CLB looks primed to pounce on the mistakes made by the NBL. It also looks set to pounce on the NBL's stubborness to change back to winter. On first look, I think the CLB will be more successful because it is learning from the NBL's mistakes, it has a clear plan, and is putting entertainment value before basketball purity.

I can't imagine the CLB being a pathway to NBA. But that is not its purpose. Its purpose is to be an entertainment package - a place for imports and high level aussies to play in the off season - a spectacle for basketball fans. THere will likely be a pseudo-streetball element to it. It is a showcase of basketball.

This may even become the first basketball some people see. Cutting out the amount of time outs, free throws and yawn worthy stuff and getting back to the fun of the game. If they do it right, it will be a place where imports WANT to play, where aussies WANT to play. It might even spur on some changes in other more traditional leagues to actually follow suit with some of the rule changes.

The changes that could be made here could impact the broader game - and just for being different will be of international interest.

CLB will be atleast as successful as NBL, but I would bet it will be more so if done right.

Where does SEABL and SA Premier League fit into this. Is the CBL a replacement or will all leagues run at the same time?

I have a feeling they already have many of the investors. This looks like a rogue league and I think the Wildcats are in on it.

It does look very underdone - thanks for the link above, most informative.

You are either announcing this because you are going to follow up quickly with the announcement of teams or because you are trying to drum up support.

My immediate reaction to #531371 is that you are going to have far more than a 500k player budget to bring in the marquee player you need to create the hype to create the crowds to offset the bills.

Sydney had Childress, biggish name, but how many people forked up bucks more than once or twice for the thrill of seeing him play?

And it looks like their competition season will compete with world champs and the like - not directly but with camps and preparation tournaments etc.

Depends who is behind the money before the thing is off the ground. If you have investors willing to lose for a few years it could come together.

Spoke to one administrator who met with them. They put it out there early to attract potential investors. Be very surprised if it gets off the ground.

Here is the website http://www.clb.com.au/

CLB is not trying to compete with NBL, let alone the CBL or SEABL (or Big V, QBL etc etc.). It will sit as a complement to NBL, and above the other state-based /SEABL comps.

The NBL used to run winter alongside SEABL in any case.

The CLB, outside of the potential game here or there on a Friday or Saturday, are looking to conduct the majority of games on a Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon/evening.

Most state league / SEABL games are Saturday night, early Sunday afternoon. Most junior competitions are Friday night, Saturday.

Yes AFL / NRL are winter sports, but the NBL actually got to where it did in the first day when it was in fact a winter league.

I don't doubt they still need more investors / owners, but I actually think their proposed model and structure is a far more attractive and robust model than the current NBL.

Obviously time will tell, but do we really want to shoot down a potential new elite league before we give it a chance? Don't we all want a chance to watch elite level hoops all-year round in the country? I'm sure most players would be loving the prospect of this new league...

Anonymous - you need a plan AND money.

Anonymous - word is they will announce first teams and sponsors in October.

This league will heavily depend on a few things:

1: it needs to have a bigger budget (per match) than the NBL. I would be looking at a million dollar cap for the 10 weeks. This means an average of $10,000 a week per player, which could get some of the better euro players etc. during the offseason.

2: they need to get the best talent available, look into possibly forging a deal with NBA teams to get young players over for a quick pay boost.

3: no shortcuts, the product needs to be very professional, exciting and most importantly available to the public. They need to pump the Comp up massively, no marketing = no one cares.

Do it right, and I see that this could become a success.

I wonder if it could work well hand in hand with the NBL in a way.

I was wondering would this mean, say the 36ers enter a team in both leagues they could go to a guy like Brad Newley and offer him say $150-200k to play in the NBL and another $150-200k to play in the CLB, and have guys like Newley and some of our other top Aussies outside the NBA play in Australia using money from both leagues making $300-400k per year, also could help retain some of our top imports to play aswell in the same fashion.

At least their web site works on a mobile phone :) good luck to them! Not sure Aus can sustain both NBL and CLB tho :-S

At least their web site works on a mobile phone :) good luck to them! Not sure Aus can sustain both NBL and CLB tho :-S

lol all the news articles etc. have their CLB graphics spammed along the page excessively. Surely paid money for that to happen

I'm intrigued, will say Jack Bendat allow another businessman the chance to own a professional basketball club in Perth or would he own it himself. I don't believe Perth could sustai 2 NBL teams but if CLB gets up and is successful then there will be talk of CLB owners entering into NBL in many single team markets... Same could be said for Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and to a lesser extent NZ if not all the NBL team owners want to include their own team.

On another note if NBL teams are entered into CLB then it would be interesting to see what that could mean for sponsorship of you have the potential for your brand being seen 10 months of the year instead of October to Marcv that they currently gdt

By that, they must mean they have three priorities. A bit of a rocky start with that one there, CLB!

This league will heavily depend on a few things:

1: it needs to have a bigger budget (per match) than the NBL. I would be looking at a million dollar cap for the 10 weeks. This means an average of $10,000 a week per player, which could get some of the better euro players etc. during the offseason.

2: they need to get the best talent available, look into possibly forging a deal with NBA teams to get young players over for a quick pay boost.

3: no shortcuts, the product needs to be very professional, exciting and most importantly available to the public. They need to pump the Comp up massively, no marketing = no one cares.

Do it right, and I see that this could become a success.




Point 2 / thought this was supposed to be to develop and give australian basketballers an advantage and somewhere to play?????

"

Point 2 / thought this was supposed to be to develop and give australian basketballers an advantage and somewhere to play?????"

Does everything need to exist to develop players? Every league we have is about development. We use the Boomers to develop players half of the time. Somewhere to play - maybe. Between the NBL, College, AIS, SEABL and all the minor leagues I think we have more than enough avenues for player development. This is a showcase for the fans first and foremost.

Ok don't develop but if you fill it with overseas players how the hell is that helping find the aussie guys places to play ???

There will be more than enough spots for Aussies. I doubt teams will be able to afford more than 2-4 foreigners at very most.

Which marquee players would you want the CLB to attract?

Potential marquee players for new Champions League Basketball

Most of those imports would be well out of price range I would think. I just hope 8 billionaires across the country have bought into this league lol.

Just sharing...not my work.

Honestly, I want the NBL and this new venture to succeed. Hopefully CLB helps make the NBL pull up their socks - something I'm sure Kestelman is capable of following through on.

Well, the NBL actually exists, so I reckon that gives it a head start.

Seriously guys, if you think posting a lot of drivel on public forums is the way to generate support for your "concept," then you are bigger fuckwits than you appear.
At the moment your credibility is less than the guy selling penis enlargers, and still plummeting.

You think the team behind CLB made this topic? lol.