800,000 euros for the rescue: Braunschweig fights for the BBL wildcard

Relegated in sporting terms, but not yet definitively out organizationally: The Basketball Löwen Braunschweig want to apply for a wildcard for the Basketball Bundesliga. The easyCredit BBL has officially opened the procedure – and thus opened a back door despite finishing 17th in the table last season. Whether Braunschweig can use it depends mainly on financing.

BBL opens wildcard procedure – deadline running

The shareholders' meeting of BBL GmbH decided on June 3, 2026, to initiate a wildcard procedure for the 2026/2027 season. The basis is the licensing statute (including § 15): A free participation right can be awarded via a wildcard. For interested clubs, this starts a period of ten working days within which the application, including documents and evidence, must be submitted to the league in writing.

The financial hurdle is considerable. The wildcard fee is set at up to 800,000 euros net; additional compensation payments may also be incurred, the exact amount of which is determined by the licensing statute. For Braunschweig, this requires not only a sporting but above all a commercial effort: liquidity, reliable commitments, and an application that meets the league's formal criteria.

Mittmann: Willingness to apply – financing "not a sure thing"

Managing director Nils Mittmann has clearly stated the club's direction: "We want to take this opportunity." At the same time, he dampened expectations and pointed to "considerable economic requirements." Financing is "not a sure thing."

Mittmann also emphasized that the wildcard does not reinterpret the sporting outcome: "Relegation remains a great disappointment for all of us. The newly opened possibility of a wildcard does not change that. At the same time, it gives us the chance to remain part of the BBL." The club will do everything "to seize this opportunity and give basketball in Braunschweig a sustainable, top-class perspective."

Free spot because Kirchheim did not submit a license application

The trigger for the procedure is a participation right that has become available: The Kirchheim Knights did not submit a license application for the upcoming BBL season. As a result, a spot in the top league is vacant – and the league can reallocate it via the wildcard procedure.

Braunschweig's sporting situation is clear: Despite a 104:90 win against Chemnitz on the last matchday, the Löwen finished the season in 17th place and were relegated. The victory was at least enough to overtake Heidelberg – but it did not change the relegation.

Schröder as shareholder – but no automatism

At Basketball Löwen, NBA professional Dennis Schröder is a shareholder (according to the club, since 2020 solely). This does not initially change the central question: An application does not mean approval. The league checks the documents, the fulfillment of economic and organizational criteria, as well as the timely and complete submission of the application.

Why it's mainly about money now

For Braunschweig, the decision shifts from the court to the licensing and financial area. A wildcard is not a "rescue" in the sporting sense, but an instrument that allows the league to fill a vacant spot in an orderly manner. For the club, this means: Anyone who wants to keep the first division location must quickly put together a package that covers the high one-time payments and at the same time allows for viable season planning.

The message is clear: The door to the BBL is open again – Braunschweig can only go through if the club proves it meets the economic requirements and can cover the wildcard costs, including possible compensation payments.