I agree. The NBL has taken major leaps forward the past couple of years under the leadership of Larry Sengstock and the new board.

Whilst players are important to the success of a professional sporting league, the role that good administrators play cannot be overlooked.

and sometimes depsite what fans want some things are not that easy to do or take time to put together. Yes you could say they are getting it but its fair to say that the NBL administrators want this to work as much or more than the fans

Certainly heading in the right direction. Fix Brisbane, Newcastle and Hobart then get another side in Melbourne and we are away.

Yep, the BA and NBL 'merger' came into effect after the 09 season when the Dragons won the title.

As good a reason as any for a complete overhaul

The NBL has done some good things for sure and now have released their business plan. It includes a team in Brisbane and a 2nd team in Melbourne by 2015.

The AFL didn't have a team in every major city for years, and it's long been the biggest sporting competition in the country. The NRL doesn't have teams in Adelaide or Perth. I just think the NBL should promote sustainable growth and not mandate a team in a certain city. I'm sick of them trying to compete with the NRL and AFL instead of finding and catering to a market niche.

Places like Perth, Adelaide & Townsville are basketeball-mad, yet they keep getting snubbed by the NBL for the effort put into places like Sydney and Brisbane (where no one went to the games when they had a team).

I'd be happy if the league shored up its strengths, futher embedding itself in market strongholds FIRST rather than stabbing in the dark at expansion. The AFL doesnt just all of a sudden have a new team. It's a long process, and an expansion team is announced many years before they first take the field - to allow all the proper planning to run it's course.

Sorry but I'm not sold on Sengstock and his "management speak". His speeches are unrealistically optimistic and paint a veiled picture of the strength and future of the league. Sure, it's much stronger than it was four years ago but the last thing they need to be doing is acting like the job is done and the road ahead is not still very rocky.

At the season launch, it was stated that the aim of the NBL was to become THE LEADER in the Asia-Pacific region for sports entertainment. Not just the leader in Australia, but the leader in the entire region spanning two continents and billions of people. What are they smoking? Why even bother proselytising such nonsense?

4 teams in asia

Very well said Mick.

I also would much rather build up the current teams making them strong and sustainable before even thinking about trying to break into new markets.

The only way the new markets will work is if the league is strong and stable when they are introduced.

Right on Mick.

FNQ is (on a per capita basis) a strong basketball market with a very large and loyal fan base ala Crocs and Taipans.
Cant see what everyone is talking about re NBL doing things outside the rounds. Maybe that's because the Taipans have been doing community events in Cairns lonkg before this became a good marketing idea by teams with cash barrels.
Consider Taipans Tuesdays, Taipans coaching year round for younger players and developing players, school visits, after game events, etc. Not to mention, on any given day, my kids rub shoulders with the Taipans at basketball training and before each club game the kids play.
You can't simulate that sort of thing with a money-driven coreographed event.