The idea of taking Australia out of the Oceania round of Olympics qualifiers - which gives us only NZ to play against and they're even lowere profile - and putting us in the Asian round, against much more exciting teams, would really lift the profile of the sport, as has happened in soccer. More international teams touring, more Boomers games, more interest, better all round.

But then we run the risk of not qualifying for major tournaments - Olympics and WCs. This would be the final nail in the coffin of basketball in Australia. These events usually spark a bit more interest in the sport.

I fully agree with you Black Dracula as far as no star=no visibility. But the funny thing is there ARE stars! the program is their marketing trying to advertise the game as a WHOLE as oppose on individuals. People can never catch up with so many names, but if you just advertise one guy over and over people'd start put some interest starting from him. Just like NBA's 90s marketing on MJ.

With all that said, it's weird that ball ain't really seen while this time should be better than ever for this country to promote the sport now that they have legit NBA player in Bogut (arguably the best Australia's ever had). No offense to Drew but even himself admitted to me once that he's the luckiest basktballer in the world.

Ha ha ha Jordan in his Twilight in the Mid 90s
that makes me laugh.
i wonder how many other players Won 2 M.V.P awards and 3 Straight Championships during there twilight years.
Jordan was in his prime in the mid to late 90s
from the 95-96 season to the 98 season his didnt even miss a game.

He dominated the game.

Splints, who in Asia is going to knock us out? Iran, China? Am I forgetting a team?

The league should pick young stars like Ingles, Rush, Weigh, and build a public profile for them.

I believe its bigger than promoting one player - we should be promoting teams! there is limited support for teams! Sell out crowds in 1990's led to television coverage which led to sponsorship and more money put into the league! Australia doesnt have championship players but we have championship teams. Michael jordan was a great player, which australia lacks but we have great teams. Rivalries between Melbourne Tigers and South-East Melbourne Magic attracted 15,000 people to the Tennis Centre in the 90's. Everyone in the crowd would wear team colours. this is one thing which is missing today! Most stores in Adelaide don't stock 36'ers merchandise and those who do - you have to search for it in the clearance boxes. I can buy a NSW rugby top before I can find a 36'ers top!

Teams need to do more about getting there team out there and gaining local support! I don't see 36'er players watching junior games on weekends - i dont see players doing shoot-arounds in local shopping centres! handing out merchandise at ABL games!

Adelaide hires a marketing manager ($$$) well start at the grass roots of bball and find support! 13 local clubs - 1 national team! theres a lot of support there to be found!

10 national teams - theres not a lot of choice there for the local bball supporter to follow! MARKET THE TEAMS....

It's not just about marketing the game or teams, it's about giving fans and supporters something to get emotional and attached to. How can you do that when players and coaches change teams so regularly? I take my kids to the footy and they have numbers on their back and identify with the players - Deledio, Richo, Brown. If I took my kids to Dragons games last year the hype was about Heal, rivalry wih Tigers and Kings - Now if I went to a Dragons game I feel like I am supporting the Sydney Kings.

Too much movement from Players and Coaches to form attachments and longer term support. It's no suprise that the Tigers are the only constant in Vic with the longevity of the Gaze connection.

Sorry....I agree with marketing a player or 2 to help build awareness.

Love to see an NBL commercial on TV called "Meet Joe"

This is Joe
Joe likes to shoot (some big 3 highlights)
Joe likes to pass (assist highlights)
Joe likes to jump (some dunks/block highlights)
Most of all Joe Loves to STRUT (some highlights of the grin, the backwards shuffle, him with is shorts down tucking in his singlet. all the stuff that you guys hate).

or "Meet Chris"

This is Chris
Chris likes to dunk
Chris likes to shoot
Chris likes to rebound
Most of all Chris likes to say NO!!! (a few big blocks).

I think the idea of putting some faces out there for people to identify with is a great idea.

(Sorry for only picking Melbourne guys, but you get the idea)

This is Ebi

Ebi likes to prostitute himself to the highest bidder

Ebi likes to play a team game like he's on his own.

Ebi likes to go to pieces under pressure so quickly that people in the stand have to duck the schrapnel.

Most of all, Ebi loves a good form slump.

Thanks for that Seamus

You make stars of the game its called PR and get the message out

Anon- good Dicko post.
i don't know about some of the others here that either love the Dragons wholeheartedly, love the Tigers wholeheartedly or love the Sixers wholeheartedly (some of us are neither so have a bit more of an unbiased view) but those Ebi judgements were pretty out of line.

I like the marketing idea too Dicko. Maybe you should contact the NBL and offer to do their job for them?

This comes down to building profiles. A team profile in conjunction with individual "start" profiles.

I'd start with the stars and follows the the team. One person can generate intrigue, leading to interest in a team and their sport.

Joe Ingles has a bigger profile at the various nightclubs of Melbourne than he does associated with basketball!

For the record DICKO would quite happily leave Seamus McPeake and the Tigers alone, BUT :-

- The man behaves like a pig. Do you know he got the bench tech'd for calling Raoul Kirstens a C&*(? during the Dragons game?

- This same man OWNS an NBL club which he happily tells everyone makes money, but refuses to accept that his role as an owner should put him in a position to help the league as a whole. Instead he behaves like a selfish, petty child.

- The same man got sanctioned for verbally attacking and physically intimidating a referee in a VBA finals game involving the Tigers. I say sanctioned, when I mean slapped in the wrist.

- This Same man sits on the BOARD of the NBL (anyone say conflict of interest?) and is actively involved in league decisions, some of which, in the past, have shown a clear benefit to HIS team.

- He actively fought the re-introduction of a 2nd Melbourne team (after fighting against previous attempts as well) and still refuses to accept that 2 teams in Melbourne actually HELPS his club.

- He openly flaunts the salary cap and actively works the points cap to his benefit and is involved in blocking any other teams attempt to do the same (Luke Martin SHOULD have got his exemption).

Now.....do I think the Dragons are over the cap? Yes. I also believe, however, that MOST NBL teams are over the cap. If you aren't, then you're just not competitive. This is a situation brought about by a couple of people INCLUDING Seamus McPeake. The "try to buy a championship" mentality of Johnson, Groves, etc.

But Seriously....guys.....

Wortho is big money and Joe would be on pretty serious coin, but after that we have Groves (who almost didn't get a contract at all), Burston (Injury prone his entire career), Horvath (almost chucked on the scrapheap last season) and Gibbo (no other team...remember Adelaide wanted him but their roster was full when he became available), Carter (seriously underrated but discarded by clubs), Vukona (great role player but hardly a star), Darden who I really like, but most (see ozhoops) don't rate in the top 15 imports in the league and Herbert who's worked his way up from the ABA.

Where's the Anstey's, Ere's, Mackinnon, Grizzard or Barlow in the Dragons roster? EVERY one of these guys has been bandied around as a big money player...There's 2 league MVP's and a runner up in there.

You could certainly argue some of our players are better.....but could you argue that they'd be getting paid more?

So say the cap is $800k and the Dragons are $1.2, where exactly do you reckon that puts the Tigers?

Final Point.....They're still crap and we beat 'em....Woof!

HAHA.....which one was wrong?

Interesting post with good points, DICKO!

I agree the nbl needs some big names to save basketball from going under. during the 90's the nbl profited big time on magic, jordan, shaq etc. the nbl had a marquee player and good guy in gaze, we had exciting imports like dwayne mcclain, darryl mcdonald and a thriving league. these days our best australian basketball talent is over seas, the nba reject players have basically dried up. these days were struggling to find 1 import who can go out and get 25 consistently. imports like isiaah victor wouldnt get a look in here ten years ago. we need some guys in this league who can become house hold names, but while our best players are overseas and import quality and salary cap are at an all time low, i dont see it happening.

Dicko, I'm not sure how we went from promoting players, bashing Ebi in particular to then Seamus McPeake.... I'm confused.
Anyway, I think the marketing is a good idea (lots of different ways that could be done) but the Ebi bashing was harsh.
Completely agree with McPeake being toxic to the game-I'd be the first to say so with examples in the past.
As for everyone having to cheat the cap to get somewhere, there's still a vast difference between being over, and spending $2 million on your roster.
Only 2 teams have done that, and in my book, that's not just cheating, that's HELLA HELLA CHEATING!

HAHA......Two teams? I'd suggest you're right. But I bet it's not the 2 teams you're thinking of.

The Ebi bashing started becuase I was just looking for a negative to take the pi$$ out of the concept of what I did with Joe and Chris. I dont actually begrudge Ebi doing what he did, but by all accounts, he did do it very badly.

The McPeake thing started because accused me of unnecessary constant "sniping" at McPeake and the Tigers.......I don't think my sniping at McPeake is unnecessary either......I happen to think the sooner the League realises how ridiculous this situation is, the better.

DICKO - good points re player promotion. The "Slam Dunk McKinnon" type of advertisements also added to the general player recognition status.

I'm a bball fan in limbo - Sydneysider who had followed the Kings for years. Do I go to Spirit games? When I can. I now tend to follow players - CJ, Tovey, Hinder, Barlow, Kendall (great to have him back!), Wortho (sort of - still a bit arrogant!)

The league does need to put names and faces out there! Good role models - unfortunately that wouldn't include Ingles until he can show up at junior promos without the smell of alcohol on his breath!!

Maybe get some footage of the guys playing as teenagers and then now maybe. My son was the same year as guys like Holmes, Greer, Barlow, Worthington - I still follow their careers with interest and they are good role model type players. The Kings players used to have training in and give talks at schools - not only about basketball but about life - they were great. Friend's son had Barlow speak and it made a great impression on him. ALL NBL clubs need to do more of this.

Salary Cap? Not sure if we'll ever know what goes on. Fact - Wortho knocked back $400K from a couple of clubs as Dragons offered him more, so that's not a bad starting point.

Anyway, love reading all your posts - keep it up!

Ebi was very apologetic about what happened- a lot of it was to do with his agents stuffing up.
He then said he would have to apologise to Goorj and the Dragons- he was very very apologetic about it and genuinely felt bad.... that came from the horse's mouth and I believe him.
A lot of these guys don't really care where they play, as long as they are getting coin- we all know that.
Ebi was genuinely sorry, and went out of his way to say so to the people that matter- he didn't have to do that but he did.

Fair enough.....it would explain why he was at a different Dragons game in a corporate box. They may be just playing him up as the evil one for the benefit of marketing.

PLUS, it didn't help that he ended up where he did.

The Dragons boys were mad at his for about 4 days after it was announced- some of them didn't even know until pretty much the last minute, but thankfully, Goorj and the team are over it, so if there's anybody else out there that's still dirty, there's not much point coz the Dragons vs Tigers Ebi signing is done and dusted.
The fans need to move on from it.

Yeah....but that doesn't mean we can't give him crap when he's playing against us.

To be fair though, if I could change the post about him, I'd change it to CJ. Would pretty much read the same too. :-)

Nah mate, you can give crap to whomever you want- I do!
But just don't hate him coz of the whole signing mix up thing, because very little of that was his fault.
And I have to agree with you on CJ- now there is a guy that really only just thinks of himself.