http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_328163.html

New SEA basketball league
New basketball league for South-east Asia

KUALA LUMPUR - SOUTH-east Asia on Monday launched an ambitious professional basketball league - to begin in September - aimed at boosting the popularity and standards of the game in the region.
The Asean Basketball League is backed by regional tycoons including AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes and Indonesian media mogul Erick Thoir, who have contributed US$5 million (S$7.5 million) in total between them.

Organisers said that basketball is the second most popular team sport behind football among the 600 million population of South-east Asia. At least eight teams are expected to play in the inaugural league.

Mr Patrick Baumann, secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), said Asia was ready for a professional league but warned organisers will have to ensure it doesn't fade away after a few years.

'The time is right but it is not going to be simple to sustain the league,' he told reporters at the launch of the ABL.

Mr Baumann said the league would need top-notch management and that the participating teams would have to be of a high standard to woo fans.

'There has to be good entertainment. The clubs need to be managed professionally and well funded. You cannot have the league for one or two years and then stop,' he said.

Mr Fernandes downplayed fears that the ABL may not succeed and said it could one day join the popular ranks of the NBA in the United States.

'Yes, there will be a lot of obstacles and road blocks. But no mountain will stop us,' he said.

'During an economic downturn like now, this new league will create jobs.

Can you imagine 5,000 people during this slowdown flying to Manila to watch a game?' Mr Fernandes said of the possible wider economic benefits of the league.

In terms of national rankings among the 10-member Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean), the Philippines tops the table in basketball followed by Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Mr Fernandes said the league will sow the seeds for new talent and boost the sport in the region, adding that foreign professional players will play the circuit.

'The aim is to develop local talent. Foreign players from outside Asean will be role models. Maybe one day our players will play in the NBA,' he said.

Fiba president Bob Elphinston said the league will be organised by the South-east Asian Basketball Association (Seaba), the governing body for basketball in the region.

Each of the 10 South-east Asian nations is allowed a maximum of two privately owned teams in the league. Prize money has not been finalised yet.

Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. -- AFP

Interesting this happens while Bob Elphinston is FIBA president . He was one of the founding directors of the NBL .

Are any australian teams able to join this league??

Most likely no Australian teams - but there will be plenty of good jobs to try out for .

More details :

" Meanwhile ABL chairman Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, the chief executive officer of Air Asia, said the target for the initial start of the league was between eight and 10 teams which would play on a home-and-away basis, leading to the knock-out and playoff rounds, with the winners advancing.

"Tony said the league, scheduled to start in early September, was expected to go on until February 2010 for the first season.

full details see http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_sports.php?id=384746

To Anonymous ..no doubt Tony Fernandez has a dream but he has had a few before which has turned into money....this time it is interesting that he has managed to also share the dream with others who both have a love for basketball , money and even some with power in Fiba.

No doubt it will be a long time before Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar brings in teams but the first year could be 2 Philippines , 2 Indonesia, 1 Singapore , 1 Malaysia and 1 from Thailand and maybe 1 from Brunei. Add to this one day also one from Vietnam and a few more from Malaysia and Thailand ?

The recent Challenge series run by Singapore have demonstrated and tested some of the administrative challenges but also that most can be overcome if people are committed . Remember ,after pulling out of the NBL, the Slingers managed to play 31 matches of which most were organised quickly within a 2-3 week period.

I think for the league to succeed, there needs to be absolute decication on the parts of all the clubs. For the Challenge Series this year, the Slingers really worked very hard to get things done.
Also, I think they should have included Japan, Korea China and Australia. No way to get 8 teams from ASEAN in itself.

They will easily get the two teams from Philiphines, Malaysia & Indonesia with one confirmed from Singapore. Thailand and Vietnam should be the next two countries defiently interested in a First Year.

This region can not contest against Korea and China for the time being. Obviously the concept is about creating opportunities. Once the opportunity is there the competition will get better and better.

Wouldnt surprise me if the 2 top teams got invites into a few of the good tournaments that run in Korea and China.

FM - No doubt the Slingers will aim to play also outside the ASEAN league to ensure their brand develops.

Would not be surprised to see another Challenge Series with teams from Korea and Japan and China as this time the Slingers could be more in control of the timing and hence more teams could be available.

I would prefer they aim for 4 teams - from Singapore/Jakarta/KL/Guam/Hong Kong/Taiwan and then look to join NewBL in 3-4 years in division format.

I would prefer they aim for 4 teams - from Singapore/Jakarta/KL/Guam/Hong Kong/Taiwan and then look to join NewBL in 3-4 years in division format.

More likely that the top 2 teams from NewNBL , 2 from Korea, 2 x China , 1 x Japan and the top team from ASEAN will meet annually in a cup tournament . Ever heard of the Singapore Cup ??? Ok , just dreaming at this stage.

very interesting.
which of the slingers do you think will stay ???

But the NBL team would kill them everytime, by a mile.

Billy the kid ...you missed the point ...ASEAN league is about development ....NBL has been going for many years and hopefully will for long time ...no doubt some of the NewNBL teams will beat the ASEAN teams but it does not matter if they do not play each other ......it is kind of like saying that an NBA team will kill a NBL team everytime, by a mile which of course would they would.......

The good point is that basketball is growing and with both the NewNBL and the ASEAN league up and running then some of the best teams from both leagues may in fact have a chance to meet at a supercup event ....that can only be good for the NewNBL league.

Newbl will struggle to attract good imports. This League adds another 20 spots which are going to pay far more than what an import can get in Australia.

I can not see an Asian side joining the Newbl ever. Newbl will not be in the same league financially. The better clubs throughout Asia are owned by multinational's and their budget far exceeds the Australian budget.
Remember the slingers were not a Singaporean team joining the NBL. They were an Australian team that was set-up and then based in Singapore.

FM - I doubt that in the first couple of seasons the ASEAN league will provide a challenge to NewNBL when it comes to attracting imports. Remember there will be a salary cap - Also remember that not every import will enjoy training and working with 8 local players who all (at least initially) will be at a much lower skills and experience level .

So initially I doubt that there will be lvery imited competition for the imports -

Instead these spots will provide good opportunities for younger australian players who can be role models for the local players both on and off the court by teaching them what it is expected of a professional player just like Darren Ng , Sam Harris and John Fitzgerald have been at the Slingers this year. Long term you may be right but not the first 3-5 years....

Finally I agree that no Asian team will join the NewNBL but that is ok as long as NewNBL hopefully can continue to support Australian basketball players and fans - and the best 2 teams can come and competete annually in a kind of " Asia Pacific " Supercup !?!

Wimbo Satwiko in the jakarat post 040309

Regional Basketball League Taking Shape
Slowly but surely, the Asean Basketball League is moving from vision to reality.

After its initial launch in January, the ABL further took shape on Wednesday when league organizers announced the distribution of franchise documents to prospective member clubs. ABL chairman Tony Fernandes said 16 clubs expressed initial interest in acquiring franchise licenses.

Fernandes, who is also the CEO of Air Asia, said the new league would be good for basketball and business in Southeast Asia.

"The idea is to have Southeast Asian clubs play each other in one league, similar to the NBA," Fernandes said.

"It will provide attractive games for the spectators," he added. "It will also give an attractive platform for sponsors and will be a fantastic way for the Asean brand to promote itself outside its original market."

The ABL is scheduled to begin play in October and run through January 2010. In its initial season, the league will consist of one club each from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, while Indonesia and the Philippines will each have two teams. Though he refused to name any specific clubs, Fernandes said Petronas Basketball of Malaysia and the Singapore Slingers would likely be among the league's charter members.

The application process closes on April 30.

Admission into the ABL will not be for the financially faint of heart. Owners must provide $500,000 in operational costs in a span of three years, in addition to $1 million in bank guarantees for the five-year franchise fee. Among the other requirements in the 40-item franchise document are a youth development program and a basketball hall with a minimum 4,000 seating capacity.

Southeast Asian Basketball Association president Erick Thohir said seeing the league come to fruition will be a dream come true. "I have had this dream for two to three years, along with my colleagues in the region, such as Dato' Yeoh Choo Hock. We agreed to make this come true," Erick said. "We want the region to win back the basketball powerhouse status that we had in the 1970s. I hope the league can push Asean competition to a higher level."

Indonesian Basketball League champion Satria Muda Jakarta is expected to join the ABL, as is Garuda Bandung, but Erick  one of Satria Muda's co-owners  said that is still up in the air.

"Satria Muda hasn't applied yet, but while I haven't read the franchise document, we're very interested in participating in the ABL," the Indonesian media mogul said. "I can't decide on it yet since I'm not the only owner."