History of the Club
A Decade in the Waiting
Anyone who remembers the old Mersey, or should I say Everton, Tigers days knows the M&S Bank (Echo) Arena is built for big basketball nights, yet the city went without a top-flight professional team for more than ten years when they folded in 2013 due to poor financial management. 1 That finally began to change in August 2025, when reports emerged that Super League Basketball (SLB) was seeking a tenth member club backed by an American investor. Throughout August and September 2025, Liverpool was identified as the league’s principal expansion target. 2
To read more about the history of Basketball in Merseyside follow this link!
Kings Dock and the Official Launch
The wait officially ended on 5 August 2026. Just weeks ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, Liverpool Basketball was publicly announced as the newest SLB franchise. Owned by Kings Dock Sports Group Ltd, the sports holding company founded by media executive and sports investor Jason Dolan, the launch officially returned top-flight men’s professional basketball to the Liverpool waterfront. 3
“We are building for decades – not seasons. That’s why Liverpool was the clear choice. Its global sporting reputation, world-class arena, vibrant city centre and passionate supporters have created a culture shaped by clubs that represent more than competition – they represent their communities, their supporters and their city. This culture provides the foundation to build one of Europe’s premier basketball clubs.
Our ambition is to build a professional club that Liverpool is proud to call its own. One that reflects the character of this city, inspires young people, attracts world-class talent and delivers an unforgettable experience to the Liverpool community every time the doors open at M&S Bank Arena.”
Jason Dolan
It is important to clear up a common bit of local confusion right away. While our SLB franchise shares its name with the historic Liverpool Basketball Club established in 1969, the two organisations are completely separate entities. The NBL Division 1 club continues its vital work in the national leagues and grassroots academies, while Kings Dock Sports Group operates the professional SLB franchise at the M&S Bank Arena.
Coming Together
With barely two months between the August announcement and the opening tip-off of a 36-fixture Championship schedule, the club came together at breakneck speed.
The initial roster was announced on the 15th August, and on 2 September the former NBA player and coach Roy Rodgers was announced as Head Coach, his first time in the role. 4 Early in the season more signing were made, most notably the reigning MVP and 6th Player of the Year Pat Robinson III. 5
After a venue switch meant our first clash against Manchester on 4 October 2026 was played away, marking the teams first win, the franchise’s true arrival took place on Sunday, 25 October 2026: our inaugural home game at the M&S Bank Arena against the Newcastle Eagles, which we also won!
To read more on the inaugural season please head to the Season-by-Season history page.
References
- https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/other-sport/mersey-tigers-expelled-british-basketball-5263705 ↩︎
- https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/other-sport/british-basketball-state-of-play-slbs-liverpool-expansion-latest-governing-body-progress-and-sheffield-sharks-second-signing-8816188 ↩︎
- https://liverpoolcityregiondp.com/2026/08/05/super-league-basketball-brings-professional-basketball-back-to-liverpool/ ↩︎
- https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/287158/Roy-Rogers-To-Coach-New-Liverpool-Basketball-Team ↩︎
- https://www.eurobasket.com/United%20Kingdom/news/1033915/Pat-Robinson-III-signs-at-Liverpool ↩︎