The Basketball League

What The Basketball League does

The Basketball League (TBL) is a privately held professional men's basketball league founded in 2018 by David Magley (President) and Evelyn Magley (CEO) through the acquisition of the North American Premier Basketball (NAPB) league and its 12 existing markets. TBL operates a franchise model in which Team Market Owners (TMOs) purchase rights to operate individual teams in their local markets, with the league targeting 88 teams across North America by 2025 and currently fielding 49 teams across four geographic conferences (East, Midwest, Central, West) in the U.S. and Canada. The league fills a structural gap in mid-sized markets underserved by NBA or G League franchises, providing professional basketball with player salaries on a sliding scale from $1,500 to $7,500 per month.

TBL's core product is live professional basketball entertainment distributed through in-venue ticket sales, team merchandise (Corner Store, TBLStore), and a centralized OTT streaming platform called TBLTV powered by PANDA Interactive and reaching 145 countries. The technology stack layers Geniussports for live statistics and box scores with the newly integrated Preciser Statzone platform (2026) for AI-driven video analytics, predictive performance insights, and fan-engagement workflows. League operations are unified through the BioSteel Teams App (2026), while adjacent platform components include VOZZI for SMS fan marketing, DASH Auction for team memorabilia, and Ligalytics for league scheduling.

TBL generates revenue from multiple streams: recurring franchise/team market ownership fees paid by TMOs, league-wide corporate sponsorships (BioSteel as Official Hydration Partner, BSN SPORTS as exclusive apparel supplier, HotelPlanner as Official Travel Partner, Preciser as AI Analytics Partner, Opal Apples as JrTBL Official Apple Partner, 7NRG as CBD Nutrition Partner), broadcasting and streaming rights, and franchise-level ticket sales, concessions, and merchandise. Beyond core basketball, the league operates Junior TBL (JrTBL), a free youth development sub-brand for ages 8-17 focused on leadership and community engagement, and runs structured community programs including financial literacy education with the National Financial Educators Council, chaplain services, and daytime school games. Evelyn Magley's status as the first African-American woman to own a men's professional sports league in the U.S. is a defining brand and media differentiator for the league.

Name

The Basketball League

Legal name

The Basketball League

Website

https://thebasketballleague.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Basketball League (TBL) is a privately held, North American professional men's basketball league operating 49 franchise teams across the U.S. and Canada, serving Team Market Owners, professional players, local communities, and corporate sponsors through live games, TBLTV streaming, and the JrTBL youth program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports League

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Basketball Leagues (MPAKAAAD)

Keywords

• Professional basketball league
• Sports franchise ownership
• Live sports streaming
• Youth basketball development
• Corporate sports sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Team Franchise & Ownership Fees: TBL sells team market/franchise rights to local entrepreneurs and ownership groups. Each Team Market Owner (TMO) pays to join the league and operates their local franchise. The league targets local business owners with a relatively low barrier to entry compared to major league sports franchises.
2. League-Wide Corporate Sponsorships: TBL sells sponsorship packages to national/corporate partners at the league level. Examples include BioSteel (Official Hydration Partner), HotelPlanner (Official Travel Partner), Preciser (AI Analytics Partner), Opal Apples (JrTBL Official Apple Partner), BSN SPORTS (Apparel & Equipment Supplier), and 7NRG (CBD Nutrition Supplier). Sponsorship activation spans across all teams and digital channels.
3. Ticket Sales & Game-Day Revenue: Individual teams generate revenue from ticket sales at home games. TBL emphasizes affordable, high-quality family entertainment. Teams also sell concessions and merchandise at games. Daytime games for school-aged students are sponsored by local businesses.
4. Broadcasting & Streaming Rights: All TBL regular season and postseason games are streamed via TBLTV (PANDA Interactive-powered OTT platform) and SportsCastr. Streaming deals provide broadcast revenue and expand geographic reach to 145 countries.
5. Player Salaries (Cost Structure): Players are paid on a sliding scale from $1,500 to $7,500 per month. This represents a cost to the league/franchises but also serves as a value proposition for attracting talent. The league provides a pathway for players to make a living playing professional basketball in the U.S.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Basketball League (TBL) operates a professional basketball league spanning 49 teams across the United States and Canada, organized into four conferences (East, Midwest, Central, West). It sells team market franchises to local entrepreneurs, league-wide and team-level corporate sponsorships, in-person ticket sales, live streaming via TBLTV, branded merchandise, and operates JrTBL, a free youth basketball development program for ages 8-17. Players are paid on a sliding scale from $1,500 to $7,500 per month, and games are broadcast to 145 countries via OTT streaming.

Product overview

The Basketball League (TBL) operates as a professional basketball league with a multi-product portfolio centered on live sports entertainment, digital streaming, and youth development. The core offerings include TBL TV for game streaming and live stats, and Game Analytics powered by Preciser's AI platform for real-time data insights and video-to-insights automation. TBL also operates Junior TBL (JrTBL) as a youth development sub-brand for ages 8-17, and integrates the BioSteel Teams App as a league-wide team management platform for communication and scheduling. The league spans 49 professional teams across the US and Canada organized into four conferences (East, Midwest, Central, West), with a 24-game regular season culminating in a national championship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Basketball League (TBL) Professional Basketball League Professional men's basketball league with 49 teams across the U.S. and Canada organized into four conferences. Each team is owned and operated as a local franchise by Team Market Owners under the league umbrella, playing a 24-game regular season culminating in a national championship. Targeted at aspiring professional players aged 18-23, former international pros, and local community audiences.
• TBLTV Streaming Platform Live OTT streaming service that broadcasts all TBL regular season and postseason games to viewers in 145 countries, delivered via PANDA Interactive streaming technology infrastructure. Provides fans with game schedules, live stats overlays, box scores, standings, and on-demand content.
• Junior TBL (JrTBL) Youth Basketball Program Free youth basketball development program for ages 8-17 that extends TBL's core values of leadership, self-worth, education, and respect through basketball. Includes national combine events, mentorship by TBL Commissioner Carlnel Wiley, and partnerships with brands such as Opal Apples.
• TBL Game Analytics Platform AI-powered analytics platform powered by Preciser that delivers real-time data insights, automated video analysis, and performance metrics for teams, coaches, and fans across the league.
• Team Market Franchise Ownership Recurring franchise/ownership rights sold to local entrepreneurs and Team Market Owners (TMOs) who operate individual TBL teams in their markets. Multi-year contract structure with franchise fees not publicly disclosed; targets local business owners seeking entry into professional sports ownership.
• TBL Team Merchandise (TBLStore / Corner Store) Online and in-venue retail of TBL-branded apparel, memorabilia, and team merchandise sold directly to fans through the TBLStore (Smartsheet-hosted) and Corner Store channels, plus per-team merchandise at games.

Quantifiable outcome

• TBL grew from 8 teams in 2017-18 to 49 teams by 2023, a 6x expansion in five seasons
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BioSteel Sports Inc.coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 March 2026BioSteel serves as TBL's Official Hydration Partner. As the exclusive hydration provider, BioSteel supplies its clean hydration and sports nutrition products to athletes across all TBL teams throughout the regular season and playoffs. Products are integrated during training, travel, and game days. TBL also implements the BioSteel Teams App as its official league-wide team management platform for communication, scheduling, and team organization.
• Preciser, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 27 January 2026Preciser serves as TBL's AI Analytics & Fan-engagement Partner, leveraging its Statzone platform to bring AI-driven video, data insights, and engagement tools to TBL teams, media, and fans beginning with the 2026 season. The partnership focuses on turning game video into actionable intelligence for teams and fan-facing digital experiences.
• HotelPlannercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 March 2025HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology platform and hotel booking service, provides TBL teams, players, and fans with exclusive access to discounted hotel accommodations. This strategic alliance supports travel logistics for the league's geographically dispersed teams.
• FirstFruits Farms / Opal ApplescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 December 2024FirstFruits Farms, the exclusive grower of Opal Apples, partnered with JrTBL as the Official Apple Partner. The partnership expands Opal's Youth Make a Difference initiative, which has awarded over $770,000 in grants to youth-led organizations since 2010. Opal Apples will be featured and sampled at JrTBL events and combines.
• PANDA InteractivecoreTechnology or Integration · 27 February 2024PANDA Interactive provides TBL's OTT streaming platform, streaming all regular season and postseason games. The partnership began in 2019 and has been renewed annually, with 2024 marking the fifth year of collaboration. PANDA Interactive powers TBLTV.
• Carlnel Wiley (TBL Commissioner)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2023Carlnel Wiley serves as TBL Commissioner and leads JrTBL Camp activities at the annual Draft Combine, providing skills training and mentorship to 30+ youth participants alongside Team Market Owners and coaches.
• Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2021The Citizen Potawatomi Nation purchased and owns the Potawatomi Fire team in Shawnee, Oklahoma. This marks TBL's first partnership with a Native American tribe. CPN is known for community engagement and progressive thinking. The team plays at FireLake Arena.
• RYZE MagazineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2020RYZE Magazine announced a strategic partnership with TBL to empower Christian Hip Hop (CHH) communities. The partnership aimed to engage new fan demographics and expand TBL's cultural reach beyond traditional sports audiences.
• National Financial Educators Council (NFEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2020The NFEC partnered with TBL to provide financial literacy education to all 300+ players across 30+ teams, with community-facing programs following. The league also partnered with National Financial Network as presenter of the financial literacy program.
• 7NRGminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 October 20197NRG, a CBD-infused sports nutrition supplier, entered a major partnership with TBL as the league's CBD nutrition partner. CBD was removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned substance list on January 1, 2018, enabling athlete use.
• Creating Young Minds (CYM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2019Creating Young Minds, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, owns and operates the Lewisville Yellow Jackets TBL team. CYM combines a high school/postgraduate basketball academy with professional team ownership, providing a player development pipeline. The organization has helped more than 70 members receive basketball scholarships. CYM was rebranded as CYM Leopards by 2020.
• BSN SPORTScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBSN SPORTS serves as TBL's exclusive apparel and equipment supplier. The partnership ensures all TBL teams have access to quality sports equipment and branded apparel, with BSN SPORTS being a recognized leader in sports equipment supply for leagues and teams.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Genius Sports: Genius Sports is TBL's live statistics and data infrastructure partner powering box scores, standings, and player data on the league's website. It is an enabling technology peer rather than a competitor, but its pricing and product roadmap directly affect TBL's data and analytics capabilities.
• PANDA Interactive: PANDA Interactive powers TBLTV, the league's OTT streaming platform. It is an enabling technology partner that delivers TBL's broadcasts to 145 countries and is a key infrastructure peer for TBL's digital distribution and monetization strategy.

Broad incumbents

• NBA: The NBA is the dominant professional basketball league globally and the structural anchor for U.S. basketball economics. As a broad incumbent, it sets the competitive ceiling on player salaries, broadcast value, and sponsorship pricing that TBL must compete against at the talent and media layers.

Direct peers

• NBA G League: The NBA G League is the NBA's official minor league with two-way contracts and explicit NBA affiliation. It competes with TBL for undrafted and developing players seeking professional U.S. basketball careers and offers a structurally higher compensation ceiling.
• BIG3: BIG3 is a U.S.-based professional basketball league featuring former NBA players in a 3-on-3 format. It is a direct competitor to TBL for the same pool of professional basketball talent, sponsors, and basketball-hungry fans in markets underserved by the NBA.
• American Basketball Association (ABA): The ABA is a long-running semi-professional basketball league with a franchise-based model across the U.S. Like TBL, it sells team rights to local entrepreneurs and targets markets outside the NBA footprint, making it a directly comparable minor-league structure.

Emerging players

• Overtime Elite: Overtime Elite is a U.S. alternative basketball pathway that pays high-school-aged players professional salaries and produces digital-first content. It competes for the same young basketball talent pipeline and audience attention that JrTBL and TBL's youth programs target.
• Athletes Unlimited Basketball: Athletes Unlimited operates an innovative player-led professional basketball league with rotating rosters and individual scoring. It competes for player talent and media attention in the same minor-pro basketball category as TBL but uses a different competition format.

Regional players

• National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada): NBL Canada is a Canadian professional basketball league whose former commissioner, David Magley, went on to co-found TBL. It is a regional comparable for franchise economics, community engagement, and minor-league basketball operations.
• Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL): CEBL is a Canadian professional summer basketball league with a franchise model targeting mid-sized Canadian markets. It overlaps directly with TBL's Canadian expansion (3 teams currently, 12 targeted by 2025) and competes for the same basketball-hungry markets and sponsors north of the U.S. border.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tblproleague
• Facebookfacebook.com/thebasketballleague
• Instagraminstagram.com/tbasketballleague
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-basketball-league

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Basketball League