Anon
Years ago

New WNBL format , how will this play out

The new season is fast approaching, and it's actually unbelievably short compared to what has always been the norm.

Not only is it incredibly short it's also intense in just how many games they will have to play in that short period.
These teams have been accustomed to playing one sometimes two games on the weekend, rarely have they had week night games ever.
The new format has them playing two sometimes three games in a seven day period , games being played on mondays, Wednesday, fridays plus weekends, so away games will involve travel , how will that impact on those with jobs, even uni midweek, as teams will still have several players on their rosters who have normal jobs Monday to Friday, how will this impact on that, many are still at uni, and whilst some of the season is played during the summer break, at least half of it isn't.

What will happen re injuries, before a simple strain might see a player sit out for 4 or 5 weeks or more, but still remain eligible to play finals because of the spread and length of games played between October and April.

Anyone sitting out for that length of time now or potentially more will miss half the season or more, how will that play out.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Time for the players to man up.

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Anonymous
Years ago

man up...really in what way do they need to 'man up'

loose your job or play through injury would that be your idea of how players should 'man up...únlike the NBL many women couldn't survive on what WNBL pay them or SEABL for that matter, they are not all going to get what Cambage, Batkovic and Ohea demand.

It will be more how will coaches manage their teams if these situations arise not how will players 'man up''

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Anonymous
Years ago

If they can't play I guess they won't then? Simple.

WNBL is not viable so cutting the length of season saves $. Makes sense.

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known
Years ago

It is their job!!! its no different than a wnba or nba schedule.. small price to pay to be on TV

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Anonymous
Years ago

I don't get the complaint. Shorter season and most of it during summer means less disruption to education/work rest of the year if they aren't making decent pro money. Some ppl are never happy.

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Luuuc
Years ago

Seems like perfectly valid concerns to me. I mentioned some of the same things when the new season format was announced.
There's no question that it's going to make life tougher for any players who have to hold down regular jobs to supplement the petrol money they earn in the WNBL. Having nearly all games on the weekend was much less disruptive than this season's schedule.
It's a good point brought up about the impact of injuries too.

As a fan I'm looking forward to the season and the high density of games, especially with the level of talent we've got in the league this season, but it's pretty silly to pretend that everything about the new setup is wonderful.

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Anon
Years ago

"It is their job!!! its no different than a wnba or nba schedule.. small price to pay to be on TV"

Haha, really that's how you see it, one game per week from the potential 7 played between 8 teams should be enough incentive for a player on less than $500 a week to give up their day job....rightO.....haha

Even the NBL development players earn more than that by the way.

That's no small price to pay.

The more intense schedule also leads to higher injury chances, ( which may work in the favour of those at the bottom end of the 12 contracted players , even the DPS)

But you do have to,wonder just how much thought actually went into this decision just to get some shared airtime with NBL teams.

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Anonymous
Years ago

$600 a week I think it is.
If you worked PT on top, gets you another $250-$400.

Hopefully it becomes a guaranteed minimum of $1000 the following year.
Just over $100,000 per club. Chump change for some teams.

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Anonymous
Years ago

That's minimum obviously...

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Melb Fan
Years ago

Agreed, it will be very interesting to see how the players cope with the increased demands of this schedule. I think it would be wise for clubs to follow Perth's lead and go for a full time environment - although most clubs bar perhaps Melbourne likely won't have enough coin for that to occur.

I feel for the players who will have to juggle their playing and training commitments with extra work and/or study. Hopefully they won't have to do so for many more seasons..

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Anonymous
Years ago

I like the new format, they just need to be paid more. They can also play overseas which is good too.

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Anonymous
Years ago

People who complain that players should get paid more - where does this magical money come from, huh? WNBL does not make a profit. Lucky to have a league as it is. Or you yourselves stump up the cash if you think they need to be paid more by becoming a sponsor.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Reckon for those players it would come down to dropping the WNBL. Just how many players is that though? Enough to make it difficult to fill a roster?

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Hoops

New WNBL format , how will this play out

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