Aussie Basketball Discussion

[Kenny]

I wasn't a fan of the Blaze, but it sucks that they're out. With that being the case, I'm hoping they might move a game or two of the Townsville Crocs (my default QLD team after the Bullets went bust) games to Brisbane... or even the Gold Coast.

[koberulz]

They won't, and they shouldn't. The Crocs and Blaze each had enough trouble drawing fans to their own home arena, the Crocs would never draw in GC. The two Brisbane games, along with the pre-season tourney, were absolute disasters.

[Kenny]

Yeah, I guess it's a bit much to ask, considering we barely get to see live games on the Cops network.

[koberulz]

I'm not sure how you think the TV coverage relates to the possibility of NBL games in Brisbane.

Meanwhile, the Boomers have gone down to Spain twice in the last two days, 75-69 and 81-75.

[The X]

Hope Boomers do well & contend for a medal. I think they are capable of getting to the semis (& therefore a medal chance) if their pool seeding gets them a good quarter final matchup. I might be Kiwi born & fan of Tall Blacks, Penney, Marks, Pero etc but I'm also Aussie citizen so back Boomers too.

Back on NBL, was talking to my wife more about it, even though she's not a bball fan, she's more disappointed than me that Blaze are gone. We've got two young daughters & she was hoping as they get a little older, we can start taking them to NBL games because it's a great atmosphere, good family environment (not the usual bogan yobbos all drunk like at footy), music etc (& bball of course). Talking to her about it, I really hope Bullets come back to Brisbane in next few years. Not Boondall (BEE) though, I wouldn't watch them there. Horrible venue. Gold Coast was more convenient & better atmosphere than Boondall.

So what do you guys think about NBL/BA model, ticket prices, etc? Do you think it should go back to being a winter competition like it use to be or should it align to NBA/European seasons? Ticket prices for Gold Coast games were reasonable, but for the ones at Brisbane Convention Centre, they were $20 more than usual per seat, which is why we didn't go. NBL should succeed, basketball has a lot of popularity in Australia.

Anyways, I'll be eagerly awaiting the return of the Bullets, even if that's a few years off....

[Kenny]

The less it competes with the NBA, the better. It'll at least be better for people who follow the NBA and are slack with the NBL (guilty), because of the "it's better than no basketball" mentality those fans would probably have. The biggest problem with it going back to winter would be it'd be in competition with the footy codes.

I hope Brisbane do make it back into the league, as I'd like to be able to support a basketball team more actively, rather than barracking for a team that's 1000s of miles away (or in the case of Denver, on other side of the equator).

[Andrew]

The less it competes with the NBA, the better. It'll at least be better for people who follow the NBA and are slack with the NBL (guilty), because of the "it's better than no basketball" mentality those fans would probably have. The biggest problem with it going back to winter would be it'd be in competition with the footy codes.

My initial thought is to keep it in line with the NBA/NCAA/Euroleague seasons, so that it's happening at a time when basketball fans are fired up and ready to get their fill of hoops, but that's a good point. It does fill the gap and that might be a good way to get more people interested, giving it a chance and sticking with it.

However, as you noted, it places it in competition with all the football codes which are far more popular. It's arguably not much better in the Summer when you've got cricket, but there might be room there with the NBL games being played at night and test cricket finishing by what, 6 PM? As such, it might be easier for them to avoid direct competition with a more popular sport if they stick to Summer.

[Kenny]

I had that thought as well. A lot of people that think cricket is boring have basketball as an alternative. However, with the seasons corresponding with the other competitions, you can't help but draw comparisons and I think that hurts the NBL. Plus, the fact it's probably just as easy to watch an NBA game as it is to watch an NBL game doesn't help matters.

I'm not sure how you think the TV coverage relates to the possibility of NBL games in Brisbane.

Accessibility is key. The more games on TV, the more interest there should be to go to games.

[Andrew]

True, they're kind of caught between the devil and the deep blue sea as far as competing with other popular sports, so perhaps it would work better filling the gap in the winter. They'd definitely have to avoid putting it head to head with any kind of football, though.

I still think if we can have some more success at the international level, it'll raise the profile of the sport and the NBL, leading to more interest and respect amongst Aussie sports fans.

[koberulz]

Do you think it should go back to being a winter competition like it use to be or should it align to NBA/European seasons?

People keep suggesting this, 48 minute games and turning off all the during-game music as though doing those three things would get the league back to where it was in the late 80s. Eight minutes a game makes absolutely no difference whatsoever, and the music is a large part of what made the league popular in the first place.

As for winter: no. Football's on.

The less it competes with the NBA, the better.

In what universe does it compete with the NBA? The NBA is on in the morning, the NBL is on at night. The NBL, at least in the eight cities that have times, can be seen live.

It's arguably not much better in the Summer when you've got cricket

Most cricket games are on during the day, in one city at a time, on the odd occasion. Football is on in multiple cities all weekend every week, at night. I know which I'd rather compete with.

The thing people forget, when arguing for a winter season 'because that's what it was when the league was popular', is that the AFL didn't exist back then. The AFL came along, and within a couple of years the NBL was roughly where it is now. Perth were in the NBL the same year the first interstate team (the Swans) joined the AFL. By the time WA got a VFL team, the Wildcats were in the grand final. And then, at some point, the VFL/AFL decided to try having games at night - previously football was only played during the day - and that was the end of the NBL.

[The X]

I agree keeping game at 40 minutes is fine. In-game music needs to stay, otherwise less entertaining for wife & kids. I wouldn't mind if they quieten it slightly, but it's not too bad.

[koberulz]

Depends where you go. Gold Coast, by all accounts, was the worst in the league as far as volume and just letting songs play without any effort to make it fit what's going on on the court. Perth get a bit of flak for the volume as well, though they do an excellent job of making sure the music/sound effects add to the atmosphere rather than just being there.

[The X]

Ahh well, I guess I'm like Andrew now. Without a hometown team to support with Bullets & Blaze gone. I obviously still like Breakers since I'm from NZ & like that they have some of the old Bullets like Bruton & Boucher.

[koberulz]

Adelaide 36ers may be homeless.

[Andrew]

I really hope the Boomers can do well in London. It'd be nice to get some more positive news about Aussie basketball for a change.

[koberulz]

Well, instead of that, here's more shitty news about the Blaze!

[Andrew]

Well, that's just going to keep on getting uglier. Sadly, the Boomers didn't get off to a terrific start, either.

[Andrew]

They sure did. Sadly, they don't give out medals for coming close to winning, so I'd suggest that's not the ideal strategy moving forward.

The Opals, meanwhile, produced this highlight:

phpBB [video]

[Kenny]

They had their moments against Spain, but in the end they were killed off the boards and shooting was once again a real problem. You could tell against Spain that they were really missing Andrew Bogut. Without him, Australia's bigs look pretty weak. Jingles was easily the best of the Boomers that night (never thought I'd say that).

[koberulz]

I love the fact that three-point shooting has been a massive problem for us, and Peter Crawford has played zero minutes.

[koberulz]

Forget the Boomers, the Opals are the team to watch.

[Kenny]

Thanks for the link; I actually missed that dunk. It ended up looking pretty easy.

[Andrew]

That was pretty cool. Replay begins shortly on Foxtel, too.

[koberulz]

Boomers get over Russia 82-80 on a Patty Mills buzzer-beating three-pointer, live on Channel Nine in prime time on the east coast.

Hell yeah.

[Andrew]

Caught that, albeit on Foxtel. Thought they were going to end up throwing that one away, great shot by Mills to take it at the buzzer. Cold blooded.