National governing body for basketaball on the island of Ireland.

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

B.I. operates as a conduit with Government Departments, particularly the Department of Transport, Arts, Tourism & Sport who have significantly funded B.I. in the past.

B.I. is also the main conduit for the Irish Sports Council who provide significant funding,FIBA Europe and FIBA World on a wide range of issues, other National Basketball Federations, the Federation of Irish Sports,Local Sports Partnerships as well as a host of service providers including solicitors; statutory bodies; Revenue Commissioners; Banks; sponsors; goods suppliers;

B.I. 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.

B.I. seeks to promote the game, in all its forms, to supporters and prospective supporters by emphasising the great attributes of basketball.

Our marketing and promotions desk works diligently to get people coming to games. They also manage our website www.basketballireland.ie and social media pages.

In the business arena B.I. 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.

So, to the question – what does B.I. do?

The answer is – quite a lot actually.

We believe that we do our job well and we certainly enjoy doing it all.

We know we can always improve and we welcome feedback from the basketball community to help us to help you more.

What does B.I. 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, a sponsor, an administrator, a teacher, a patron, a supporter? 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. We administer the largest Women-in-Sport funding of any national sporting body (€240,000 this year).Your team is represented by your club on Area Boards who are in turn represented on National Council. B.I. tries to communicate with every player at all levels of the sport through our website www.basketballireland.ie and regular e-zines. Make sure you are signed up to receive these.

A Coach: You are, or should be, a member of Basketball Ireland Coaches – the national body which co-ordinates standards, qualification and training of basketball coaches. B.I. Coaches have a direct representative on National Council and therefore a voice on policy within the sport. In conjunction with B.I. Coaches, B.I. deals with FIBA on coaching issues and assists in whatever way it can through the year.

A Referee: You are represented by the National Referees Committee (NRC) which has a direct representative on Council. B.I. assists the NRC through the year in delivering its development plan. B.I. also administers an agreement with the NRC whereby referees receive complimentary Azzurri attire and a referee’s assessment program is operated throughout the season.

A Table Official: You are represented on National Council by the Tables Officials Board. Recently B.I. was instrumental in co-ordinating the involvement of Table Officials in the assessment programme for the London Olympics. B.I. facilitates training of officials on request from the T.O. Board. B.I. co-ordinates the appointment of Table Officials for major domestic competitions and finals.

A Commissioner: As esteemed members of the basketball community you have a direct representative on National Council. B.I. administers the appointment of commissioners to games, and keeps you informed of new regulations such as this season’s requirement for BIPINs to be entered on match-sheets.

A Sponsor: As many matters revolve around the availability of funds, you are vital to the work of B.I. in promoting the sport. Whether it be funding training courses, costs of travel and accommodation for referees and teams on international duty or other initiatives the availability of funds usually decide if it will happen or not.

B.I. strives to provide you as a sponsor with the best opportunities to promote your brand and to give you excellent support service and feedback from our community.

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. Both committees have direct representation on National Council. B.I. is seeking to increase participation in all geographical areas and offers administrative and financial assistance where possible.

A Patron: as a valued friend of the sport B.I. seeks to administer funds provided by you in an equitable and sensible way throughout the sport. A quarterly BIPS e-zine is produced in the office to keep you up to speed on developments.

A supporter: B.I. encourages people to get involved in the sport in many ways. Become a sponsor, a coach, a referee or an administrator. Encourage your family to get involved. There is room for everybody.