Hoops

Letter to Dragons fans from Cowan

Well said #238791 who ever you are. The point people are missing is that you can't base this coming season on what the NBL plan to do with the league. How many times someone has to say this is only an interim season is beyond me and people still look at what we have now as a pitiful achievement for its future. What we have coming this season is merely a bridge that will carry you over to the new league next year. If Cowan could not participate in one more year then that's his choice. He did however have good reason to participate this year and that is to defend his title. He has chosen to give that privilege up. Did someone say something about bunnies?

TheFansMan, were you a Dragons supporter? If you stick up for Cowan I take it you are. Let me pose these questions to you. As a Dragons fan, are you happy to not have a team to support this coming season? Has Cowan done the right thing by the Dragons supporter who now find they don't have a team to follow? I am personally thrilled that the league is going ahead this season, even if it isn't the true reformed league yet. I am thrilled to be able to go and watch my team play again instead of having to wait 2 years for the league to come back. This is the best thing that could have happened considering there was not enough time to get the truly reformed league out on time for this year. It has given the opportunity to continue working on it for next year whilst keeping the fans satisfied and the players and coaching staff employed.

Cowan suck balls you killed your own buzz.
How can you have reform when certain parties (Cowan & the Dragons) are going behind BA's back trying to recruit teams for their bandwagon of demands whilst sitting at the negotiating table singing a different song to all the other licence holders and BA.
All teams had input into what BA has been trying to accomplish and Issac has pointed out that a major naming rights sponser is one of the few improvements that hasn't happened yet, bit hard to convey an image of a profesional sports league to potential sponsers when licence holders like Cowan and McPeake behave like they do in the media.

"The Dragons License has a proud history. It was the same license that was represented by many great clubs including the Magic, Giants, Saints and Spectres to name a few".

The only thing those clubs have in common is folding like Mum on laundry day.

Cowan has dropped well over a million a season in 3 seasons. He's now using any excuse to back peddle out.
He was told he wouldn't make a buck but his ego disagreed.

The new nbl doesn't need know all cowboys who hold people ransom.

You were wrong Mark - good riddance!

Bring out your violins everybody. Cowan has been in the league for 3 years. Apart from Spirit, all other teams have submitted an interest in continuing. Perhaps there wasn't enough history in 3 years to make it worthwhile for him to hold on to. Perhaps he needed 29 years like Wollongong to decide no matter how difficult it would be, there's a will where there's a way.

Some owners thought that via BA they could get something from Government and/or that $35M Fox deal.
Naming rights sponsor will probably be something like Australia Post or Armed forces.
Hence newNBL name will take the name of the naming rights sponsor.
Likely to be next year when reform is in place,including Brisbane and Sydney teams.

Dragons offered to sponsor the league and give them
'high profile board members'

Don't spose you could have that though, could you?

BA has recently taken control of the elite men's basketball competition. They have set the rules to be involved. The Dragons owners have decided to walk away.

The Dragons could have spent $800K on players and played a number of games in smaller stadiums to make their operation viable.

Instead, they decided to walk away, which shows the problem with private ownership. If this had been put to the Dragons members for a vote, they would have said do what it takes to stay in the comp.

Club structures need to be set up so that supporters and state/local associations have a say in the decision making, or the merry-go-round of teams coming and going will continue.

This new season will have a TV deal that is better than previous season and a major sponsor. Small steps in the right direction that will help the re-introduction of Brisbane and Sydney next year.

The Dragons unfortunately wont be around becaus ehte club was only ever the possession of two people, who dont want to 'play' anymore.

Those two people chose to spend exorbitant amounts of money, and little of it was on marketing, despite comments to the contrary. The model the Dragons followed is currently unviable.

Yes, we know it was stuffed, and has been for some time, so while they are trying to fix it, the constant negative attitude is doing nothing to help anyone, except those that don't have a team to support any more.

There has been so much criticism around the place, and so many geniuses saying "the reform should get a sponsor, why haven't they got a FTA deal yet" but no one is actually willing to understand what the new BA board is up against.

Next person that makes a suggestion on what BA is doing wrong needs to come up with a detailed solution, otherwise they can fuck off.

The other Championship claim is a bit like the Port Adelaide Power claiming all the Port Adelaide Magpie premierships.

That is a JOKE too!!

All these people with the solutions, and meanwhile BA people just sit there pulling their puds.

"I know, lets have a reform. Once we have a reform, we'll get major sponsors, teams in Sydney and Brisbane, plus a FTA deal...just remember, the key is to say we are having a reform, and all those pieces will fall in to place. It's so easy!!"

Anon, when did the league promise that they would be able to match the exorbitant budget of the Dragons? If the 8 others teams weren't ready to throw that sort of money around, should the league have kicked them out and kept the Dragons on?

This letter shows the problem with purely private ownership, the club is never more than the owner's baby. Decisions arent made in the best interests of the club's members and supporters.