Africa and its future generations. With the league only four years in, the high expectations it faces are a direct result of its success, impact, and delivery across Africa and beyond.
[Photography / Imagery Courtesy of The BAL, The Times and The Big TipOff]
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