Birmingham Athletics

Birmingham Athletics, formerly called and often still referred to as Aston Athletics, is a basketball team based in Birmingham, England.

The club was founded in 2004, as Aston Athletics, to play at the Aston Events Centre, which had just been vacated by Birmingham Bullets. Starting out in English Basketball League Division 3 West, they enjoyed excellent rookie season which saw them lift the Men's Shield and finish second in the league, but only on countback in games against winners Plymouth Raiders II. They also reached the semi-finals of the EBL3 Play-offs. and promotion to EBL Division 2 followed.

The team relocated, from Aston Events Centre to Birmingham Sports Centre in 2006, and, following the demise of Birmingham Bullets, the club changed its name to Birmingham Athletics to reflect its status as the only National League team representing the city.

Athletics currently compete in the EBL Division 2, which is the third-tier league, though they have previously stated their desire to turn professional with a move into the British Basketball Association for the 2007-08 season. [cite web| author = PawPrint | title = BBA bag Birmingham | url = http://www.pawprint75.co.uk/News/bba_birmingham.htm | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-02-19 | publisher = PawPrint | date = 2007 ] The club announced their application to the proposed professional, set to rival the long-established British Basketball League, on February 19, 2007, following on from fellow Midlands team Coventry Crusaders, to become only the second team to join the new league.

ee also

*Basketball in England
*British Basketball Association

References