how to fix the NBL?

Mitchell Madness

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Thread starter #1
I have heard that during the late80's early 90's, the NBL was one of the worlds premier competitions.... I believe the inception of new teams has hindered it's support...

To help reserect it, two things are needed....

First, some teams need to be relegated to a 2nd division league, keeping 8 teams. Melbourne Tigers, Sydney Kings, Adelaide 36ers, Perth Wildcats, Brisbane Bullets, Tasmania (New team to make more national) Northern Territorians (New team, once again to make more national), and one of the remaining teams... Most Likely west Sydney Razorbacks...
Appologies to other border/rural teams such as Townsville, Cairns and Wollongong, who will have to begin in the 2nd division....

2nd division something like Townsville, Cairns, Woolongong, Wellington, Auckland (well i dunno NZ, but create a nth vs south rivalry between them...) Sth Dragons, and two more, possibly ACT (new team) and one other....

These teams compete in premier leagues, with two teams each year being promoted and relegated... PRemier of div 2 is elevated, and a playoff between the r/up and 3rd placed team for final elevation... Bottom of Div one relegated, and play off between 2nd and 3rd last to keep their spot...

Creates tension, hype and drama = fans....

2nd, development of state competitions (possibly also premier comps) and High School competitions which could rival the NCAA system....


thoughts?
 

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Alex99

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#2
If you honestly believe this will work; you know nothing about basketball in Australia.

Basketball in Australia already has the ABA so we do not need to invent any division 2 competition. If there was a true second division national level basketball competition clubs in this would find difficult to attract corporate money, spectators buying memberships and the quality talent to produce a standard of basketball people will be willing to watch. So it would go bankrupts or be scraped like the rugby union did with theirs. Hell the teams in the NBL struggle to attract these things.

The NBL teams struggles now because the sport has the perception of being an inferior product to other sports in this country as well as world wide.

As a continent Australia is too big to have multiple levels of competition. In the early 1990s basketball Australia tried to implement a second level of competitions but it was a financial bust (and that was went basketball was huge). Teams lost way too much money trying to budget for flights and accommodation and other business like things but it never worked. I cannot recall what it was called but Adelaide had a team called the Adelaide Buffalos. This didn’t work.

I see no point in trying to set up clubs in a small market. Tasmania had a side and for one reason or another it didn’t work. For a team in either Tasmania or the Northern territory they would need the state government to financially support them or attract large amounts of corporate support. Basketball is not big enough as a sport to warrant this kind at attention. The NTFL has been looking at setting up a football side to play in the SANFL and have been struggling to attract state financial support and football is way bigger in Australia than basketball. I cannot see it working in either state.

The 2 clubs that are working well, you want to kick them out? Townville and Cairns are quite successful for NBL clubs. No way should they be in any lower division.

This is how I would try and fix the NBL.

I would have10 clubs and only have it Australia wide.
(Perth, Adelaide, South Dragons, Melbourne Tigers, Sydney Kings, West Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Townville and Cairns).

I would eliminate Singapore and New Zealand as well as removing Wollongong because of financial reason. The NBL needs to find a window inside the European season and build the season around that. We are losing quality player to European sides every year and if we had a 4 months season during the European season these player may come back. Increasing the standard of competitions is a good way of attracting people to the game.
 

bus24

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#3
Townsville and Cairns in a "second division" :D. Don't think so.

Singapore have to go. It's a shambles up there.

New Zealand seem to be coming good, but I'm not sure why we need a team from NZ. What do they offer Australian basketball?

I'd been keen on keeping the Hawks if they get their shit together. One of the few remaining foundation clubs, so much history, and a pretty decent fanbase.

I'd be giving West Sydney the boot. Terrible crowds, sometimes only in 3 figures. Another team in Sydney is not needed IMO. Just look at the crowds the Kings generally get. Best side in the land this year by far, and for the most part, their crowds have still been deplorable, compared to the population of the city.

10 teams is enough. Resources are stretched enough as it is. Less teams would probably mean the quality improves.

You've got 10 clubs (Perth Wildcats, Adelaide 36ers, Melbourne Tigers, South Dragons, Wollongong Hawks, Sydney Kings, Gold Coast Blaze, Brisbane Bullets, Townsville Crocodiles and Cairns Taipans) that are all pretty well supported.

All would appear to be pretty sound financially apart from the Hawks. I really hope they can get their house in order, because it really would be sad to lose them.
 

Osmodiar

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#4
Grid Iron and NBA are very popular in the states mainly because of the colleges and the history. I don't think the NBL is struggling because of the league, I just think the game is struggling in terms of youth and publicity. Basketball just isn't popular enough in Australia anymore.

Basketball was getting pretty big back early 90's because it was on free to air TV and everyone wanting to be like Jordan. NBL was doing prety well because of it. For a period of about 1996-2002 (correct if I am wrong) but I think basketball just fell off everyone's map there for a while. Hopefully, with Bogut and some of the younger guys in college doing well the game will get a bit more publicity.

I don't know how to make the NBL popular again. It just seems to go with the flow of how popular the NBA is.

PS: Bring back NBA Jam. I know so many people who first picked up a ball because of that game!
 
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#5
I dont think it's a matter of cutting out teams or anything. Basketball in Australia (at a national level, at junior level's, it will always be doing well) is up shit creek. With Soccer becoming more and more popular daily it's just gonna make it alot tougher.

I dont think it will ever become as good as when Jordan was playing, IMO that was the only real reason why it was so popular here. t's defently a 5-10 year thing, and I can see it going very pear shaped soon if somethings not done. IMHO we gotta put more emphasis on the 'Entertainment' factor, like the A-League have done with '90 Minutes, 90 Emotions'.

There's one way to gain alot of attention do a "L.A Galaxy/Beckham", but yeah, no coin hey.

With what Osmodir said, I think the only way for Basketball to gain more exposure is for the Boomers to be competitve (Medal Placing), and Bogut/Mills/Ogilvy/Bruce etc to really have some success in the states. Especially Mills, I think if he can go over there and have an impact, it will do huge things over here, that one game where Mills killed it against NZ, it was all over the news, so who knows what a ROY award would do.

Does anyone know how many ppl the Giants were getting to games? Wasn't it 30,000 at one stage? I rememeber everyone used to have a team wheather it be Magic, Tigers or Giants.

I remember in year 12 our P.E teacher asked the class who knew who was leading the NBL or NBA and who the big players were atm, and me and a couple other blokes put our hands up. He said he asked that question, not word for word obviously, but basically had a conversation about it, and he said everyone knew the stats and names etc of both leagues. Pretty weird.

Wish I was 18-19 then, all the pub talk is about AFL/Soccer/Rugby these days, i've never even dared to even bring it up. Even for the blokes who wear Lakers caps or any NBA team, 90% of the time they wont even know who the hell im talking about. I remember I was at the pub and saw a guy with a Portland hat on (this was about a week after the Lottery) and I said 'Pretty stoked to have the number 1 pick?' and he just looked at me like I was a ghost.
 

Inferno

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#8
I dont think it's a matter of cutting out teams or anything. Basketball in Australia (at a national level, at junior level's, it will always be doing well) is up shit creek. With Soccer becoming more and more popular daily it's just gonna make it alot tougher.

I dont think it will ever become as good as when Jordan was playing, IMO that was the only real reason why it was so popular here. t's defently a 5-10 year thing, and I can see it going very pear shaped soon if somethings not done. IMHO we gotta put more emphasis on the 'Entertainment' factor, like the A-League have done with '90 Minutes, 90 Emotions'.

There's one way to gain alot of attention do a "L.A Galaxy/Beckham", but yeah, no coin hey.

With what Osmodir said, I think the only way for Basketball to gain more exposure is for the Boomers to be competitve (Medal Placing), and Bogut/Mills/Ogilvy/Bruce etc to really have some success in the states. Especially Mills, I think if he can go over there and have an impact, it will do huge things over here, that one game where Mills killed it against NZ, it was all over the news, so who knows what a ROY award would do.

Does anyone know how many ppl the Giants were getting to games? Wasn't it 30,000 at one stage? I rememeber everyone used to have a team wheather it be Magic, Tigers or Giants.

I remember in year 12 our P.E teacher asked the class who knew who was leading the NBL or NBA and who the big players were atm, and me and a couple other blokes put our hands up. He said he asked that question, not word for word obviously, but basically had a conversation about it, and he said everyone knew the stats and names etc of both leagues. Pretty weird.

Wish I was 18-19 then, all the pub talk is about AFL/Soccer/Rugby these days, i've never even dared to even bring it up. Even for the blokes who wear Lakers caps or any NBA team, 90% of the time they wont even know who the hell im talking about. I remember I was at the pub and saw a guy with a Portland hat on (this was about a week after the Lottery) and I said 'Pretty stoked to have the number 1 pick?' and he just looked at me like I was a ghost.
Agreed. We need a player to get excited about and it really has to be an Aussie I think. The NBL has fallen so far from the 90's when sellout crowds would pack Rod Laver Arena for the Tigers vs Magic games, where have all these people gone? The standard isn't much lower then it was then, it was probably a bit quicker paced in the 90's from memory but we never had this many players that made it in the NBA in some way, shape or form. We just need to get the hype back, like what the A-league did on the back of the Socceroos World Cup campaign. If the Boomers could make it at least to the final of the Olympics it could wake up basketball in Australia.

and maybe if the NBL went under we could have an A-league like revival of the sport?
 
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#9
Agreed. We need a player to get excited about and it really has to be an Aussie I think. The NBL has fallen so far from the 90's when sellout crowds would pack Rod Laver Arena for the Tigers vs Magic games, where have all these people gone? The standard isn't much lower then it was then, it was probably a bit quicker paced in the 90's from memory but we never had this many players that made it in the NBA in some way, shape or form. We just need to get the hype back, like what the A-league did on the back of the Socceroos World Cup campaign. If the Boomers could make it at least to the final of the Olympics it could wake up basketball in Australia.

and maybe if the NBL went under we could have an A-league like revival of the sport?
lol the actual NBL will NEVER go under.
 

Alex99

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#10
lol the actual NBL will NEVER go under.
Didn’t they say the same thing about the ABL (Australian baseball league) 8 or 9 years ago?

I somewhat agree with you but basketball in this country has a lot of work ahead of themselves to get things right, currently it only has its nostrils above water. Things are not looking good.
 
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#11
Dont they already try and do sumthing like this already on a national level, ABA, ABL or what not?

NBL - Div1
ABA/ABL - Div2
State Leagues - Div3
Youth
etc etc.
Didn’t they say the same thing about the ABL (Australian baseball league) 8 or 9 years ago?

I somewhat agree with you but basketball in this country has a lot of work ahead of themselves to get things right, currently it only has its nostrils above water. Things are not looking good.
said that already in the post above ive quoted.
 

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#14
ABL = Australian Baseball League went under about 10 years ago and people within that sport said it would never happen.
I think the SEABL changed to CBA, then to ABL, now its ABA for the basketball over the years.

Find Julius Hodge equivalents for the front-office.
how goods he going.
 

PHX

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#15
Tassie is happy with our 3 teams in the SEABL.

It works better. We showed we just weren't suited to the NBL and a state team. The three different teams works well and I would want to change it.

I also cant see a resurrection of NBL basketball in this country. Just have to battle how it is.
 

MCE

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#16
One thing the NBL can do is get rid of the stupid finals system they currently have. Seriously, when a team works all season to get a 3rd or 4th seed for the finals I can't see how it's fair that they can be knocked out in a single game.
 

tandino

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#17
The NBL really needs to get back on FTA Television. I know they have that highlights show on Channel 9 but Sunday mornings isn't really the best time to promote your product.

This new television multi-channel stuff that has been going on really opens up an opportunity for the NBL to get back onto television. I know the NBL has an existing deal with Foxtel, but if that could be worked around so that (for instance) Channel 9 + Foxtel broadcast the NBL jointly, it might work out better for all.

Broadcast 3 matches on FTA (Friday Night, Saturday Night, Sunday Night), two of which on 9HD and a decent game on Channel 9 proper on Saturday night.

Foxtel can broadcast their usual 3 or so games a week, including Wednesday Night, Thursday Night and one additional game.
 

Embers

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#19
A bit more excitement at the games. The difference between a Wildcats game and a lets say Sydney Kings game is staggering.

Embrace Monday Night basketball and get rid of Wednesday night crap. Its stupid

Less teams - Wollongong Singapore and South Dragons should be given the royal boot.

A country town team in W.A would do well. Get rid of 3 sides and put a team down in Bunbury or Albany. Basketball is still quite popular in W.A
 

Alex99

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#20
As much as we'd all love that, I reckon it would be a ratings disaster for ch 9
Not on Nine HD @ 10:30pm on a Saturday Night.

If they took the Foxtel feed from that night games and only had to play it on their HD channel – would rating really matter that much.

Once you start talking about broadcasting alternative game that Foxtel do not have camera for, this is when they will want some sort of monetary or ratings return.
 

tandino

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#21
Not on Nine HD @ 10:30pm on a Saturday Night.

If they took the Foxtel feed from that night games and only had to play it on their HD channel – would rating really matter that much.

Once you start talking about broadcasting alternative game that Foxtel do not have camera for, this is when they will want some sort of monetary or ratings return.
That is a cheaper way of doing it.

You would think that the Saturday Night game that 9 show on Sunday morning would cost nothing at all to produce.

I always wondered why Channel 9 bothered to put NBL on Sunday moning, until I realised that if it isn't costing them much, if anything, to do so.

And, they probably have their foot in the door to show some full games on their HD channel this year. Furthermore, by doing so they probably have first option for the FTA rights to produce and broadcast their own games, as opposed to Foxtel games, which could prove handy if Australia wins a medal in Beijing and Basketball turns around in this country.
 

mattdavies_03

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#22
I think with the scheduling, they need to do something similar to what the A-League did, and have games on the weekend, with other mid-week special fixtures(NYE, Boxing Day, Queens BDay). This is one of the main factors in Soccers revival in Australia. Given that there is no AFL or Rugby for most of the A-League season, that leaves basically one sporting event on the weekends.

If the NBL had some sort of AFL/A-League/Rugby structure like 1 or 2 games on Friday night, 2 on SatDay, 2 on Sat night, and then maybe 2 on Sunday, this will help get more structure. The way it is now, there are games all over the place, and its hard to keep track of the rounds.

With a weekend fixture, it gives more of a structured approach, instead of having a couple of games on the weekend, and then games on monday/wednesday/thursday. Although, given the success of Big Wednesday, they could keep Wednesday games as a feature, ala the NFL with Monday Night Feature.

If they were to do this, they should enter into a deal with Fox Sports to show as many games live as possible, similar to the A-League. Then further down the track, if popularity grows, they may look to having a highlights package on FTA, as they do now.

Basketball is one of my favourite sports, and it would be great if we could see it rise to the heights it reached in the early 90's
 

Chuq

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#25
We just need to get the hype back, like what the A-league did on the back of the Socceroos World Cup campaign.
The A-League was launched in August 2005, and was very successful about four months before the WCQ game v Uruguay. Sure, the World Cup helped, but growth has been pretty consistent during the whole time.
 
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