Hoops

Sydney Kings owner Paul Smith admits COVID-19 could fold NBL

NBL has the advantage of scale over NRL and AFL.

Fewer players. Lower costs. Easier to adapt. Australia might be seen as a safer place for imports to play, compared to US and Europe.

All sports will have to adapt.

Papering over the cracks on the Titanic.

Did anyone notice?

The nbl is a league like all the others in australia and around the world. They are now forced to go back to the drawing board and figure out their next move because of the coronavirus.

Fortunately, the nbl does have someone on there side in LK, who can financially back it. But let's be clear, he is a business man that's about making money on his investments in the short or long term, and in the nbl case, it has to be long term.

With that said. It's now vital the nbl owners individually, show LK they can come up with a plan on how they can get thru this coronavirus situation in time enough to kick off the 20/21 nbl season. IMO the ball is in the owner's court.

Who knows what will happen if LK is forced to make a business decision on his involvement in the nbl based on his lack of confidence, in his fellow owners.

Take a year off. Everyone can regroup and literally start again. Tassie might be ready too by then as well. Everyone then has a fair shot at all uncontracted players.

"There is no point in a closed competition. End of story."

Agreed. Players have already agreed to a hefty pay cut, my guess is that the front office of many clubs are going to be decimated in the near future.

Sucks.

Kings averaged 10800 so does that mean Perth 32400 at home games or are supporters still talking shit. Adelaide average 8000. Do the maths, still talking shit.

Or is it his interest in being owner that has folded?

Paul Smith went the unsustainable route by doing things like buying billboard ad space for millions in only his first season. He'll be the first to bail out if times get tougher but in the meantime why not camouflage his all-in by declaring to the media that it's the league's fault. No one forced you to spend the amounts you did.

Paul Smith went the unsustainable route by doing things like buying billboard ad space for millions in only his first season. He'll be the first to bail out if times get tougher but in the meantime he why not camouflage his all-in by declaring to the media that it's the league's fault. No one forced you to spend the amounts you did.

^^^
And pay 60% of the money.

Hawks got money from the tax paid by clubs over the cap, they have never got money from LK.

So the worst case scenario presented here is that the league folds. The NBL would be considered a vulnerable business with its model in this climate.

if the league folds, that will obviously be a disaster for the sport through all levels from top to bottom, not just the NBL only.

Therefore, what is a reasonable alternative to the worst case scenario? Take a year off entirely then come back the following year? Play a mini-season in say February which might serve as some kind of placeholder competition, just to ensure some revenue is made, then restart properly the following year?

Surely we aint folding! But I am very concerned that we might if things dont go back to normal this year.

With the sporting landscape so barren ATM, pity NBL couldn't land a tv contract to just attract any sports fan. With AFL and rugby having so many players and coaches, logistically to have a hub would be enormous. Nbl can have 10 players, 3 coaches and some managers/physios etc.
Having 8 teams, in one city that play behind closed doors for a couple of months, get some TV money since no network is spending and see what happens. Even have a big brother behind the scenes if they want, I assume hotels are pretty much empty so give a floor to each team and let them run amok.

I'm not arguing with you any longer you and I both know LK could finance the running of this league including all 9 teams on his own for decades if he wishes.

Coronavirus may be a barrier to the league going ahead next season money from TV deals or no fans in attendance are not.

The NBL needs fans for the teams to be viable.

Larry can't prop every individual team up on his own, and even if he technically could afford to, I think that would be just a little too much to ask

That was me forgot to put my name in.

I think you're just arguing for the sake of it now if you think a lack of revenue isn't a barrier to the league's viability.

No, the point is that the AFLs and NBAs of the world have million/billion dollar TV deals that make a closed-door season viable for them. The NBL does not, and thus cannot go forward unless fans can purchase tickets.

It's not rocket science people.

There is no point it's muckraking by Smith and or a rival network.

1. Aside from the 2 year contract SBS Viceland are still showing replays of NBL games every weekday during the off-season hardly the actions of a broadcast partner wanting to sever ties.

2. The NBL is funded by LK an absence of funds from a TV deal or no ticket sales (individual club problems) is hardly a barrier to the league surviving. The league continues as long as LK wants it to. Nothing this clown Kings owner says has anything to do with that.

If they never had a broadcast deal before, nothing has changed. If the game cost so much to broadcast out of the nbl budget, don’t broadcast it, maybe do a Friday night and Sunday afternoon game only, that should save a bundle. The quality of the players make the nbl, you can’t afford to lose the Cottons, etc of the league. It should make going to games top priority for spectators if there is no tv.

Yes, they do as I posted it was a two year agreement.

They don't have one they can lean on, which is what the article actually says.

Which is that the NBL isn't getting money from a TV deal that would allow them to play behind closed doors. Which is true.

Wildcats renewal deadline passed before this hit, so they had everyone already locked in.

Dr Kobe.

I added nothing to what's in the news article, it says in my post exactly what it says on the 7news website.

Which is that the NBL isn't getting money from a TV deal that would allow them to play behind closed doors. Which is true.

That you posted incorrect information.

Fittler hasn’t played in years, he’s the nsw coach at present. Rugby league that is, not union.

Met the guy in real life, absolute chump.

Your point?

NRL player Brad Fittler.

Who is Freddy Fittler that he refers to

Bloke never stops crying.

Your point?

Under the two-year deal, fans will have access to the entire 2019-20 Hungry Jack’s NBL season for free, with 67 games broadcast on SBS VICELAND – an 86% increase in free-to-air coverage compared to the 2018-19 season – and all 126 games available live and free on streaming platform SBS On Demand.

Just play the following year, take a year off.

Griffin had 41 points and seven assists for Canberra.
27 and 10 for Dowdell in another game.
Massingale had 37 with four steals.

Canberra played three games in three days - any other teams?

For 36ers fans who're interested, Massingale's scores this season:

24, 29, 27, 22, 24, 37.

Averaging 39% from 3P and 47% from the field.