Great idea but it is starting to show how hard it is to make money in the womens competition.

it's good that they are going to play some country games it could benifit local clubs as well. they could get more people at home games if they got the same respect as the sixers do by not having junior games on at the same time, i think this needs to change soon if they are to finacially survive

Ihope Vince has taken the logistical considerations into account.

3 referees, 5 scoretable staff, 4 statisticians, a Games Commisioner all who have to be accredited to a certain level will neede to be found...obviously the league will take care of the refs...but then there is travel and accomodation...wont be a cheap option

He's thought of something that applies directly to him, but wouldn't it be a relevant issue?

This is the start of the end for the Lightning.

Vince is a business man not a bottomless pit of money. Whyalla is not an afluent town when it comes to its general towns people. Very welfare driven. There would be some good corporate support there but I cant see 2000 whyalla people going to games. Maybe 500, but then again you would have to be careful what you would charge. Plus the extra expenses of getting there etc...cant see this working unless the corporate sponsors are far bigger than in Adelaide.

A lightning sale may not be too far away....

I would take a guess and say Vince has already spoken to companies such as Rex Airlines or O'Conner Airlines and local hotels who would simply supply travel and accomodation as their sponsorship deal.

Wow I mention the need for 13 accredited people at a game, and that is somehow thinking of myself??

Just for the record, stats staff dont generally get games they want to do, we are asked for availability at the start of the season then get rostered to a game, with the co ordinatoor having to take in availability, and ensuring a good mix of more experienced and newer panel members.

Plus if Vince does move games to Whyalla, you will need to find table officials (who are volunteers) willing to give up the best part of a weekend for a 2 hour basketball game.....

I read pressure being bought to bear for a better deal in town.

Said it before.... Vince, create and use your team to put bums on seats, get air time, get your team into the social pages, judge some fashions, cut some ribbons, go to the races and employ someone to hound the media into recognising when and where Lightning has struck.

At the minute you have a dour coach who would like to see his players behave in a similar manner. This will get you 200-500 diehards at a venue of your choice, under the radar wont pay the bills.

Panther

I can almost guarentee you that neither Airline would be interested. O'Connors are really struggling and Rex have pulled back on all major sponsorships other than real community areas, and this one would be considered corporate.

Anon 121610, no one is having a go at Counrty people. Get a grip. Reality is that the support will only go so far and the chances of this town supporting with 2000+ people at $20 a ticket is slim to none. If the corporates like One Steele help out with more money then there is a chance, but IMO, I cant see the team being sustainable for a long period in the bush.

the lightning have always struggled to draw much more than 500-600 per game for stand alone matches,i dont think cancelling junior games will really have that much of an effect,you always get people saying they would go,good in theory but in reality most dont go,look at the AFL,people always argued for the stadium to be extended but once they did the crowds didnt increase and for finals it actually dropped slightly.as for going to whyalla it would be interesting to see how many recruits would want to come here then,i wonder what thoughts the players have on this!

I agree,

they will really struggle to get crowds there. I can understrand why they want to do it and it would be good for the country areas, but we have to be realistics.

Will they get any more bums on seats in the long run. Also a lot of the players have to work as well and it will be difficult to find work and uni commitments.

It will be just too hard, and although I support Vince Marino, as he is really committed to basketball in South Australia, I think it heralds the beginning of the end!!! Sad really, there is just no money in women's basketball

Lightning wouldn't move. I have been there once. Just Dust.

No players would come to play for the Whyalla Lightning.

A few games to Whyalla is a great idea and you will get maxed out crowds and sponsorship for a few games.

Hawks play 1-2 matches in Tasmania and now they have Tourism Tasmania as their major sponsor.

One of the things brought up in the BSA forums were to stage more country NBL and WNBL fixtures.

What a great idea!

the odd game or two would pull a good regional crowd - but regular games - the crowd would thin quickly.

yes whyalla deserves some games - due to vince and other sponsors.

TV coverage ??? would the auntie regularly take on whyalla.

the comment about whyalla having social issues is relevant - but whyalla is doing well at the moment on an up.

some games yes - but relocate no.

adelaide sponsors pull your finger out!

I think its a crazy idea to move to a country town. The additional travelling would be a nightmare, both cost wise and the comfort of the players. It would always be 2 planes to catch whether the Lightning go interstate to play or whether interstate teams come here. I doubt other teams would take to it too kindly having to travel to Adelaide and then out to a country location. If there's not that much money in women's basketball, what makes Vince Marino think that they would gladly accept the additional travelling costs. Not just his team but all teams.

bendigo is about 1.5 hrs from melb - large 80,000 pop city

whyalla - 4 hours, 22,000

abc could probably have a regional HQ set up there or ballarat

what we need is a marketing study - and work out what sort of crowd we need to break even .

ie 650 per game to break even.

then work out what regional centres hold 650 plus.

then find out who would go? ie 650 interested?

then market it big time - ie pt lincoln, whyalla, pirie or augusta - its all good.

look regionally where our basketballers are - and reward them with a or some games - ie millicent, mt gambier, pirie, whyalla, augusta - all providing great juniors.

maybe the games that would only pull 400 here in adelaide - ie adel v perth or bendigo

rather than big double header crowd pullers ie caps, sydney etc

there is no way you can tell me 36er / lightning crowds are not bigger at double headers

Sounds like a great idea. A couple of games in the regional areas. This would mean say Millicent would get one game a year.
As such there would be great support. But more importantly, with some local school visits and school visits, this would be great for basketball.
It is interesting, I have spent the last 5 years in adelaide and 20 years previous in the country. Country people will travel for 1.5 to even up to 3hrs plus to play a game of football, (often with 4 - 6 sides in the comp) every second weekend. Yet the complaints on hoops travelling to Gawler or down to Southern, oh my, such a distance, such a hassel.
It is not that the city kids arent tough, their parents are just such whimps and whingers.
Basketball will be supported in the regional areas, and is this not the main thing.

so we could look at -

1 or 2 games in the south east

millicent / mt gambier

and 4 or 5 in the iron triangle

whyalla 3
pirie 1
augusta 1

and 5 or 6 games in adelaide

I hope the iron triangle stadiums are air cond!!!

Q - what sort of return is the whyalla council looking for with the stadium upgrade.


interesting point - the players get signed then the release re moving to whyalla.

the occasional regional game has proved to be successful for the wnbl - geraldton etc - all have delivered interest from smaller communities - and ensured that they will continue.

so maybe for the first few games whyalla may pull 1,000 or so - lot less to do in whyalla and it would be a big night for sure!

however to regularly expect 1,000 people - that would be 1 in 22 going to the game from the city - may not hold over time.

you may pick up 250 people from adelaide and surrounding areas making a night out.

why not have a game when the junior carnival is on for that area - ie whyalla carnival is on during wnbl season?

if we avaeraged 1 to 22 attandance in adelaide we should have 50,00 attending (based on approx 1 mill living in adel)

not rostering games on junior nights is a start

but then again vince owns the team and we knew this sort of thing may happen.

I really think vince would not be detrimental and would only explore some of the better aspects of ownership and a happy marriage will occur between regional and metro rostered games.

The lightning roadshow!

121732, the female you're referencing would probably be Samara and the male, Mike.

I'm not sure what made you believe that they were not interested in new sponsorship opportunities but I can't believe that that would be the case. Perhaps an enquiry went missing and wasn't responded to (happens with everyone).

I'd encourage you to give it another shot as they are definitely interested in hearing from all potential corporate supporters.

Mike's email address username is MikeD and the domain is AdelaideLightning.com - put them together and send him an email.

Let them play at Pt Augusta.

That way, if the crowd numbers start to get lazy, they can take all the detainees at the detention centre for a night out!

this is a very viable option that with a bit of thought and commitment could work. lets be open minded people