Hoops

Harrower's Turn: Calls for WNBL/NBL equality

The Jackson deal was rightly backed by BA as a viable opportunity to promote the sport. But injury derailed it.

Bogut would've been great, but him aside the same should've been done for Mills, who was playing, and bolted to China for $1 million?

Whoever it is you need a person with personality that people (can/do) recognize and connect to. That draws them to games, boosts ratings and draws sponsors for clubs and league.

Funding of Australia's National teams has nothing to do with with the 2 professional leagues, other than the administration is collective at BA.

As stated previously, the decision re first class travel was a team management decision.

The issue re Virgin Lounge membership is due to sponsorship differences with the NBL property being supported by Virgin and the WNBL not having that arrangement.

I think BA have previously acknowledged that since 2009, their focus was on the NBL and that this was due to the basket-case they inherited and the need to stabilise and re-establish the NBL property.

This decison was based on the fact that the NBL is and ws the 'public face of basketball'. The WNBL supporters can claim that the WNBL is the 2nd, or 3rd best league in the world and that the players are some of the best in the world, but to the general 20+m Australian it's the men's game which is basketball.

I'm curious about how things are on the other side of the ditch in NZ - are they in better shape or worse, cos they must have a lot fewer people playing and so a lot less money to use.

@Isaac, yes I believe each club sets their door charges, but they are between a rock and a hard place.

The association based teams certainly have to subsidise their WNBL programs, so need every dollar they can get. It's a trade off between a few extra bucks as opposed to (as you suggest) letting kids in free to get bums on seats.

I suspect also a bit of group think - everyone in the league follow a similar approach on door charging and no one wants to step out of line.

I think for a whole season, say next season they need to let children in for free. This is the 2nd best female basketball league in the world and BA do nothing to promote the league, useless.

Good question Isaac.

Posting that it is women whining shows exactly the mentality that sees this swept under the rug!

BA will soon make a non-committal statement saying there will be a review then go back to kicking rocks.

The WNBL has been solid for a long time despite little being done to promote it.

The NBL peaked 20 years ago and is dying a slow death despite several attempts to kickstart it.

Which is damn shame on both fronts!!

I love the WNBL and I feel for the way the league has been neglected by BA.
Unfortunately the majority of the articles about it miss the point, attack the wrong aspects, and as a result come off as being petty, whiny, lacking in credibility, and ultimately devalue the "sexism" accusation by throwing it around where it is clearly not warranted.
Kristi knows what she is talking about. Unfortunately that Tuxworthy dude is awful, and is apparently happy to drag players down with him.

As a WNBL and Opals fan it bothers me to see these dodgy journos actually harming the cause with half-baked stories just in the name of trying to stir up some controversy and make a name for themselves.