Birmingham Panthers

BBL team
color1 = #FFFFFF
color2 = #000000
name = Birmingham Panthers

imagesize = 200px
sponsor = None
league = British Basketball League
established = 2007
history = Birmingham Panthers
2007-present
arena = University of Wolverhampton
Walsall Campus
(Capacity: 600)
location = Walsall, West Midlands
coach = flagicon|Barbados Nigel Lloyd
ownership = flagicon|Jamaica Herman Wilson
colours = Black and White
website = [http://www.teambirmingham.co.uk/ TeamBirmingham.co.uk]
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a_pattern_s =

The Birmingham Panthers (official name Team Birmingham Panthers) is a professional basketball club in the British Basketball League. Established in 2007, the Birmingham-based franchise are due to start competing in Britain's top-tier league in the 2007-08 season.

Franchise history

Following the demise and eventual liquidation of the Birmingham Bullets, one of British basketball's most successful franchises, Birmingham was left without a major basketball team for the 2006-07 season. Though many Bullets fans defected to the Worcester Wolves, elected to the BBL to replace the Bullets and retain professional basketball in the West Midlands, every effort was made for Birmingham to return to the fold for the following season.

On March 23, 2007, it was officially confirmed that Birmingham would be part of the mass-expansion of the BBL, with former Bullets assistant coach Herman Wilson leading a consortium of investors behind the project. [cite web| author = Collin Tattum | title = Basketball team to replace Bullets | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_headline=basketball-team-to-replace-bullets%26method=full%26objectid=18797522%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-03-24 | publisher = Birmingham Mail ] Behind the scenes both the BBL and Wilson worked fast to establish a franchise amid speculation of rival league the British Basketball Association announcing their own Birmingham franchise for the following season, the Birmingham Athletics.

Within weeks of the initial announcement it was confirmed on April 18 by the BBL that "Team Birmingham Panthers" would be the eleventh franchise taking to the court for the 2007-08 season, with the Aston Events Centre, a former home of both the Bullets and Athletics, hosting all home games of the new team (This was later changed, see below [cite web| author = Collin Tattum | title = Venue change hits Panthers | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=19770050%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-09-11 | publisher = Birmingham Mail ] ) with a move to a future arena already planned. [cite web| author = BBC Sport | title = New team to launch in Birmingham | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/basketball/6568585.stm | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-19 | publisher = BBC ] Rumours abound that former Bullets coach Tony Garbelotto would be hired by the club were rapidly quashed by Wilson who also announced that local fans would be consulted regarding the teams playing colours. [cite web| author = Collin Tattum | title = Panthers ready to make Brum proud | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_headline=panthers-ready-to-make-brum-proud&method=full&objectid=18927295&siteid=50002-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-19 | publisher = Birmingham Mail ]

In the same interview with regional newspaper Birmingham Mail, Wilson was keen to stress that the new club is attempting to cut any links to the former Bullets franchise. Wilson also claimed the Bullets name was not chosen for the new franchise because of connotations with gun crime, [cite web| author = Collin Tattum | title = Herman: Why we fired Bullets brand | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/basketball/tm_method=full%26objectid=18927259%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-19 | publisher = Birmingham Mail ] a move that was taken by the NBA's Washington Wizards (formerly called Bullets) in 1995. Instead, the name Panthers was opted for in reference to former BBL franchise Doncaster Panthers, where Wilson started his career as a basketball coach as an assistant to Curtis Xavier in the early 1990s.

Venue difficulties

On September 11, it was announced that due to health and safety risks, the Aston Events Centre was not in a suitable condition to host Panthers' home games, thus a search for an alternative venue was conducted at short notice. [cite web| author = Collin Tattum | title = Venue change hits Panthers | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=19770050%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-09-11 | publisher = Birmingham Mail ] The National Indoor Arena and Birmingham Sports Centre were both considered, however the board settled on the 500-seat capacity Nechells Community Sports Centre on Rupert Street in Nechells as their final choice.

Panthers played their inaugural match away on September 16 at local rivals Worcester Wolves in a Pre-Season friendly. Unfortunately for Panthers fans, the team lost 108-81. Luck didn't change a week later when the Panthers took to the court in their first ever league game, away to Leicester Riders, who defeated them with a similar scoreline, 101-79. The fact that none of Birmingham's import players had yet arrived only added to Coach Nigel Lloyd's woes, and just a few days later the clubs' dream of returning professional basketball to the city of Birmingham hung in the balance.

After having to uproot venue from Aston to Nechells, the club were forced again to seek alternative venues to stage home games as the cost and facilities available at their new home did not suit the club. Just days before their first home fixture, against Leicester on October 6, the Birmingham Mail broke the news that the club were planning to relocate to Telford, 35 miles north of Birmingham. [cite web| author = Collin Tattum | title = Panthers set to quit Birmingham | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=19875712%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-10-01 | publisher = Birmingham Mail ] Defeating the object of Panthers' franchise application, the BBL blocked the move in an attempt to keep basketball in Birmingham, and after discussions with the University of Wolverhampton, a deal was struck on October 2 to use their Walsall Campus Sports Centre as the home venue for all of the clubs' games for the upcoming season. [cite web| author = Collin Tattum | title = Panthers banned from making Telford switch | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=19881350%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-10-02 | publisher = Birmingham Mail ]

First win

On 21 October, the Panthers got their first BBL win at home to Worcester Wolves. They won thegame 98-86. Daniel Sandell led all scorers with 38 points for the Panthers, while Anthony Paez led the Wolves' scoring with 32.

Home arenas

:Walsall Campus Sports Centre (2007-present)

Players

Current roster

"The numbers are established according to the official websites of the team ( [http://www.teambirmingham.co.uk www.teambirmingham.co.uk] ) and Britain's top professional league, the BBL ( [http://www.bbl.org.uk www.bbl.org.uk] )."

"As of February 19 2008"

ee also

*Birmingham Bullets
*British Basketball League

Notes

External links

* [http://www.teambirmingham.co.uk Official Birmingham Panthers website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/teambirminghampanthers Birmingham Panthers on MySpace]