Anonymous
Years ago

Dragons / Tigers Press Conference

"NATIONAL Basketball League grand finalists South Dragons and Melbourne Tigers are expected to hold a joint press conference on Wednesday to explain their reasons for sitting out the 2009-10 season."

"We want to give the fans and supporters a bit more insight into why we made the decision," said South Dragons co-owner Mark Cowan. "We thought it was going to be worthwhile putting together some historical facts and letting people know what has gone on behind the scenes."

HOPEFULLY IT WILL CONTAIN THE TRUTH.

WE UNRESERVABLE APPOLOGISE FOR THE WAY WE HAVE TREATED THIS SPORT AND PUT OUR OWN INTERESTS ABOVE EVERY OTHER CLUB, WE HAVE IGNORED THE REALISTIC CURRENT ECONIMIC CLIMATE. WE INDEAD COULD FIELD A TEAM IN THE NNBL BUT WE DONT LIKE TO PLAY BY THE RULES...IN SHORT,

WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE RORTED THE POINTS SYSTEM FOR MANY YEARS, AND HAVE SPENT WELL ABOVE THE SALARY CAP, ILLEGALLY. IN DOING SO WE PUT THE OVERALL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE LEAGUE IN DOUBT AS OTHER TEAMS TRIED TO KEEP UP.

WE ARE BOTH WORRIED NOW THAT LIFE WILL GO ON, WE WILL JOIN AMOUNG OTHERS THE DEVILS, SUPERCATS, SAINTS, SPIRIT, KINGS, BULLETS, CANNONS, BUT WE ARE TERRIFIED THAT WE WONT FIT IN HERE EITHER, AS THEY WENT OUT WITH SOME DIGNITY.

FURTHERMORE WE THE TIGERS WOULD LIKE TO APPOLOGISE TO THE GAZE FAMILY, AND THE MANY TIGERS STALWARTS AND FAITHFUL FANS WHO HAVE BUILT UP A NATIONAL RECOGNISABLE BRAND IN BASKETBALL, BUT WE HAVE PISSED IT AWAY, FOR THIS WE ARE SORRY.

HIGNSIGHT IS A WONDERFUL THING....IF WE HAD OUR TIME AGAIN WE WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY....BA WAS RIGHT, WE ARE NOT BIGGER THAN THIS SPORT.


Topic #19970 | Report this topic


Pigs Of War  
Years ago

And the nbl and BA should not attend or host it on their website, also asking foxsports not to add it...

fark em, and i cant wait for the time they want in and it cost's them $1M+

Reply #236808 | Report this post


HAYDEN  
Years ago

Wow anonymous someone is bitter. Im sure your team also didnt break the salary cap, and it is interesting that the people who have pulled out are giving more information to their supporters and the public than those who have stayed in this schamble of a league and BA. Oh well enjoy watching the game once a week.

Reply #236809 | Report this post


Camel 31  
Years ago

Don't spose Cowan will mention that his partner pulled out as the major reason.

Reply #236812 | Report this post


charlie  
Years ago

The word I have heard is that the Gaze Family and the Tigers have been working really hard to put together a team for the 09/10 season and there is a chance of another team from Melbourne as well. BA is hoping to make an announcement on Tuesday about the league and tv coverage (foxtel will broardcast 2 games a week). The SOS is also hoping that by tuesday all legal documents giving them ownership of the license and a lease for the dome will be confirmed.
But as we know things can change in the blink of an eye

Reply #236813 | Report this post


HAHA  
Years ago

Some call it bitterness... others call it facts.
I'd rather live in the light than darkness, mate!
I too hope BA have nothing whatsoever to do with their lame overdue 'reasons' on their website.(or at least the ones that will make them look good)
We've moved on and are looking to the future- they should do the same.

Reply #236814 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

No bitterness here....and I can asure you the club that I am a fan of did not cheat the cap.

The league will roll on, new players will come through and we will have a closer product as the cap will be policed....

Reply #236815 | Report this post


Falkman  
Years ago

Sounds like a couple of fans who are pissed that the tigers and dragons were just better than then, and will be happier to see a comp that nobody actually cares about, but that they can possibly win in.
That sounds like bitterness.
And don't blame the tigers and the dragons for taking advantage of the fact that the nbl didn't police the cap. every team did. they just had deeper pockets.

Reply #236818 | Report this post


Falkman  
Years ago

and don't think that i believe roarting the cap is or was the right thing to do. like every fan i want to see a level playing field with a good product. the tigers and dragons did what they could to put the best product out there for the fans. and for that i've always been happy with them.

Reply #236820 | Report this post


HAYDEN  
Years ago

Agree Falkman. And really with a reform that is taking place, if we are to believe that BA will announce this new tv deal, it is still only 2 games a week, when we were told it would be every game covered live so once again they fail to deliver on another promise and i wouldnt be surprised if that date was delayed anyway.

People have a go at both teams, saying they havent really told everything and have left the supporters hanging then they comeout to tell what happened and then they get bagged. If any of your teams had made the decision you would be saying the same thing. Most of the people we saying that the league was going to be a shambles and we should look at postponing the season as we had heard nothing, but now that it was only the Melbourne teams you change your mind and see the Dragons and Tigers as easy targets.

Anyway anonymous, cant take you seriously as you fail to put your name to anything that you say...

Reply #236829 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Name witheld to protect the innocent. What does an alias name achieve anyway?

No arguement that the Tigers and Dragons were the best two teams in the comp. That is my point...the best money can buy.

Let me pre-empt Cowan by saying, How was your model sustainable for the rest of the teams in the league? BA knows that it isnt thats why they are standing strong, the other clubs know it isnt thats why they are committed to playing without them.

Of course evryone wants the Tigers and Dragons to be playing...just play within the ethics and by laws of the game...that is sport. If they really cared about basketball in this country they would eat some humble pie, jump into the real world and grow/ reform the sport in a realistic manner like evryone else is trying to do.





Reply #236833 | Report this post


HAYDEN  
Years ago

Anonymous everyone apart from wollongong and Sydney Spirit went over the salary cap, so then I guess you go for Wollongong as the other Sydney teams also broke the salary cap in past years and still would have in the past.


with regards to the Dragons, that is the model that everyone hopes to one day achieve!If other teams cannot afford to spend money on advertising and playing in a big stadium, that is unfortunate for them, but your ideal seems to be very communist. Everyone equal?? spending the same ect.
In every sport there are teams that have bigger business model, you have more fans, play in better stadiums, can afford to spend more than other on player.

Collingwood against North Melbourne
Melbourne Victory ect ect.

The facts is that we still do not know anything about this surposed revamp and it is almost 3 months away!! If you believe the way BA has handled it i hope you are not in business because it has been dreadful.

This may be the last chance the Basketball has in Australia, lets get it bloody right!!

Reply #236835 | Report this post


A  
Years ago

-'with regards to the Dragons, that is the model that everyone hopes to one day achieve!If other teams cannot afford to spend money on advertising and playing in a big stadium'

Well Hayden, the Dragons cannot afford it anymore!(straight from Cowans mouth).

-'Oh well enjoy watching the game once a week.'

Yes Hayden, I have enjoyed watching one game a week for the past two seasons.

Reply #236839 | Report this post


Statman  
Years ago

Collingwood and Nth Melbourne both spend teh same on players due to teh AFL salary cap. The Pies however do have better facilities and probably a lot more staff than the Kangaroos.
The difference I see there though is that Collingwoods better facilities are due to them historically making more money and being more successful than Nth melbourne NOT from recieving handouts from a rich owner who is making money elsewhere and likes to help out the Pies as a bit of fun on the side.

I think we all want to have a model where our players are paid very well (to ensure we keep the top players playing here) and have awesome faciliies. Surely the way to achieve this s to ensure that the league and all clubs are profitable and not reliant on handouts from whichever rich owner is lookingfor a hobby at the time. IMO the best way to start working towards this goal is to cut everything back to the bone and start again with lower costs across the board. Then we aim fro growth at a sustainable rate

Reply #236843 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

The Hawks too broke the cap in 2000,2001,20002 but when carson walked the clock was ticking on the clubs survival.

We all would love a league that the Dragons and Tigers propose, but it is a fantasy...you can't deny that it aint going to happen...not yet anyway.

Not sure about the communism tag???If you have the resources to spend more than other clubs...put it into looking after your players eg...up grade travel and accomodation, team gear, meals, their own practice facility ala crocs, breakers...their are things you can do to make players want to play for your program....you just can't cheat....

Why are you an advocate for cheating? Would you throw the ball out of a bunker onto the green if you thought no-one was watching? Would you claim a catch in the covers if you knew you grassed it? Just because you get away with it doesnt make it right....Why now does Cowan feel the need to come out and speak...guilty concience? Just walk away mate....you had your chance.

Reply #236844 | Report this post


Falkman  
Years ago

Smart statement Anon. Lets kick out the owners willing to invest & SPEND THEIR MONEY FOR US FANS and keep the deadbeats who have been bringing down the sport for years. That's going to help achieve the goal of making basketball sustainable and make our newNBL a quality competition.
You ever heard the term only the strong survive. BA should be looking after those willing to put money into the league, into their teams and into the sport. Not those who can't afford to even keep their own house in order.

Reply #236849 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

The current 7 teams can most likely get TV coverage for all home games via the local TV stations. Many of these Stations have wanted to broadcast the games in past but have been prevented from the Fox deal.

Also live streaming was again prevented due to the fox deal.

If all home games are telecast to the local markets it would mean the away game would be available to be broadcasted. This means that everyone of a teams games could be broadcasted in the local market.

this is what local businesses/box holders want.

a fox deal of 2 games a week doesnt achieve this

Reply #236853 | Report this post


Falkman  
Years ago

So how does a small time deal where regional teams games are broadcast into regional teams cities make the sport sustainable and gain significant financial backing from the corporate sector?
I'm pretty sure that sponsors who are going to contribute big $$ sponsoring a side would want their logo seen across the country, not just by the couple of thousand people in woollongong (a city of 280 000 peopl) who could be bothered watching them against cairns because nothing else is on.
And i'm sure sponsors won't be throwing money at the teams when the 3 biggest markets in the country don't get to see their game.
And talking about streaming is nuts.
Hardcore basketball fans will tune in via streaming, but few regular australians will actively go out and search up to stream the games online.
Hell, most australian's won't turn in to anything unless it's shoved down their throats. This is why marketing and thus strong financial backing from both sponsors, and especially owners, is so important. And is not something that these poor owners can be relied upon to do.
If your owner can't afford to pay the bills he surely can't afford to market the team. And if he can't afford to market the team then sponsors won't get on board.
Once again why rich owners (like cowan and mcpeake) and so important.

Reply #236855 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"So how does a small time deal where regional teams games are broadcast into regional teams cities make the sport sustainable and gain significant financial backing from the corporate sector?"

Because regional teams rely on regional business. They dont rely on the big corporate dollar......Big Jims BMW dealership couldnt give a rates ass about his court logos, being shown interstate, he wants them shown on local tv, so local people will go to Big Jims.

A corporate sponsor who wants to get out to a bigger market could arrange to get a logo on each scoreboard, and sponsor the play of the game or league naming rights sponsor, so the big national sponsors are dealt with by the national league. The teams deal with their local TV station and local sponsors.

Dealing with the local TV station, means that station is more likely to give good press coverage on the TV. the newspaper will cover it more because it is more relevant to the public, therefore more exposure to the local media.

the sport is sustainable when the local teams are sustainable. The local teams are sustainable through gaining local revenues via memberships, merchandise and local corporate support.


Anything to do with Fox means the local media doesnt want to get involved.

streaming over the internet is just another example of what is prevented by giving fox rights to all distribution to the league.

Fox could pay for the local TV coverage and rebroadcast it across their network if they needed some live sport to compete with oneHD.


Reply #236857 | Report this post


EC  
Years ago

Falkman, who are the strong survivors? Are they the 7 teams willing to push forward or the 2 that have thrown in the towel?

Reply #236859 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Enlighten me....what teams (deadbeats) are you refering to?

We are not kicking them out, they are choosing to walk...of course we would love Cowan and McPeake to invest in the league...but just because they have more money than other investors why should they be allowed to cheat or worse dictate policy?
I enjoy the banter Falkman...but you just havent thought it through...

Reply #236860 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Furthermore...If the Dragons and Tigers are really committed to basketball development in this country, why would the come out on Wednesday and attempt to further tarnish the brand of basketball in Australia that has already taken more than enough hits in recent times, what can this possibly achieve...If it is negative stuff...shame on them and BA should take some action. They will need to be careful in what they say

Reply #236862 | Report this post


DB99  
Years ago

just because you're a rich owner and can afford to continually lose up to $3m/year, doesnt make you good for the sport. this is the reason teams have become unsustainable. the dragons talk about an increased salary cap, when for most teams the revenue just isnt there to afford a higher cap. the dragons might be all for it, but only because they'd be paying it already..

Yes the marketing needs to improve and local TV coverage needs to happen. this will come with reform, as will the government funding. to not play this season means this wont occur, or will be delayed indefinitely. when owners put the league and game first, and not their own agendas, is when true reform will occur

its better to be on the inside helping to reform, than on the outside complaining about it and having no real say in anything..

AFAIC the NBL is better off without them

Reply #236865 | Report this post


Ricey  
Years ago

can't figure out why people are jumping all over the owners... they don't run these teams out of their pocket for the hell of it, they do it for a profit, or a tax write off at best... so instead of people getting angry at them, why not angry at yourself for not attending enough games and bringing more friends (if any) with you... put your money where your mouth is, otherwise shut it... sick of people passing judgement on people on financial matters like this and saying they have no love for the sport, when in fact, what the f*ck have you really done other than eat a couple hot dogs at a couple games during the season

Reply #236869 | Report this post


Ricey  
Years ago

end of the day, BA f*cked up and should be held accountable, and no one else... no one else did such a poor job to get media attention to the sport when it STARTED to fall

Reply #236870 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Ricey, you are missing the point, If you can't figure out why people are angry at 'some' owners let me help you...these two in particular (Johnson, Groves as well) are responsible for spiraling prices out of control.
They did it by ignoring the cap, knowing that it is not policed, Let me put it in more practical terms for you, the NBL has been a natural disater zone for a while now, the Tigers and Dragons have been looting players, well now their is a new sherrif in town and looters will be shot.

Reply #236871 | Report this post


XY  
Years ago

Falkman

The only relevant issue is this. For the 'Cowan/McPeak' model to work, you need at least EIGHT owners of clubs willing to put up $3-4 MILLION each year to create this new free market super-league NBL.

How many owners have put up their hands to spend that kind of money in the year-long reform process that has been going on? You are right, Wollongong couldn't afford it. Neither could the Sixers/Adelaide. Sydney teams apparently struggle to make a profit under any circumstances. If not for the 'deadbeats', who do the Tigers and Dragons think they were going to play against? Two teams doesn't make much of a league. What happens after the enforced 12 month hiatus when Cowan/McPeak still can't find 6 other rich buddies willing to piss their money up against the wall?

Until Cowan and McPeak come out on Wednesday and say they have 8 teams lined up willing to play in their supercharged rebel league, their argument has no legs to stand on.

Reply #236879 | Report this post


knox_team  
Years ago

before everyone judges lets wait to see what the Dragons and Tigers have to say first. The Age article says that they had some ideas on how to move the sport forward and they want to put some facts on the table etc- at least have a look at what they say then judge whether you like it or not. Seems like some people have their minds made up already?

Reply #236880 | Report this post


charlie  
Years ago

Falkman

"" I'm pretty sure that sponsors who are going to contribute big $$ sponsoring a side would want their logo seen across the country, not just by the couple of thousand people in woollongong (a city of 280,000 people) watching them against cairns because nothing else is on ""


A lot of teams have sponsors that are local to the area and would rather have a local viewing audience because that is where the market is. I'm in Adelaide and almost all of our sponsors are local businesses that want local support. It's pointless being seen in Cairns if your buisness is in Adelaide.

Reply #236882 | Report this post


Peter  
Years ago

I wouldn't push the issue about cheating and breaking the rules in any elite sporting context Anonymous (post #236844). You ask about throwing the ball out of the bunker if no-one is looking and I ask about intentionally fouling a player who has beaten you with superior skill so that he has to "earn the 2 points from the line".

Given the personalities and the endemic attitude of "whatever it takes" or "it's only illegal if you get caught", in professional sport (basketball included), arguments about fair play and sportsmanship won't fly.

Reply #236886 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Fair call Knox Team, I am probably basing my arguement on form. Guess we will wait and see.

Peter, fouling someone intentionally is not cheating, furthermore, you get caught for this and their is a penalty.

It is hardly the same, their is no deception involved in an intentional foul. It is out in the open for everyone to see. The consequences are their for everyone to see.

Reply #236896 | Report this post


DB99  
Years ago

so youre either with the owners or BA. but how can BA be held accountable during what is an ongoing reform? if only 1 EOI met all criteria, shouldnt those owners be held accountable for delaying the process?

good on BA for holding ground and following due process, all of which is following independent reports. pls also remind yourself that BA are trying to sort out a mess theyve inherited, not started.

its easy for Cowan to blame BA, when by all accounts its Geminder just pulling his money out, as he doesnt like the new rules. so if that was to have happened mid-season, would the Dragons just shut up shop like Spirit and Cairns?

its also about social responsibility and respect for those you once employed. how about the 40+ people now out of jobs and having to probably move interstate.

either way it makes the Dragons championship the most hollow win of all, as theyll never have the chance to defend it.

Reply #236897 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Ricey - sure you don't want to revisit your comment about BA being responsible? When did BA take responsibility for the league - only just recently, right?

Hayden - this is the sort of comment which makes me skip everything else you write - it's just dim:

it is still only 2 games a week, when we were told it would be every game covered live so once again they fail to deliver on another promise and i wouldnt be surprised if that date was delayed anyway.
Is that seriously the best statement you can put forward regarding the Fox deals spoken of over recent months? Fox/BA engineered a vague all-games deal to get the reform vote over the line and it was subject to a few things. At no point, was that deal promised by the league regardless of league composition, etc. It goes without saying that if teams withdrew from the league, that might impact the offer on the table.

Reply #236950 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

what happened with the conference?

Reply #237157 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Postponed, I think.

Reply #237174 | Report this post




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