Scotland "will soon have two teams in the British Basketball League after the BBL gave the green light to American entrepreneur Donald Sampley to enter a team based at Meadowbank" in season '14-15, joining Glasgow Rocks in the league, according to the Edinburgh EVENING NEWS. Sampley said, "It’s a done deal. It’s the culmination of three long years of hard work." The "biggest surprise is the name of the new team which is to be called 'East Scotland Warriors.'" Most people assumed that the name "would include either Edinburgh or Meadowbank," but Sampley insists that the new franchise has a much wider area than just the capital and will go right up to include Aberdeen. Sampley: "My first tasks include meeting with clubs from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, organizing my skills academy, developing corporate relations and meeting with BasketballScotland to discuss programs I want to implement" (EVENING NEWS, 7/8). MVP247's Mark Woods reported while the franchise has been granted, there "remains no absolute guarantee that the Warriors will be seen in action." Several applicants in recent years "have been granted places" only to flounder. However, BBL CEO Andy Webb "is confident that the proposals laid down can be delivered by Edinburgh." Webb: "The strong community ethos of the club fits perfectly with our own beliefs and we look forward to seeing their development in this area over the course of the next season" (MVP247, 7/8).
