This where we should follow the nba, the only music they usually play in game is the organ music.

I think this is largely directed at some of the other nba teams who constantly, non-stop play music throughout games.

This is a good thing...focus on the basketball.

They are just following FIBA guidelines. FIBA allow ZERO music whilst the clock is running.

When you take young newcomers to the game,they love the music and dancing girls and get into the game.

Anon - In the past I have played music as instructed by the club. I was told to keep it loud when the opposition has the ball (makes it harder for them to communicate). If thats not what the new bosses want then it will obviously change.

Feel free to email me at anytime with any criticism or suggestions on [email protected]

When you take young newcomers to the game,they love the music and dancing girls and get into the game.

HOOOOOO-FREAKING-RAYYYYYY!

I'm a fan of no music while the ball is on the court - it is so hard to get behind your team when they need a pick me up when "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" is blaring over the PA

"which has already been shown by no club using the entire $1 million salary cap for player wages."

Dem.....now i hav ti git spt cofe off my keebord.

Larry if it is too loud, you are too old.

Wrong call from Sengstock.

We will always have the purists who want less music during the game, but they will be far outweighed by those who enjoy it. It's a selling point of our game, people don't want to go and watch a lawn bowls competition.

I never understood this nomusic/music argument - how can the natural atmosphere of a close basketball game be worse than terrible music that stops the crowd getting into the game other than clapping alone with said terrible music?

Sebastian,

FIBA allow music during games, and having been doing so for quite some time. At both the Athens and Beijing Olympics the entertainment was managed by NBA entertainment and certainly included in-game music.

I remember when the dome (going back a few years of course) played hardly any music....and it sucked! i think music helps people get into the game like with the rhythm of clapping, chanting etc.
I think we need some sort of music during the game for sure...oh and the little sound effects Skip does is all good in my opinion, it gets a laugh every time (if you don't find it funny maybe you should find a sense of humour!)

Keep The Beats!!!

It depends on the music. The Tigers use music beautifully, not too loud and always a song that gets the crowd clapping along - which is great atmosphere.

The Dragons used pop music that mostly didn't have a beat you could clap along to and simply left most people feeling as if they couldn’t contribute to the atmosphere of the game.

FIBA allowed music while the clock was running at the U19 WCs, but only immediately after a basket for a few seconds. People trying to jump on the FIBA bandwagon in this area should remember that most FIBA games are played in empty stadiums with pretty poor atmosphere.

This is a joke, music and any pre-game entertainment should be left up to the games organizer.
If the home team wants to have a national anthem or music playing, let em.
Im sure we all agree going to the games are exciting and a good form of entertainment.

BA has to concentrate more on getting more people aware and to the game than changing it.

Um no they did not! They tried and got shut down in game 1. Just like they showed video replay of contentious calls in game one at the venue and never again fot the rest of the tournament

Anyone that I have taken to the game for a new experience has raved about the atmosphere and the way the crowd clap and stomp their feet, and get right into the game.

Hopefully any newbies like the sound of crickets chirping.

Dumb move.

It's all circumstantial.

Pop songs and other stuff during the actual game sucks ass; during the 2006/07 season it was the worst because it was almost like a disco and the crowd just could not cheer hardly at all because we were drowned out by top 40 music. Even Ken Cole called it out in the Advertiser.

Pre-game and tip off music is fine; also during timeouts to warm up the crowd. Stuff like Thunderstruck, Welcome to the Jungle etc works fine to get the crowd involved, but during the game itself, music doesn't suit it, instead the crowd should be given the opportunity to react to great plays. Even 'clapping' music is kinda lame, a good 'defence' chant is all you need.

Townsville has had music during the games since day 1... it would be very hard to change all of a sudden.

good on NBL i agree music is too loud and the silly little cameo sounds not needed - like to be able to talk - even think about game as it unfolds
ever tried explaining something to a guest and blaring music - reduce volume and amount then have greater impact with wanting crowd to respond

I don't mind music during the game. It adds more to the atmosphere of it, including helping to get the crowd into it.

Not having the National Anthem isn't good though because I use to use that as a buffer of a few spare minutes if I was running late to games! :P

djrod - flick me your email at [email protected]

Sebastian, my work station was next to the DJ for the whole tournament, and they were permitted to play music for a couple of seconds after a basket.

maybe at the 19's thats true, but not previously

Don't mind music at the right times and have had newcomers comment on it as a good point of difference from AFL, for example.

Not fussed about the anthem.

The volume at games needs to be dropped down a tonne. Prefer when I can't hear my mate next to me because of loud cheering, not because Black Eyed Peas want to tell me about their Humps.

Music to start the quarters and during timeouts is fine; but you're not going to build up a fanatic crowd if they're forced to rely on clapping music to start them up. Just yell until people pay attention.

Agree about the volume Marty, but good clap along music helps get and keep a crowd going.

And Sebastian, it was a new thing for the U19s.

I'm a bit here nor there about the music... personally, I'd prefer to bring back 'Big Bands' like American colleges... BUT... I LOVE LARRY SENGSTOCK for cutting out the national anthem. Its not necessary & usually just gives another opportunity for drunks to highlight what a nation of bogans we are.

Exactly Isaac , the right music at select times to fire up crowd and aid atmosphere is great . Just have not seen it anywhere near acceptable in the NBL .

The Tigers do it very well - loud enough to hear and clap along with, not so loud you cant talk to the person next to you.

When I lived in Adelaide I thought the Sixers did it very well too, but that might have changed.

though I don't like the anthem before games but I do think they are necessary.

paul- agree the Tigers do a very good job with it. in regards to music while opposition is playing? I hate that idea, that's what home crowd is for! you can use music to get the crowd going but not so loud so opposition can't communicate; that's the job of the crowd.

Very Disapointed by the dropping of the anthem, for crying out loud just a little respect isnt too much to ask is it?

The music during games is a a big part of game night especially for newbies or younger fans, I think to take it away will reduce atmosphere and if the dome is half full and silent...what an embarrasment it will be.

This sounds like an effort to corporatise and sanitise the game, guess it gives a a great sponsor target for the comp...could be the "Mcdonalds league" where its all the same. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Doubt it would be a Fox request. I've had fox guys ask me to play more music to build the atmosphere on TV before because the crowd were quiet.

In the past everything sucked about the NBL except the basketball, now they are finally putting more emphasis on it.

I think the anthem should be saved for international games only.

I've copped a lot of flack from people outside of Townsville for the music I play but the fans here love it.

I tried a pre-season game without any music but had so many requests/complaints by half time that I started playing it again.

I'm all for scraping the anthem in regular season games, perhaps just have it for playoffs or just the Grand Final.

As for no music during the games, i think its a bad idea. Without it, there is little to no atmosphere.

Sure ditch the blaring 90's pop that all teams seem to put out for the full 48/40 mins, but i think music used in the right situation is beneficial for the home team, atmosphere and therefore the experience of the fan.

The volume as a whole should be lowered, like mentioned earlier it shouldn't take a yell to talk to the person next to you.

NBL crowds as a whole aren't generally smart enough to know when the team needs a lift. In W'Gong if Hawks get down by double figures the crowd gives up, likewise when up double figures it's like the job is done lets just sit and watch.

Hawks havent had a decent chant since switching from ILLAWARRA to WOLLONGONG... the old ILLA-WARRA chant was great. "We love you cause your from wollongong" not so good.

Sure small pockets of fans try but the majority of crowd need some type of prompting.

Unfortunately there isn't the same passion/knowledge as displayed from a lot of NBA crowds.

Watching several Boomers games at the Beijing Olympics (FIBA / No Music during the game) quite often it was simply dead (Russia vs Australia in particular) outside of the couple of dozen basketball fans there.

Maybe its an Australian thing? As the Spain / Lithuania Semi Final was great. Greece / Argentina in the Qtrs it was amazing to see complete sections of the stadium on their feet for pretty much the entire game.

ANON suggestion about Fox having something to do with it could be on the money, there has been a long standing battle about music too loud on games they cover.

I would have to agree with some of the above posters, in that SURELY it is up to the home-team to decide when they want the anthem and game music,dancing girls,mascots and entertainment, so that fans have a say in it - NOT the NBL.

The music played as Sixers games is usually fine. There's songs I don't like sometimes, but its water off a ducks back to me, cos I'm usually too caught up in the game. Its pretty clear to me that a lot of people - especially the young 'uns - get pumped up by the music and there's nothing like Thunderstruck or Welcome to the Jungle to build some tension at the right times.

Of course it can be overdone, but I don't think it is very often in Adelaide. Can't speak for other arenas as have never been to one.

I'm glad the national anthem has been scrapped for regular season. Its not necessary until the finals when it helps build a sense of occasion.

And play the season opener in New Zealand. ;)

Anon - the playing of the national anthem at every possible moment is the most Americanised thing an Australian sporting body can do.

I think the anthem should only be for finals.
But, to suggest dropping all music would be like a trip to the morgue.

The anthem was just played at the blaze game. And the music is as loud as ever

Good on 'em. - Go away Larry and leave this to the home-team.

Music is required from a point of getting fans involved. Will choose the song Moscow, its a favourite especially when you consider it if we drop 2 triples in a row without the opps scoring a basket.

This involves fans. We have no official chants as such so what else do we do besides clap and call out for our team. Sit there in silence? Awesome!

As for the national anthem, ots a bit outdated however I would use it as a tactic when playing the Breakers, more so just to make them stand there and listen to it. If they wanna give up an impression of the Huka, by all means.

Traditions change if change happens. The NBL shouldnt be dictating just yet what goes on for identity. The NBL currently doesnt have an identity because the last decade had been poor to say the least.

Work on your own identity first which is Larry and Co, then come to the clubs and approach and pass comment on game night activities.

I think the point made was not to scrap music but to lower the volume, which I agree with, sometimes it gets way to loud, and sure it can add atmosphere, but the crowd should always be able to develop their own atmosphere with or without music. Basketball has been around for long enough in Australia for fans to know when to get behind their teams, I actually think that some fans rely on the music to much to wait and react, rather than instinctively making some noise at the right times and starting chants etc.

I totally agree with scrapping the National Anthem during the regular season, and agree that the League needs to be de Americanised to a degree.

Nothing wrong with having music, just not so loud that you can't hear yourself, but then again, if the crowd is loud on it's own, then that's the kind of loud I would prefer.