The Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL) has announced Emily Clarke as the league’s new General Manager.
Clarke joins the league as the organisation’s first back office staff member, bringing “years of expertise in sports management”, having held similar positions at sports organisations including Basketball England, Birmingham 2022 and Sport England.
An established figure within the British basketball community, Clarke also supported the successful operations at a number of current and former top-flight franchises, including the London Lions, Brighton Bears and Birmingham Bullets.
During this time, she was able to plan and manage a variety of community programmes and projects as a result of her working relationships with sponsors and partners. Additionally, Clarke also developed and improved welfare services and off-court experience for players within the National Team Programme.
Speaking on her appointment to the role, Clarke said: “I am delighted to join the Women’s British Basketball League at a time of great opportunity for the sport to continue to grow and excite fans across the country.
“With the continued rise of women’s sports more generally, there are many opportunities available for the League to explore. I look forward to working with the clubs to develop partnerships, professionalise club structures, grow our audience and bring the excitement of women’s basketball to the fore.
“Our partnership with the Men’s League will be key to our success and I’m sure that utilising our opportunities to work together can only be great for the continued momentum behind British basketball.”
With franchise development at the heart of the league’s strategic ambitions to expand top-level basketball to wider audiences, Clarke will lead all aspects of the league’s operations.
This includes driving the organisation and its member clubs to “attain even higher levels of performance on and off the court”, with a focus on boosting the commercial success and profile of women’s basketball in the UK.
“We are delighted to welcome Emily to the Women’s British Basketball League. Her experience and reputation within the game speaks for itself, so this is a fantastic appointment for both the League and sport more generally,” added Women’s British Basketball League’s Chairman, Jim Saker.
“Emily has exceptional expertise which will help raise the profile of women’s basketball in the UK, as well as our clubs, players and partners. We’re thrilled to have her on board and look forward to seeing the League thrive for many years to come.”
