Hoops

Jess Bibby gives a spray to BA re WNBL

It is good that these issues are raised and am hopeful that the WNBL can gain a more equitable standing from BA. It is the second best league in the world but who would know. Women's basketball can't even get scores in daily media let alone an article . No wonder attendances are down as the public don't know games are on.

The sad thing is that one brand can help the other as the SEABL model does.

With some combined funding and promotion the sport will see substantial benefits.

Take the heat out of Bibby's remarks and she seems to be seeking parity. You may not get that but drawing it closer would help.

These amateur architects trying to build from the penthouse without a foundation is exactly why this great sport in collapsing!

Hmmm, 1 million bucks and not even going to hit the court in the first year ...

Not suggesting anything untoward ... but that's a lot of money down the WNBL gurgler for no return other than a bit of PR.

Anon ... re NBL clubs paying as well ... yes, understood.

At least for many years the NBL had an active board dedicated to (trying) to look after it's interests and attract corporate sponsorship ... although that had it's moments.

A couple of WNBL teams are still playing out of the basketball equivalent of a shoebox ... how do you attract more interest from sponsors and fans to grow the sport with that ?

Will be interesting to see if recent key appointments at BA are able to be more proactive in progressing both the NBL and WNBL to new levels of professionalism and fan interest.

Jess may well be in a bit of a glasshouse, in that BA has already contributed significantly to LJ's current contract with the capitals. Moneys that are neither avaiable nor given to other WNBL clubs.

Doubt that she put these views through Graf either, given Graf's BA salary.

WNBL is funded by the participating clubs - they all pay BA to play in the competition.

The biggest issue for the WNBL is the lack of strategy from BA for the competition (in my view) - they have just let it meander along for the last decade or more. This has resulted in a mish mash of ownership structures and it is not level playing field.

Melbourne is the biggest problem - the two WNBL teams are embedded in local associations so very few people outside those associations are interested - the tribal elements of junior basketball kick in.

Interesting that probably the most successful women's sport in netball (and yes I know it is primarily a female sport) has a highly hands on peak body that actively manages the structure of their elite competition.

The WNBL is a poor cousin to the NBL. Unfortunately, it is women's sport in general that gets bad media coverage so that is a societal issue that must be overcome.

The are some sports that are better to watch in Women's over Men's. I think Volleyball is one such sport. Women's has longer volleys whereas the Men's is dig and spike.

Women's sport also suffers from bad perceptions as well. It's OK for women to watch men play sport, whereas men watching women suffer from being painted as perverts. The AFL crowd is pretty much 50:50, but a netball crowd is pretty much 85% females.

"Brings in no money"
I guess the NBL is a cash cow?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=280190256

Dre Smith from George Mason U set a new 3 point record going 10/10 on Saturday. Huge effort.

Anyone know of any performances that have bettered it - any league? Has any poster had a better shooting performance?