Section One: League Identity and Governance
1.1: The Club Basketball League
The Club Basketball League (CBL) is the All Platform Leagues basketball league, played on the NBA 2K series with Xbox and PlayStation cross-play. The CBL is a structured, sim-style league. Games follow a published schedule, rosters follow a published salary cap, and every rule in this Constitution applies equally to every team and player.
1.2: Separate From Hockey and Racing
This Basketball Constitution governs the CBL only. The hockey leagues (APHL and CHL) are governed by their own APHL and CHL Constitutions, and the NASCAR Racing League (NRL) has its own Constitution. A rule in one sport's Constitution does not apply in another sport unless the rule says so.
1.3: League-Wide Authority
The CBL is part of All Platform Leagues. The Commissioner's Office and the Board of Governors hold the same authority over the CBL that they hold over every APL league, and the conduct standards, judicial process and appeals described in APHL Article I and Article IV, Section Two apply to the CBL. Where this Constitution is silent, that framework applies.
1.4: CBL Staff
- Commissioner — final executive authority for the CBL, including rule enforcement and long-term direction
- Duty Commissioner — handles day-to-day rulings, game-night issues and scheduling decisions
- Staff Members — process transactions, review stat submissions, enter results and handle complaints
- Board of Governors — votes on amendments, suspensions and any matter this Constitution sends to a vote
- Media Staff — news, power rankings, game recaps and league announcements
CBL staff moderate only the CBL. Staff actions are logged, and Super Admin can review and reverse any staff action.
1.5: Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by the Commissioner's Office with a Board of Governors vote. Amendments take effect when posted and are not applied to games already played.
Section Two: League Structure
2.1: Divisions
The CBL is organized into tiers (Elite and Pro divisions). Each tier has its own standings, schedule and playoff bracket.
2.2: Conferences
Each tier is split into an East and a West conference. Teams are placed in a conference by the Commissioner's Office when they join or when the league realigns.
2.3: Promotion and Relegation
Teams may move between the Elite and Pro divisions based on end-of-season results. The criteria, the number of spots and the process are published by the Commissioner's Office before the season starts, so that every team knows the stakes in advance.
2.4: Playoffs
Each tier ends its season with a playoff bracket in NBA format. Series lengths are set by the Commissioner's Office and published before the playoffs begin.
2.5: Expansion and Contraction
New franchises are added, and inactive franchises are removed, only by the Commissioner's Office. A franchise that cannot field a compliant roster for a sustained period is subject to review.
Section Three: Membership and Participation
3.1: Joining the League
Every member has an APL forum account (the single account used across all leagues) and registers for the CBL through its sign-up page. A player enters the free agent pool after staff approval and may then be signed by a GM.
3.2: One Account, One Player
Each member plays under one console account that is linked to their APL profile. Account sharing, playing on another member's account and registering more than one player are not allowed. A player who changes console accounts must report it to staff before playing.
3.3: Eligibility
Only a player who is approved, registered on a team roster and in good standing may play for that team. A player on a roster who is under suspension or ban is ineligible. A game played with an ineligible player is a violation under Article IV.
3.4: No Guest Players
There are no guest players or substitutes from outside the roster. Only rostered players take part in games, and only rostered players earn stats and career records.
3.5: Activity
Players are expected to keep their availability current, check the site and forum for league notices, and answer staff and GM messages within a reasonable time (see Section Four).
Section Four: Roles and Responsibilities
4.1: General Managers
- Build and manage a compliant roster within the salary cap and roster limits (Article III)
- Submit lines and scheduling information before the deadlines (Article II)
- Confirm game times with the opposing GM and report any issue to staff in time
- Make sure every rostered player knows the schedule and the rules
- Make transactions in good faith (Article IV)
4.2: Players
- Keep availability accurate. Marking "available" and then not showing is a no-show
- Be in the lobby on time for every scheduled game
- Play every game under the fair-play standards in Article IV
- Submit or verify stats as required
- Respect teammates, opponents and staff at all times
4.3: Captains
A team may name a Captain from its roster. The Captain helps the GM run the lobby on game night, checks that the roster is ready and reports the result. A Captain has no extra authority over rules or discipline.
4.4: Response Times
Staff are expected to answer complaints within 48–72 hours (Article IV, Section Two). GMs are expected to answer trade offers, waiver notices and scheduling requests within 24 hours.
Section Five: Conduct and Discipline
5.1: Standard of Conduct
Every member must treat others with respect. Harassment, hate speech, threats, discrimination and targeted abuse are not allowed anywhere in the league, including the forum, Discord, game chat and party chat.
5.2: Discipline
Violations are handled through the judicial process in Article IV, Section Two. Penalties range from a warning to a permanent ban, and are listed in Article IV, Section Four (4.6).
5.3: Appeals
A member may appeal a ruling to the Commissioner's Office. A final appeal goes to the Board of Governors. The appeal process in APHL Article I, Section One (1.4) applies.