Hoops

NBL announce Cairns to stay, Sydney added

Paul, nicely put...
I think the cap is working well...there will be some who are trying to break it, but it's not going as well as it had done in the past...

Bob Turner wont be the coach...IMO that is...They will chase someone high profile as always..BT will stick to front office stuff, getting big sponsors to recoup some $$..

I would love to see the dragons back again...Melbourne is a city that must have 2 teams IMO...

What will be interesting is how they will go without going outside the cap...

Its great that Cairns have succeeded in making the 2010/11 season. I am not entirely surprised by this because it sounds like they are a club that has the strictest standards in what they expect from their players in terms of time spent promoting the club. Very little off time is being given to the players this off season and they will spend most of the off season working for the club in promotions and exposure to the public. Its also great that Sydney are going to be back in the league. It did make the league look a little second rate not having a team in the largest Australian city. Hopefully Brisbane will follow in the not too distant future as there are a lot of passionate fans there that would welcome it.

I am now looking forward to next season. The surprise element is exciting with additional team(s) and Adelaide with a new coach. I can also speak highly of the ownership team and the effort they go to to keep fans informed and involved.

Great to read that Sydney will be included. I am also glad that the South Dragons wont be again part of it. It goes to show, they werent up for anything but money and glory. The NBL has shown over the last year it has the ability to stand on its own two legs unlike days recently gone by.

OneHD for tv deal is the way to go. I have watched more NBA since it has been on OndHD than ever before (previously none). OneHD gives you more exposure because it's free to air. Be interesting to see how High Stakes Hoops goes on OneHD.

Simply not willing to pay for tv at the moment and never have in the past. Happy for the NBL to be on Foxtel though.

Although Boti Nagy (this morning's paper) indicates the other 7 clubs that went with the league, last season, would not be happy if Cairns were dumped.

(I'd guess Fox want exclusive and may have bid a little higher than ten.)

I have a strange feeling that the NBL may have relaxed the rules to allow Cairns to remain in. I have no proof or evidence to justify this train of thought...but if Cairns folded, it would have provided more fodder for the NBL's detractors.

I just wish the NBL would come clean...from the outside looking in, it appears there are too many cloak and possibly even a few daggers for my liking. So much for being open and up front!

As for the TV deal, there are that many rumours circulating I can't keep track! I am torn behind wanting the NBL on One HD and the NBL making some money from Foxtel on pay TV.

I think it is fantastic...Sydney in will be great...I hope not under the name of Kings, but no big deal to me either way...

Looking forward to this next season already...the off season will be interesting again...

I am intrigued. Cairns have had major financial issues in trying to achieve the NBL's requirements, and yet they are barely mentioned in this press release! Not even a "Cairns were able to meet the financial requirements imposed by the league" statement.

Good to have them in, and I welcome a Sydney team and hope Brisbane can get one up and running by the following season. Also strange that there was no mention of a potential 2nd Melbourne team the following season either.