Quote:

 

The relaunched NBL is set to go ahead later this year without a team in Sydney or Brisbane team in the competition.
Organisers of the new competition, which is scheduled to commence in October, basically have one last chance to get the model right and again make basketball a primary sport in Australia.

A far-reaching and badly-needed basketball reform process has been ongoing for some time and a supposedly revamped and refreshed NBL is set to be launched later this year.

But fans of the sport in Sydney and Brisbane, two of Australia's three biggest cities, are going to be left with no-one to support in the first season of the new NBL.

The problem purely comes down to money.

After the demise of the Sydney Kings in June last year, the City of Sydney Basketball Association bought the team name with a view to re-launching the Kings in the new competition.

But they have been priced out by the league's tough new guidelines, which include every team requiring a $1 million bank guarantee.

The NBL had understandably tired of teams falling over, hence the new rules, but having no team in Sydney or Brisbane couldn't be welcomed by fans or broadcasters.

One person who understands the league's stance, however, is former Kings captain Jason Smith, who endured the end of both the Kings and the Sydney Spirit over the past 12 months.

“It's definitely concerning. Obviously not having your biggest market represented in a national competition isn't ideal,” Smith said.

“But I think it's unavoidable for the short term.

“The league would have to have plans in place to implement a franchise in Sydney for the future benefit of the league and to justify a national competition.

“(But) now is probably not the time to do it.

“Obviously money's hard to come by and you'd be looking at a fairly hefty loss for the short term.

“You need to put a lot of research and development into implementing a new franchise in Sydney and that might take 12 months, 24 months, then you hit the ground running in a successful business manner.”

While Smith backs the league on that front, he has a very different view on the way players have been treated during the reform process.

Smith wants to compete in the new league - but right now players don't have teams to sign with.

“I believe my agent has spoken to numerous interested parties, but it's irrelevant to start talking until we know what we're dealing with,” he said.

“All I could say is 'yep, I'm interested in playing, but let's leave it at that until we know exactly what's happening'.

“The whole league is like that because every player going forward becomes a free agent.

“You can't sign with anyone if you don't have a league to play in.

“The players are extremely frustrated at the way this is being handled and the length of time and seemingly incompatible way owners and Basketball Australia have conducted their business.

“I think you would've had this all mapped out six months ago so when the season finishes or 30th of June hits, it's a seamless transition.

“You've got its biggest stakeholders, the players, extremely annoyed and increasingly bloody unhappy because we just want to play.”

Seaney

Apr 30 2009, 09:19 AM

can we not talk nbl on this forum

james_the_ripper

Apr 30 2009, 10:37 AM

Seaney

Apr 30 2009, 09:19 AM

can we not talk nbl on this forum

It's still basketball mate :P

fgh

Apr 30 2009, 11:05 AM

Dragons>Tigers

FACT

james_the_ripper

Apr 30 2009, 07:12 AM

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25409179-23769,00.html

Quote:

 

The relaunched NBL is set to go ahead later this year without a team in Sydney or Brisbane team in the competition.
Organisers of the new competition, which is scheduled to commence in October, basically have one last chance to get the model right and again make basketball a primary sport in Australia.

A far-reaching and badly-needed basketball reform process has been ongoing for some time and a supposedly revamped and refreshed NBL is set to be launched later this year.

But fans of the sport in Sydney and Brisbane, two of Australia's three biggest cities, are going to be left with no-one to support in the first season of the new NBL.

The problem purely comes down to money.

After the demise of the Sydney Kings in June last year, the City of Sydney Basketball Association bought the team name with a view to re-launching the Kings in the new competition.

But they have been priced out by the league's tough new guidelines, which include every team requiring a $1 million bank guarantee.

The NBL had understandably tired of teams falling over, hence the new rules, but having no team in Sydney or Brisbane couldn't be welcomed by fans or broadcasters.

One person who understands the league's stance, however, is former Kings captain Jason Smith, who endured the end of both the Kings and the Sydney Spirit over the past 12 months.

“It's definitely concerning. Obviously not having your biggest market represented in a national competition isn't ideal,” Smith said.

“But I think it's unavoidable for the short term.

“The league would have to have plans in place to implement a franchise in Sydney for the future benefit of the league and to justify a national competition.

“(But) now is probably not the time to do it.

“Obviously money's hard to come by and you'd be looking at a fairly hefty loss for the short term.

“You need to put a lot of research and development into implementing a new franchise in Sydney and that might take 12 months, 24 months, then you hit the ground running in a successful business manner.”

While Smith backs the league on that front, he has a very different view on the way players have been treated during the reform process.

Smith wants to compete in the new league - but right now players don't have teams to sign with.

“I believe my agent has spoken to numerous interested parties, but it's irrelevant to start talking until we know what we're dealing with,” he said.

“All I could say is 'yep, I'm interested in playing, but let's leave it at that until we know exactly what's happening'.

“The whole league is like that because every player going forward becomes a free agent.

“You can't sign with anyone if you don't have a league to play in.

“The players are extremely frustrated at the way this is being handled and the length of time and seemingly incompatible way owners and Basketball Australia have conducted their business.

“I think you would've had this all mapped out six months ago so when the season finishes or 30th of June hits, it's a seamless transition.

“You've got its biggest stakeholders, the players, extremely annoyed and increasingly bloody unhappy because we just want to play.”

So LG & Bullets - Melbourne Tigers appeal to you?

leaguegod

Apr 30 2009, 01:18 PM

james_the_ripper

Apr 30 2009, 07:12 AM

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25409179-23769,00.html

Quote:

 

The relaunched NBL is set to go ahead later this year without a team in Sydney or Brisbane team in the competition.
Organisers of the new competition, which is scheduled to commence in October, basically have one last chance to get the model right and again make basketball a primary sport in Australia.

A far-reaching and badly-needed basketball reform process has been ongoing for some time and a supposedly revamped and refreshed NBL is set to be launched later this year.

But fans of the sport in Sydney and Brisbane, two of Australia's three biggest cities, are going to be left with no-one to support in the first season of the new NBL.

The problem purely comes down to money.

After the demise of the Sydney Kings in June last year, the City of Sydney Basketball Association bought the team name with a view to re-launching the Kings in the new competition.

But they have been priced out by the league's tough new guidelines, which include every team requiring a $1 million bank guarantee.

The NBL had understandably tired of teams falling over, hence the new rules, but having no team in Sydney or Brisbane couldn't be welcomed by fans or broadcasters.

One person who understands the league's stance, however, is former Kings captain Jason Smith, who endured the end of both the Kings and the Sydney Spirit over the past 12 months.

“It's definitely concerning. Obviously not having your biggest market represented in a national competition isn't ideal,” Smith said.

“But I think it's unavoidable for the short term.

“The league would have to have plans in place to implement a franchise in Sydney for the future benefit of the league and to justify a national competition.

“(But) now is probably not the time to do it.

“Obviously money's hard to come by and you'd be looking at a fairly hefty loss for the short term.

“You need to put a lot of research and development into implementing a new franchise in Sydney and that might take 12 months, 24 months, then you hit the ground running in a successful business manner.”

While Smith backs the league on that front, he has a very different view on the way players have been treated during the reform process.

Smith wants to compete in the new league - but right now players don't have teams to sign with.

“I believe my agent has spoken to numerous interested parties, but it's irrelevant to start talking until we know what we're dealing with,” he said.

“All I could say is 'yep, I'm interested in playing, but let's leave it at that until we know exactly what's happening'.

“The whole league is like that because every player going forward becomes a free agent.

“You can't sign with anyone if you don't have a league to play in.

“The players are extremely frustrated at the way this is being handled and the length of time and seemingly incompatible way owners and Basketball Australia have conducted their business.

“I think you would've had this all mapped out six months ago so when the season finishes or 30th of June hits, it's a seamless transition.

“You've got its biggest stakeholders, the players, extremely annoyed and increasingly bloody unhappy because we just want to play.”

So LG & Bullets - Melbourne Tigers appeal to you?

Posted Image

Bullets

May 4 2009, 08:24 PM

So its the same gay shit?

james_the_ripper

May 4 2009, 09:08 PM

Bullets

May 4 2009, 08:24 PM

So its the same gay shit?

Pretty much.

legend_ss

May 5 2009, 03:27 AM

no Sydney and no Brisbane = no NBL