Newcastle Eagles

Newcastle Eagles (for sponsorship purposes Esh Group Eagles Newcastle) is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Holding the franchise for Tyne & Wear, they are the most successful team in the league's history. Since 2010, the Eagles have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city. Their traditional arch rivals are the Glasgow Rocks.

Franchise history

New name, New arena

Sir John Hall, then chairman of Newcastle United FC bought the team shortly after their arrival in Newcastle; adding them to his Newcastle Sporting Group of the city's football, ice hockey and rugby teams. Hall's Sporting Club group was considered by most observers to be a relative failure and upon its dissolution, Ken Nottage and Paul Blake became the Eagles' new owners. The final name change, from the Comets to the Eagles, took place in 1996. Performances remained consistent with the club achieving regular top five league placings from 1998 onwards.