Hoops

Viable approach for NBL Wellington expansion

Just on that thought, we have had major success at international level these past years (JUNIORS), with gold and silver medals and great games v USA.

Could the country possibly get behind these teams and show the tournaments on Fox TV or something, at least promote some of our great recent results?

Imagine how much interest we could have got out of decent promotion of the Aus v NZ qualifying game with that 3 pointer on the buzzer in OT, that kind of stuff should be gold for promoting the game but we don't get the coverage, it is cricket and soccer and footy or netball that appear to get it all...

It can only help basketball and the NBL IMO!

Not to draw a direct parallel with another code, but the A-League is kind of like that, isn't it?

They have had their failures and successes along the way, now seem to have found a formula that appears to work, but at the same time I think the A-League has benefitted greatly from the exposure soccer success has had internationally...

For baksetball it will not be much different I feel, they are both world games and any success in the NBL will also need an injection of international success to make it really work in this country IMHO.

Yeah thanks, well aware of that. Just pointing out that a league with just the "major cities" is pretty dull in my eyes. Like the NFL would be with just NY, NY, LA, LA, Chicago, Dallas and Philly.

The Crocs have been around for nearly a quarter century, who's to say that if the NBL still exists in 25 years, that if run well and with a bit of luck winning a few titles, the Crocs couldn't be an iconic 50yo club in this league which players want to play for, like the Packers?

Yeah, I can't be sold on Sydney. It has just never seemed like a sports town to me. Unless you are called the Blues and play your Northern neighbors 3 times a year, the city just doesn't seem interested.

I do understand what you're saying. But I think you are selling regional centres short. A well-run regional club can be iconic. Just ask the Geelong Cats and the Green Bay Packers.

I just dread the thought that the NBL will end up being Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Sydney, Melbourne, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Perth. That will be monumentally boring.

Absolutely, Victoria could maybe even have 2 more teams in the future. It's a big population with a big basketball culture.

Bris and another Melb in the next 3 years would be real progress, expansion-wise.

I tend to agree somewhat, that Melbourne has potential for a second team (Victoria at least), and Brisbane would be next cab off the rank regardless. Then Tasmania and perhaps a NZ team down the track, but first comes solidification of the league...

Can't see Perth, Sydney or Adelaide getting a second team soon, it would water down their market too much IMO. The NBL has proven in the past that high populations in major cities isn't always the guide to success.

Because a 2nd Syd team has always been so viable and successful. They have barely ever cared about their Kings.

Can't wait to see yet another "West Sydney" in the league, with it's 547 fans. It will be great!

A 2nd Perth team? Who in their right minds will support them? I know if I'm a Perth person, I'm sticking with the most successful franchise and an icon of that state's sporting landscape. Talk about bankruptcy waiting to happen.

Guys, I would love to see two NZ teams in the NBL one day, it certainly would complete the league as far as providing that international flavour and NZ basketball is improving all the time so it would help to provide more options and pathways over there.

How much does travel hurt the Breakers financially? I would not think it was much different to that of the Wildcats travelling from Perth every other week, but it may be more? With two teams in NZ they should play each other a few times, that will create a terrific rivalry and reduce some costs I would imagine...

I prefer the proven track record of Mills & the proven brand of his Wellington Saints to Wallace's fresh consortium approach.

Wellington could easily be sustainable and a very well run organisation.

As mentioned in earlier threads, they (the Saints) already have virtually everything that a NBL club has (including a comparative roster).

Only issue is the sole ownerships vs. Consortium dilemma. Mills wants the former.

He hasn't formally put forward a bid because the above issue hasn't really progressed