BALLER#3
Years ago
What the NBL should do! IMO
If they are serious about growing the game then they must follow some or all of these steps!
1: Get the NBL app free on itunes (android if its on it im not sure). It is stupid to think anyone who is new to the NBL or trying to give it a go is going to download a paid app, when you can get the NBA app free and follow that easier.
2: Get the App constantly updated etc. At the moment i have heard many reports and reviews claiming that the app is very poor quality and never is updated. In relation to the first point, if a paid app is reviewed poorly no one will buy it even if they do follow the NBL. (It stopped me)
3: Expand to a point but then try to maintain the league and build up the talent level. I think aiming for a team in each capital city beside darwin. Dont exceed 14 teams. The league as is plus a Brisbane, Canberra, second melbourne, Hobart, Newcastle? second NZ?
4: Try and get average season crowds (Not including Finals) above 5000. This i think could be done quite easily with the right marketing techniques etc. Possibly create a ruling which suggests relocation or changing of teams that run below the average of 4000 once this goal is reached.
5: Internet TV. Scrap channel 10 and look to stream a few games per round through Iinet. Charge $5 a game or a season pass for around $100. The internet is the future of Television anyway! Also make these games available to watch through Fetch.
6: Open up the import slots to 3 for a short period of time. Raising the Imports to 3 would allow for a greater level of talent, and with an extra 9 imports expansion with out watered down talent can occur.
7: Dont bring back an allstar game! Yet atleast. The allstar game is way to american, and really this will do nothing to improve the NBLs image. The key to gaining interest is to make this league our own, not a mimic of the NBA with half the talent. Take a look at the difference between NBA and Euro... Wouldnt it be great for others to be saying American, European and Australian styles of Basketball!
8: Give teams that bring back Australian Talent from Europe a bonus of somesort. A points system bonus/salary cap boost.
EG.Say if someone brang back an ingles/andersen/newley style player on a multiyear deal. The NBL would help and reward the team with an extra 100,000 on the salary cap and/or a bonus 3 points on the points system.
Once the league was built up again we could rid this.
9: Eventually in the long run and providing the NBL grows, raise the salary cap to something that can compete with Europe/Low level NBA contracts.
One thing that some clubs can also do is a membership deal with another team in a different sports code. eg. The 6ers could pair with the Crows and any member of the crows is entitled to 40% off membership at the 36ers. I think you would see a boost to the 6ers memperships with something like that. It would be in the offseason of each so would clash with either side.
Just thought i would have a bit of a ramble to the computer and had to put it somewhere! Keen to hear what you think about any part of what i have said.
