Kogoy
Years ago

re:Fix this league

Hey yeah, lets just take a big gamble, blitz the tellie with commercials with money the NBL doesn't have, roll the dice and if it doesn't pay off (which it most likely wont), we'll be left with no NBL at all. People just need to accept that the NBL is a second or third level sport here in Australia. People need to just enjoy the game and get over this idea of making the NBL as popular as the major codes or even the A-League. Australia does not have the population to support the NBL after the sponsorship dollars have been spent on the NRL, AFL, Super 12, Cricket and A-League. There's only 20 Million of us! People like to watch world class sport. Hence the popularity of the above mentioned leagues, apart from the A-League, but football is the ONLY world game so its an exception. Basketball has no mainstream tradition in Australia. If it had any potential, a Murdoch or a Lowy would have already invested in it, believe me. Even a large number of basketball fans wont watch the NBL because they think its boring and inferior to the NBA.

Any further expansion would be ludicrous. The Kings are on the ropes once again this season, teams live season to season. The NBL should be consolidating. Reduce the number of teams to 10, that would strengthen the talent and spread the limited funds around a bit better. Get rid of Singapore, merge West Sydney with the Kings, and sack any other teams that can't support themselves. They should set up in Darwin where there is no competition from other professional sports.

Any marketing should be grassroots, getting out to schools, players meeting the public in plazas, shopping centres, on the streets etc. NBl does not have the money for tv commercials.

Topic #14862 | Report this topic

curtley
Years ago

Grass roots baby.

Reply #175593 | Report this post

curtley
Years ago

But seriously you can´t put the success of the early 90s down to luck alone, the success of soccer is off the back of publicity generated by the world cup mainly, also there´s only 8 bloody teams down from something like 18. What about how rugby league and the AFL have been able to flourish in non-traditional states, 20 years ago no-one in victoria knew what rugby league was, likewise with AFL in NSW and QLD, at least basketball has a place in the minds of people. What i suggested is feasible assuming many things fall into place - money backer, FTA tv etc, but don´t you see that Australia is in a unique position to have an entire monopoly on the Asian and South American market as Europe has on European basketball which as you know has diferent import restrictions. Also the A-league hasn´t expanded into Asia yet. I feel your belief that 4 teams in NZ won´t work is based on the breakers situation, however my format would be replacing the entire original NZ league which is played throughout our winter, how many even diehard fans would go to basketball all year round and why would the breakers bring new fans in anyway that didn´t already like basketball - they are making up the numbers in the aussie league from the perspective of most (and yes i have spoken to every new zealander alive to garner this opinion). Yes we need a frank lowy type of bloke to do this and we need FTA tv and these things don´t happen overnight.

Reply #175597 | Report this post

You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.

Close ads

Serio: Tourism photography and videography

Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Hoops

re:Fix this league

Recent Posts