Newcastle Eagles men’s head coach Marc Steutel insists there’s never been a better time to get behind basketball in the North East as he looks forward to the sport hitting new heights on and off the court.
In a couple of weeks that have seen the confirmation of a new professional league in the UK and the return of European action to Tyneside, the future’s set fair for the region’s expectant hoops fans.
And Steutel — fresh from a successful international camp with Great Britain — is champing at the bit to build on an historic sporting legacy.
“Newcastle is a basketball city and it’s brilliant news that professional basketball is here to stay,” he said.
“The clubs have worked very hard to overcome a difficult few weeks and ensure that the progress made during the last few seasons can be built upon.
“It was great to receive the good news during GB camp last week and it came at a time when player recruitment is looking good.
“It’s really, really positive that we’ve got professional basketball to look forward to and of course we’re delighted to be back in the European North Basketball League (ENBL).
“That proved to be a fantastic experience last season and we were keen to do it all over again.”
News on the name of the UK’s new top-flight men’s competition, fixtures and a full roster of teams is expected later this month.
And while there’s still work to be done when it comes to restructuring the former British Basketball League, ENBL bosses have completed this season’s 18-strong entry list.
Newcastle are set to face last season’s ENBL Championship runners-up CSO Voluntari from Romania in Group A, which was confirmed last week with fixtures due to be announced next month [August].
Elsewhere, Eagles chiefs are putting the finishing touches to a first-of-its-kind launch event for both the men’s and women’s teams at the start of September — ahead of a full pre-season programme.
And after both sides went deep into the playoffs last season, the most successful professional sports club in the North East is determined to fly the flag for the region at home and abroad.
“It’s a truly exciting time to be involved with the Eagles,” said the club’s managing director, Paul Blake.
“We’re offering a full range of sponsorship and hospitality packages for the new season with both or men’s and women’s franchises and we’re looking forward to welcoming new faces into the Eagles community.
“We’re proud to be able to spread the word about the North East far and wide and with another round of European fixtures on the horizon there are some fantastic opportunities for our partners to do the same.”
The Eagles have been key players in the region’s business community for 25 years and the club has forged a reputation for delivering added value to sponsors and advertisers on and off the court.
An 80 per cent increase in B2B sales linked to the Eagles has underscored that position and the June launch of the club’s new business network reaffirmed a commitment to starting new conversations and generating fresh collaborations.
“Basketball’s always been a great place to start when it’s time to talk business,” added Blake. “We like to bring people together and see where that leads.”
For more information on how to partner with Newcastle Eagles ahead of the 2024/25 season email sales and communications manager Dan Black at danblack@newcastle-eagles.com