The wikipedia updates on the nbl should be looked at, expansion into Asia is the eventual goal but it says not for another 5 years so i dunno if anything much will change in the 09/10 season.

see linky thingy:

http://linky.com.au/cgzgg

Merge the NZNBL and NBL together to form a Super League. Simple as that.

Use the good old "NZ vs AUS" mark to draw in people and watch money begin to roll in. Besides you end up with 2 conferences, AUS vs NZ all-star games and guaranteed championship series AUS vs NZ. That's draw card bait if you've ever seen it.

You're support base grows, funds grows, managing body grows and interest grows. Simple.

Now they just need to stick some brains at the top whom can work off this fodder and do something.

I think that's the whole problem with basketball in this country. Too many dumb nuts steering the ship.
Happens at state and national level.

I would suggest the NBL could sustain a maximum of 4 teams in NZ, maybe as a conference in a 16 team league, an asian conference should also be made. We are wasting basketball's boom in asia if we don't do it and an asian league is made as a single entity.

There was an interesting post on OzHoops today by Paul. He'd made a 12 page submission off his own back to BA suggesting a format for a new NBL.

I've asked him to re-post it here, but I'll summarise from memory in case he doesn't - essentially, two leagues. NBL, teams with a salary cap of about $400k, involving some regional areas, running from near the start of the year.

Then an eight team elite league running a condensed format from Sep-Dec, no cap (or $1m+, can't remember). And pitch that to TV and media.

Has merit I think. Provides opportunities for players, might be more appealing to TV networks, etc.

Remember Baseball was bought out, they changed the format and it died. You have to be somewhat careful with making any huge changes.

Well a two tier competiotion within OZ will be the further death of Basketball in this Country,

If you go to Asian Super league, it will be great for the 2 teams that make a profit the rest will die.

If your local NBL team gets put into a 2nd tier , say good bye, unless you are an ardent supporter.

Goodbye to Imports of note.
Goodbye to 3000 plus crowds.
Goodbye to any TV coverage.
Goodbye to Major Sponsorship.
Goodbye to the Team.

I realy hope they understand that the aim of Basketball Australia, as a whole, should be to promote the "enjoyment of", and "parpicpation in" Basketball at all levels.

Focusing on restructure to just improve the Boomers and Opals, or the National Competition is self destructive and elitist.

The BA's agenda should not be driven by
############
Coaches inspirations of coaching
Administration wishes to play in the big Sports league
Etc Etc
############
but how does Dad and Mum afford to let Jonny and Sally play at the local Basketball venue.

Everything else is mute.

KC - "moot", not "mute".

Goodbye to imports of note? The SEABL teams, on pretty slim budgets, manage to get imports, a number of who make it to the NBL. Who are imports of note anyway? No import in our league has any significant profile IMO. Ere plays for Nigeria but would be virtually unknown outside of the NBL. Same with Dave Thomas. A few might remember Rick Rickert as 'the guy KG punched', but what else?

The top tier would keep all of these guys and potentially more. The second tier would keep getting the cheaper starting imports like Rychart, Ballinger, Redhage, Gruber looking for an opportunity to prove themselves.

If it was carefully planned and managed, I don't think it would be the death of the league at all. And it's certainly not going to mean a guaranteed loss of major sponsorships and TV coverage hopes.

If anything, someone like Fox will favour covering a top league playing only out of the larger cities. And more regional teams in the second league will increase the potential sponsorship base - regional companies with not much else to sponsor in places like Darwin, Cairns and Hobart.

You mention that the goal of BA should heavily favour grass roots basketball, but the sport is already very strong at that level. I agree that the focus should not just be on the Boomers/Opals, and that leaves the NBL and WNBL.

With approximately 4 clubs throughout asia and the opening of import restrictions on asian players plus players from the southern hemisphere tv rights from pay tv outside of australia would put profits through the roof. By putting teams in say hong kong, taiwan, singapore (again) and either jakarta/KL/Guam, the road trips in this 'division' would be minimised.

In terms of grass roots level an AIS team comprising of the current AIS starting five, five of the best Aussies under 22 and two imports.

problem solvered.

KC-GOne this could be the biggest thing ever for basketball in Australia. The games would still be played in Australia and the money would flow into basketball in Australia. Imagining going to BHP or Rio Tinto for $15 Mil to sponsor a team playing in the CHinese league???

China has a population of 1.5 Billion people and basketball is their most popular sport. You are talking about massive amounts of opportunity. If the money flows back into basketball in Australia and gives our players more opportunity to make more money than AFL players then great!!!

Everything else could be silent Issac
but yes Moot was what I meant to type.

As to the other comments re TV,crowds etc it was stated relevant to your local NBL team gets put into a 2nd tier.


They have to set up a Competition structure that is funded, preferably self funded. Not charity.

The real point I wanted to make is that unless they address
############
"how does Dad and Mum afford to let Jonny and Sally play at the local Basketball venue"

Everything else is moot..

Yes 844, I'm sure BHP or Rio Tinto are good for $15 Mil, who over the past have had reluctance to sponsoring sports,and that they would choose OZ Basketball as their global vehicle to get back into it. Can just imagine the sales man that gets that sale.(ask Firepower for a reference)

If anything big happens in China it will be with the NBA.


How about we have an OZ NBA and WNBA teams sitting on top of the NBL/WNBL.


I only hope they don't throw out the baby with the bath water in this review/restructure.

I wouldn't put any hope into a Chinese team being involved.

The NBA and Bball China are starting up a League very soon.

The NBA wants a major share of sponsorship and merchandise money from China.

So I don't think they will really care about the NBL.

Interesting that we talk about Darwin as playing in the second tier competition. With its location so much closer to Asia and the cheap flight options, would Darwin be a better place to house an Asian Super League team?

Darwin will be playing in the Singapore Challenge Series, have the 36ers been invited?

moot....points are certainly worth discussion in a legal sense, otherwise just an overused word....

the two tier competition has a lot of merit.

the pluses are clear, the minuses obvious but its always the "interesting's" that catch you....

Here is my interesting......could a second tier league be launched without private ownership? That is, could associations be involved in the second tier.

My answer, probably not, because promotion to the top tier might well be unsustainable should it happen (and it has to happen once a year). This is based on current budgets for say top ABA programs (some around 250-300k pa) versus NBL (in the millions).

Given BA's new governance model (60% constitutent /40% ownership via the NBL) where would private ownership of the second tier teams fit?

A solid "Interesting" comment HO

The 60/40 rule of BA, soon to replace the old 80/20 rule.

Its costs $2million plaus to run an NBL team, could not see many Associations wanting to take the plunge in to thoose sort of expenditures on a hope Sponsorship $ would be vailable or/follow.

Two teir or multi teir Leagues survive becuase the earn enough $ at across the board to survive on the whole.

I'm yet to see how the 2nd teir will fund anywhere near a $500,000 salary caps plus league expenses?

If you are going to have a teir above the NBL it has to external to OZ and include Asia, and then maybe the top 2 finishers in the NBL play in it.
Try and maintain the NBL at athe level its at.