:-)

All nine teams have a good chance of full crowds in each venue.

South Dragons & Sydney Spirit were the two teams whcich strugled the most.

I guess if South played out of the cage it would be different but Mcpeake would not want the competition.

Looking forward to the pre season starting

Press release from BA/NBL with comments from McPeake/Tigers:

Basketball Australia (BA) has announced that eight-teams will participate in its upcoming season of elite men's basketball in 2009/10, with powerhouse club the Melbourne Tigers agreeing to join the competition.

BA recently announced its intention to move ahead with a season of elite men's basketball in 2009/10, before launching a new national basketball competition in 2010.

Adelaide, Cairns, Gold Coast, New Zealand, Perth, Townsville and Wollongong all made submissions indicating they wished to participate in the league. On Thursday the Melbourne Tigers also formally agreed to join the other seven clubs for an eight-team competition.

Basketball Australia Chief Executive Officer Larry Sengstock welcomed the inclusion of the Tigers and said an eight-team competition was consistent with the recommendations of the sport's extensive independent review process.

"We are delighted that the Melbourne Tigers have agreed to join the other seven teams and their addition ensures that there will be a strong and vibrant elite men's basketball competition in Australia in 2009/10," said Sengstock. "This competition will ensure fans can continue to enjoy world class basketball in Australia, and that players, coaches and referees can pursue their chosen field of professional excellence here at home.

"The 2009/10 season will also be a springboard to a brand new national league in 2010, which will include teams in Sydney and Brisbane to complete our geographic footprint," added Sengstock. "BA is committed to moving forward with the reform of basketball and will continue to focus on setting up financially viable teams with strong connections to the basketball community in-line with the core recommendations of our independent review process."

Melbourne Tigers CEO Seamus McPeake said the decision to participate in the NBL this season was in the best interests of the club and the sport.

"The Melbourne Tigers have committed to the 2009/10 season and support Basketball Australia's united front as we move to achieve a sustainable national competition," said McPeake. "After receiving a progress report from BA on Wednesday which addressed a number of our initial concerns, including the sport's governance, the Tigers Board of Directors finalised our decision this morning."

"The Tigers have a rich tradition and as one of the most iconic sporting brands in the country we are happy that we are able to continue at the highest level in Australia. Having an NBL team in Melbourne is paramount for the sport if it is to continue to move forward, and whilst we are in for some tough times ahead, we believe that the result in the long term will be positive."

"The Melbourne Tigers Board were buoyed by the support and efforts of the Victorian Government and Sports Minister, Mr. James Merlino, with their assistance in helping achieve this result which allows the club to continue our commitment to the community and development of basketball."

"The Tigers look forward to developing a strong partnership with Basketball Victoria and State associations to help bridge the gap between all levels of the sport. We are now calling on the Victorian community, fans, sponsors and supporters to get behind the club and help us continue to build our sport. We hope to see basketball and sport lovers alike in Melbourne cheering us on at The Cage," McPeake added.

Sengstock also unveiled the finals format for 2009/10, which was determined by the newly formed League Commission. The top four teams will advance to the post-season, with the number one ranked team playing the fourth seed and number three playing number two in the best-of-three Semi-Finals. The winner of each series will then face off in the best-of-three Grand Final series.

The Commission also has determined that a $1million salary cap will be in place for 2009/10, as well as a points cap which will be announced shortly. The season schedule will feature 28 games (14-home and 14-away with each team playing each other four times) and will be released in June.

Hard to know what has happened in the Tigers camp. There seems little doubt that McPeake was defeated, but it seems he is still on board.

No question the commitment by Fox to return to 2007-2008 levels of coverage, with minimum two games every week plus playoffs, helped get the Tigers over the line. Pretty sure their spending will be largely reduced, enabling them to return to the black financially.

The faction in the Tigers that wants the team to be part of a new start for basketball that builds from a solid base has won out, and that is great news for basketball.

Interesting quote from McPeake that the Tigers will work very closely with Bball Vic and local associations  does anyone know if they will have a formal role with the Tigers? It would help cover for the loss of any owners that don't support the new model.

Still, great news and let's hope the increased tv coverage allows clubs across the league to regain some ground sponsorship wise.

Awesome news, lets now hope that with some solid marketting the teams can all generate good crowds.

Id say with the imminent return of teams from Sydney and Brissy that Cairns, Wollongong and Gold Coast will want to make sure they have a succesfull season both on and even more importantly off the court.

Do you think that McPeake, created this all himself to get rid of south and steal all of the melbourne fans for himself?

Is there any further elaboration on the Fox deal? Games per week etc

Yea i guess its now the Dragons who are now left out in the cold by themselves, tried to pull the power card along with the tigers and bring the league down, didnt work, obviously the tigers had enough sense to come back in, i doubt the dragons will ever be back now, no reason for BA to beg them to come back now, and it would cost them a nice license fee id say if they rejoin in the future.

So can we assume the 36ers are in & the licence transfer is just a formality pending all parties signing the paperwork?

another question - how can they justify a $1 million cap? With this cap, my guess would be that they are gonna keep ticket prices above $20+ ... why not lower the cap, reduce ticket prices and build the product by actually getting people to the games?

Good stuff. However, I'll be interested to see how the points cap is to be determined. Lets hope it's got more integrity and fairness than the random number Excel function, as used by the old NBL.

IMO, it would be hard to build the product by lowering the cap because you are effectively asking players to take a pay cut. Our better players might (would?) then disappear to Europe and actually result in doing damage to the "product"

Good to see we will have a melbourne team !

now to the TV deal...

fox
one
local stations

WHATEVER!!!

8 teams - my bad
South may have had the third highest crowds, however they were very up and down.

One week they would have 5000 and the next 2000

Also remember they had the derby which would help there average.

2000 at the venue they were playing at is much more costly than 3500 in wollongong for example

I is a happy camper, I is. Glad we're moving forward. Gotta say - I'm massively impressed with Sengstock landing in the hottest of seats from day dot and performing.

Huge respect.

The conditions the 36ers put in their participation agreement were that they will be playing if they get the licence signed and that they get a lease for the dome. After a few hiccups both of these documents should be signed in the next couple of days. BA have delayed the official start of the clubs being able to speak to players until monday 1st june to allow the 36ers to have these documents in place and be able to speak with players on an equal footing with other clubs.

Great news all round . Lets hope there are more games on fox than last year and NBL and clubs can do some positive marketing.
Still holding my breathe until SOS group get the Sixers sorted out and have the liscence as dont trust mighty mal and grubby groves.
We need to get on front foot to secure the players we require starting with Schens. and Adam. B.
Agree with SVD that the $1 mill salary cap seems high as we dont want teams falling over because they cant survive.
Though I think a lot of the run of mill regular players wont be demanding too much and sell themselves out of a job.
Whats Boy Goorg going to do

With the Dragons Cowan apparently couldnt put up the cash himself without Germinder, but still after this season Cowan could have the cash and put in a bid. Also no serious Dragons fans will go to the Tigers games as we hate the Tigers and our crowds were about 4000 against interstate teams not 2000.

* season

Glad there is something, and thrilled that fox will hopefully lift the coverage.

But it is really all about season 10/11 and beyond, good as it is...this is a stopgap.

could we at least have been got rid of this stupid points cap, it is without a doubt the stupidest part of the game in australia... i don't understand how that is a positive in the league!!!

Bring it, I rthink your stats are a bit wayward - the Dragons averaged just over 5000 to games at Hisense arena - which I believe led the league (Sixers led league in regular season, I think).

This was no doubt helped by 5 games against the Tigers (average 8000 ppl), but even without any games against the Tigers they averaged just below 4000, which while a little disappointing for a Melb team in a big stadium was only below Adelaide, Townsville and Perth.

Ricey, what's negative about it?

I think, if done well, it's a cost effective partner to a hard-to-police salary cap.

Some people will never be happy, I'm just glad we will have a season and a team to watch this year. Lets all get behind whatever team we support and make it a great season to build on

I'm with you Charlie. The thought of having no b/ball sucks .
HUGE wraps for the SOS team.

A year without Goorj... what the hell???

I wonder who he will coach?!

If not, that is gonna F@#$ his playoff streak.

Needless to say , I am desirous of going to 14 games at the Dome, this summer.
Goorj - unlikely to look to Australia, anymore - seems China is his future.

Anon, All contracts with all players are now void and each club can start resigning as from next week. There will be a certain amount of loyalty among teams and players but neither club or player is bound by past contracts. The SOS cannot open the Dome doors and start work until the licence has been transfered and the lease for the Dome is signed, that being said the whole proceedure is about 99.9% done so we should be good to go next week along with all other teams

Hopefully SOS deal done soon as although official date is June 1 as you can tell by the Crocs actions teams are doing there homework already and Crocs would already have planned who they require to replace sacked 2 .
Get Schens as a priority but give him time frame otherwise all good centres will be gone while he explore his Euro . options