Isaac
Years ago

Timing of WNBL season

Was reading an article from The Age (Women's league rates lowly) yesterday which talked about the female side of the competition in the much-discussed revamp of basketball in Australia.

One point which stood out was this:

In fact, such is the gap between the league, which nurtured all Opals, and the national team that only Rohanee Cox of the Olympic 12 will play in the season that starts next weekend, and she is out of the mainstream with Townsville.

The other 11 have European contracts that range from the high five figures to the high six figures the WNBL, basically, pays "petrol money". Half a dozen fringe national team players earn a living in European leagues, which run at the same time as the WNBL.

The article suggests that a move to a May-September competition could be on the cards.

Anyone know more about possible change in future scheduling?

Do you think it's a good idea?

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LC
Years ago

I think the move is a great idea, and means the girls can play in Europe and earn the Euro and then come back and play in Australia.

The report uses some very unprofessional and almost childish terminology i some parts. Here si another example - "Petrol money"?? What's wrong with stating "the WNBL pay scale is insignificant in comparison." Semantics, for sure.

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Isaac
Years ago

"Petrol money" is a colloquialism likely to be familiar to readers. I don't think it's out of place.

I agree, though, that a change in schedule could be a good move if it means that Australia's best female players (or at least most of them - Summerton, Phillips, etc) will be suiting in the WNBL.

Would be interested to hear what the players themselves think about this?

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Camel 31
Years ago

I heard Rachael Sporn ( about 6 months ago) saying they should put it back to winter, as so many play in europe now.
But, I wonder about WNBA, that is Erin play Europe and WNBA, don't spose she could play here, could she?

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HO
Years ago

May to September would cause massive headaches every two years for International commitments. The olympics and WC's are normally always held between July and end of Aug. Our oceania qualifiers, while less of an issue, are also held in this period in the alternate year generally.

This is another reason the NBl moved to summer (people forget these little details).

Imagine the club vs country tension all over again...

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Camel 31
Years ago

I didn't think of Olympics and WCs in August....
It's hard then.. Would you leave it as Oct-Mar ?

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amanda jones
Years ago

The season should be May to September. More players play Euro league then WNBA. It does seem that they got more support prior to the change and we would have more quality players available to come home and play. Potentially more people would go watch because the level of play was higher, leading to more $ for players etc. It would have my support.

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HO
Years ago

Amanda, before the change many wnbl clubs were lin ked to nbl....sydney, melbourne, perth, adelaide etc.

This meant the crowd recorded for each game was the pre-game for the nbl as well, which used to artifically inflate the wnbl spectator numbers.

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expect great
Years ago

leave it as it is - just a couple of double headers.

if we clash with wnba we will never see our guns (they are usually o/s anyway)

winter clashes with too many other sports for spectators

more appeasing to go out on a warm summer's night

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Tork
Years ago

I think it would be a great idea to get the big name players back to austraila and watch them play in the WNBL but it will kill the ABL Women's comps around Aust.

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Anonymous
Years ago

I'm not convinced this will work - whilst it would have a slight increase in the number of players back from Europe (of the other 11 Opals, I think half of them play WNBA too??) - I think many spectators prefer to go out in summer to watch rather than winter fighting both the weather and football.

And a great point above I hadn't even considered - would kill ABA.

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Hoops

Timing of WNBL season

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