B.League

The B.League^[1] is a men's professional basketball league that will commence in Japan in October 2016.^[2] The league will be operated by the Japan Professional Basketball League and has been formed as a result of a merger between the National Basketball League that is operated by the FIBA-affiliated Japan Basketball Association and the independently operated bj-league. The merger had been mandated by FIBA as a condition to Japan having its membership resumed following suspension in November 2014.^[3]

Format

The league will consist of three divisions; the first two divisions will have 18 teams each. The third division will have nine teams made up of de facto semi-professional teams. There will be a system of promotion and relegation between the first and second division. Each of the first two divisions will be further divided into three conferences.^[4]

Teams

In the 2014-2015 season, there were 12 teams in the NBL, 10 teams in the National Basketball Development League (NBDL, the NBL's second division league) and 23 teams in the bj-league. All 45 teams sought entrance to the B.League's inaugural 2016-17 season. The allocation of the teams into the three divisions was announced in two phases in July^[2] and August 2015.^[4]

First division (18 teams)

Team name	City, Prefecture	2015-16 League
Aisin Seahorses Mikawa	Kariya, Aichi	NBL
Akita Northern Happinets	Akita, Akita	bj-league
Chiba Jets	Funabashi, Chiba	NBL
Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix	Hamamatsu, Shizuoka	bj-league
Hitachi SunRockers	Tokyo	NBL
Kyoto Hannaryz	Kyoto, Kyoto	bj-league
Levanga Hokkaido	Sapporo, Hokkaido	NBL
Link Tochigi Brex	Utsunomiya, Tochigi	NBL
Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins Nagoya	Nagoya, Aichi	NBL
Niigata Albirex BB	Niigata, Niigata	bj-league
Osaka Evessa	Osaka, Osaka	bj-league
Ryukyu Golden Kings	Okinawa, Okinawa	bj-league
Sendai 89ers	Sendai, Miyagi	bj-league
Shiga Lakestars	Ōtsu, Shiga	bj-league
Toyama Grouses	Toyama, Toyama	bj-league
Toshiba Brave Thunders Kanagawa	Kawasaki, Kanagawa	NBL
Toyota Alvark Tokyo	Fuchū, Tokyo	NBL
Yokohama B-Corsairs	Yokohama, Kanagawa	bj-league

Second division (18 teams)

Team	City, Prefecture	2015-16 League
Aomori Wat's	Aomori, Aomori	bj-league
Bambitious Nara	Nara, Nara	bj-league
Cyberdyne Tsukuba Robots	Tsukuba, Ibaraki	NBL
Earth Friends Tokyo Z	Ōta, Tokyo	NBDL
Fukushima Firebonds	Kōriyama, Fukushima	bj-league
Gunma CraneThunders	Maebashi, Gunma	bj-league
Hiroshima Dragonflies	Hiroshima, Hiroshima	NBL
Iwate Big Bulls	Morioka, Iwate	bj-league
Kumamoto Volters	Kumamoto, Kumamoto	NBL
Nishinomiya Storks	Nishinomiya, Hyogo	NBL
Pas lab. Yamagata Wwyverns	Yamagata, Yamagata	NBDL
Oita Ehime HeatDevils	Beppu, Ōita Matsuyama, Ehime	bj-league
Renova Kagoshima	Kagoshima, Kagoshima	NBDL
Shimane Susanoo Magic	Matsue, Shimane	bj-league
Shinshu Brave Warriors	Chikuma, Nagano	bj-league
Takamatsu Five Arrows	Takamatsu, Kagawa	bj-league
Tokyo Excellence	Itabashi, Tokyo	NBDL
Toyota Tsusho Fighting Eagles Nagoya	Nagoya, Aichi	NBDL

Third division (9 teams)

Team	City, Prefecture	2015-16 League
Aisin AW Areions Anjo	Anjō, Aichi	NBDL
Kanazawa Samuraiz	Kanazawa, Ishikawa	bj-league
Otsuka Corporation Alphas	Tokyo	NBDL
Rizing Fukuoka	Fukuoka, Fukuoka	bj-league
Saitama Broncos	Tokorozawa, Saitama	bj-league
Tokio Marine Nichido Big Blue	Nerima, Tokyo	NBDL
Tokyo Cinq Rêves	Chōfu, Tokyo	bj-league
Tokyo Hachioji Trains	Hachiōji, Tokyo	NBDL
Toyoda Gosei Scorpions	Kiyosu, Aichi	NBDL

References

^ Nagatsuka, Kaz (15 September 2015). "New pro basketball league unveils name, logo". The Japan Times. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
^ ^a ^b "JPBLの「1部～3部階層分け発表記者会見」について" [Regarding the JPBL's "Division 1-3 Assignment Press Conference"] (in Japanese). Nishinomiya Storks. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
^ "Japan suspended by FIBA". ESPN. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
^ ^a ^b Nagatsuka, Kaz (29 August 2015). "JPBL finalizes division placements for 2016-17". The Japan Times. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

[LeagueName-1] Nagatsuka, Kaz (15 September 2015). "New pro basketball league unveils name, logo". The Japan Times. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

[Nishinomiya-2] "JPBLの「1部～3部階層分け発表記者会見」について" [Regarding the JPBL's "Division 1-3 Assignment Press Conference"] (in Japanese). Nishinomiya Storks. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.

[3] "Japan suspended by FIBA". ESPN. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2015.

[division-4] Nagatsuka, Kaz (29 August 2015). "JPBL finalizes division placements for 2016-17". The Japan Times. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

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