Professional basketball is set to return to Liverpool after Super League Basketball (SLB) announced the Launch of its landmark 10th franchise, bringing top-flight men’s basketball back to one of Britain’s most iconic sporting cities.
The new club will begin competing in the 2026 and 2027 season, with the M&S Back Arena on Liverpool’s waterfront confirmed as its home venue. The announcement marks the return of professional basketball to the city and represents an ambitious attempt to establish a new sporting institution with long-term economics, community and cultural significance.
The franchise is owned by Kings Dock Sports Group Ltd, a sports holding company founded by media executive and sports investor Jason Dolan. The Organization says its ambition extends beyond establishing a successful tram, with plans to create a club capable of competing at the highest level internationally while becoming a lasting civic institution for Liverpool.
Dolan said Liverpool was the “clear choice” for the project because of its international sporting reputation, world-class venues and passionate supporters.
“We are building for decades – not seasons,” he said. “Our ambition is to build a professional club that Liverpool is proud to call its own.”
He added that the organisation wants the club to reflect the character of the city, inspire young people, attract world-class talent and provide supporters with a memorable experience whenever the team takes to the court at the M&S Bank Arena.
The arrival of the franchise is also expected to strengthen Liverpool’s position as one of the UK’s leading destinations for major sporting and entertainment events. The new team will add another year-round professional sporting organisation to the city and could contribute to the growth of the local visitor economy.
Councillor Graham Morgan, Deputy Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, welcomed the investment, highlighting its potential to create jobs, support tourism and provide new opportunities for young people.
He said the club’s commitment to working with local communities could help create pathways for young people interested in one of the fastest-growing sports in the region.
Liverpool City Council also welcomed the return of a professional team. Councillor Ruth Bennett, Deputy Leader of Liverpool City Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation, said the city had developed a reputation for hosting major sporting events to a world-class standard.
She described the new franchise as the return of something that had been missing from Liverpool for more than a decade: a top-flight professional sports team playing on the waterfront throughout an entire season.
The M&S Bank Arena will play a central role in the project. Faye Dyer, Chief Executive of Liverpool Experience Campus, said hosting the franchise represented another important chapter in Liverpool’s sporting history.
She said the partnership would reinforce the city’s reputation for world-class sport, entertainment and live experiences, while helping to make elite basketball more accessible to local audiences.
The project has also received backing from Liverpool’s business and visitor economy community. Annie Brown, General Manager of The Municipal and Chair of Liverpool’s ABID Board, said sporting events could increase footfall while encouraging visitors to stay longer in the city.
She highlighted the role of Liverpool’s £2 levy in supporting events designed to strengthen the visitor economy, particularly the hotel and accommodation sector. According to Brown, basketball has the potential to develop a passionate local following and become another sport embraced by Liverpool supporters.
In the coming weeks, the organisation is expected to reveal the club’s name, identity, branding, leadership team, coaching staff and inaugural playing roster. A comprehensive community programme is also planned, with a focus on encouraging participation and creating development pathways for talented young players across the Liverpool City Region.
Season-ticket registrations, founding partnerships and further announcements are expected later this summer as preparations accelerate ahead of the club’s inaugural campaign.
For Liverpool, the announcement represents more than the arrival of a new sports team. It signals the beginning of an attempt to build a basketball club rooted in the city and its communities – one intended to compete at the highest level while becoming part of Liverpool’s sporting identity for generations to come.
