Fast Facts

Basketball Ireland (BI) is the national governing body for the sport on the island of Ireland.

Part of FIBA, the World Governing body, BI is responsible for the promotion and administration of basketball throughout Ireland and for Irish international participation.

So what does BI do?

  • BI operates as a conduit with Government Departments, particularly the Department of Tourism, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, who have significantly funded B.I. in the past.
  • BI is also the main conduit for Sport Ireland, who provide significant funding, FIBA on a wide range of issues, other National Basketball Federations, the Federation of Irish Sport, Local Sports Partnerships, as well as a host of service providers including solicitors; statutory bodies; Revenue Commissioners; Banks; sponsors and goods suppliers.
  • BI positions itself as a service centre for all levels of the game, facilitating all aspects of promoting and running the sport.
  • At national level, B.I. acts under the direction of the Board of Basketball Ireland, whose remit includes financial governance and business strategy formation.
  • BI also supports the National Council, the body on which every facet of the sport is represented, which acts as the sport policy formation and activation centre of the sport.
  • BI seeks to promote the game, in all its forms, to supporters and prospective supporters by emphasising the great attributes of basketball.
  • Our Media and Communications department promotes the sport through content on the Basketball Irleand website, social media pages and providing material to international, national and local media.
  • In the business arena, BI works to form and deliver the commercial and marketing strategies of the organisation.
  • Staff members also provide administrative support for various committees and numerous competitions.

The answer is quite a lot actually.

What does BI do for me?

The answer to this question depends on what role you play in the sport. Are you a player, a coach, a referee, a table official, a commissioner, an administrator or a teacher, maybe you are a combination of the aforementioned. See which answer applies to you:


  • A Player: B.I. co-ordinates the sub-committees who set rules for competitions and organise the game schedules for the season. B.I. is also the ultimate resolver of disputes which cannot be dealt with at local level. We organise camps, special events and international participation for Irish teams; boys and girls, men and women. Your team is represented by your club on Area Boards, who are represented by the NABC. B.I. tries to communicate with every player at all levels of the sport through our website www.ireland.basketball, our social media channels and regular newsletters. Furthermore all players registered before November 1st are entitled to personal injury insurance. 
     
  • A Coach: Basketball Ireland provides training materials and courses through our online learning management system 'Helpside'.  B.I. deals with FIBA on coaching issues and assists in whatever way it can throughout the year. 
     
  • A Referee: You are represented by the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA). B.I. assists the NBRA through the year in delivering its development plan. B.I. also administers a development pathway for referees and supports all local and national development initiatives. Basketball Ireland also provides training materials and courses through our online learning management system 'Helpside'.
     
  • A Commissioner/Table Official: You are represented by the Commissioners and Tables Officials Committee (CTOC).  B.I. supports CTOC in the facilitation of all training programmes for Commissioners and Table Officials in collaboration with FIBA.
     
  • An administrator: You are likely to have interaction with various members of B.I. staff as you go about your work looking after your club, league or committee. B.I. staff are committed to providing friendly professional assistance to volunteer members of the basketball community. We are always open to suggestions as to how we can improve our service to our members.
     
  • A teacher: Introducing the sport to young people is arguably the most vital role in the sport. B.I. administers the funding of introduction coaching courses specifically aimed at teachers. Teachers interests are looked after by the Post Primary Schools Committee (PPSC) and by the Mini-Basketball Leagues, in the case of Primary schools. B.I. is seeking to increase participation in all geographical areas and offers administrative and financial assistance where possible.