If teams from other leagues are pulling out because of travel hassle or costs, why would more travel be the answer for them or the CABL? Same goes with the issue of cost. If there's not enough money in it for BSA, is there a big pay-off for anyone else in a lean sponsorship market?

Couldn't BSA just delegate/contract out the running and marketing (mostly importantly) of the league to someone with the time and interest? A little bit like how Vlahov has previously setup some Boomers events for BA.

Considering that 36er/Lighting players will continue to play in the CABL during their offseasons, I'm failing to see how the quality of the league is an issue (according to Boti's logic).

Does adding (potentially unstable) regional teams to the CABL automatically make it a better competition? I have my doubts.

Slow blog day from Boti.

It is cheaper to come to Adelaide once a fortnight than travel all over country Victoria I would of thought.

Of all the options thrown up the best for basketball in SA is probably option 2.

I could see it working very much like the current Tassie SEABL teams where the players play mid-week in the State League then weekends in the SEABL.

It would be great to get MT G & an Adelaide team in the SEABL giving Adelaide talent a chance to play at a higher level whilst still looking after the talent below them with a solid level of play and develop there game.

I imagine that a number of ABL-level players have day jobs. Assuming they may be working 9-5 on a Friday, that would either mean a four hour drive then playing that night or back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday? Sunday games would need to be afternoon games to allow for time driving back. Packed, but doable.

I still think you'd want to get the easier scenario (local teams with minimal travel) right before complicating the schedule and club-wrangling.

If there's not a naming rights sponsor for the league now, trade that with a company who has a 2-3 person marketing/comms team for them to donate staff time. Then hope that the improved publicity brings on board category or minor sponsors.

Alternatively, allocate $xk per club to contract out the league and hope that sponsorship will effectively reward that.

With the number of 6ers guys playing ABL recently if you went the SEABL option wouldn't that just mean the current ABL squads move to playing mid-week (and becoming far less relevant than they already are/losing crowds, hype etc) then having one Adelaide-based SEABL team which will comprise mostly of 6ers players (DJ, Cadee, Peach, Gibbo all played ABL this year, Creek played for South before the injury etc) plus a FEW of the best ABL players...
In other words this will be great for the development of about 5 top level ABL players who will have a home game in Adelaide every second week and 6ers players in their off-season and terrible for everyone else who plays ABL (moving to a mid-week comp.

Any I getting this wrong or is this like downgrading the current ABL and having a Sixer's B-team play throughout winter?

I think boti has a valid point about the lack of effort from BSA in promoting and developing the ABA further. In SA the Bball career path for developing players is nowhere near as good as it used to be. His scenarios offer some serious thinking about alternatives. I agree with some of them.
Can we get BSA to address this or is it all too hard.....

The Big V and VFL clubs I've been involved with haven't paid accommodation and travel for their teams when they have games in the country, I doubt CABL teams would for 2-3 trips a year either.

There could be a small cost for some petrol money if the club was so inclined but you would only be talking about 4-5 cars.

Well, it happens in the VFL and the Big V.

Here would be my recommendations....

The league need to make every team as competitive as possible.

We need to try and keep the Sixers here in SA playing in the CABL somehow. Sometimes I think is this a restriction of trade but on the flip side I think it is in the Sixers best interest to keep the players local so they can work on their games individually.

So here's a couple of idea's.

How much is it worth to the Sixers to keep their players local? Is $3,500 out of the question? Add this amount onto the contract with a requirement that they play CABL and that the team they are playing for will at a maximum match it.

My guess is $400 a game would be a decent match payment for these guys. This also allows local clubs to not spend their whole budget on one player.

Introduce a draft type system like the SANFL do with AFL players. Going on last season the bottom team has the first selection and so on down to Forestville. Allow the clubs to select the players that best suits their requirements.

The first season will see all teams pick up a player who has no affiliation to a local club. Players who have an affiliation have the opportunity to play for that club.

Then on top of that, as country football leagues do, introduce a points system not unlike the NBL one where each player has a points rating. NBL/Euro/Imports get allocated 3 points, 2 points say for SEABL players, 2 points for a player from a team within the league and 1 point for local players, 0 points for players under 18 years of age.

The allocate points to each team, say 12 points per team (10 players each night to be selected) or even as some clubs do, allocate them according to where they finish on the ladder at the end of the minor rounds, so say 10 points for top 2, 11 points 3-5, 12 points 6th and 7th and 14 points for the bottom 2 teams, (obviously this would need to be looked at in more detail).

This system at first was introduced because the salary cap just wasn't working, just like in the NBL. But I feel looking at a lot of local football leagues they haven't been this close in a long time. You also see teams who finish down the bottom move up the ladder a lot quicker.

This would also stop teams from stacking their teams with NBL players like Norwood have, would restrict poaching players from other clubs as much and would also encourage clubs to play local players and promote juniors.

Surely three things that supporters and clubs want is an even competition, NBL players in our league and locals playing for their home club?

36ers offer regular contract with requirement that the player suits in the ABL for a notional amount, or discounted contract if they want the freedom to take the year off or play NZ/SEABL/etc.

Then, for ABL clubs taking on an NBL player, the 36ers get some level of promotional rights within that club.

Boti is making some great points here

As a former club President, I think BSA only looks at the Grand Final as an

Income stream
A relief that the season is over

The income from the seniors should be invested into their marketing of the game

In saying that, the income of the Grand Final should be used to offset the costs for clubs in non BSA stadiums

Senior program's at some clubs are out of control , making the season and comp so lop sided , does South Men really have a chance against( on a regular basis) against the clubs that spend money

In the women's side, we had "Apple Gate" a few years back with no action from BSA

Years back , the income from the GF , went towards expenses for sides to travel to a national comp, which now is not on the BsA agenda.

Why, when BSA is financial, more financial than previous years won't hey spend money on promotion, increasing the standard of officials, including score table and stats? How many clubs have no one coming thru?

When the 36ers enter a team into SEABL in the next year, what will happen then

BSA Management won't care, they don't now

Otis has good points, we should listen to then, act and put something to the clubs now

We have salary cap, no even spread of 36ers players to clubs, an and association that doesn't care.

Before you start bagging, I have tried on many occasions to get on the commission, with no luck, because I am contacted with the sport. I would get Boti in and ask him to speak to us and improve the senior comp.

After Under 18, U23's is not working, the clubs with funding buy players from juniors funds and we need a change.

SBL is not getting better and the governance of our game don't really care.they are just relieved the season is over

A reminder to all affiliated clubs and members- BSA employees work for us. They are meant to serve us, yes provide some leadership, but ensure they serve the people who employ them....
Does it look like they are listening?

If the 6er's are looking to enter a team in the SEABL wouldn't it be in the best interests of the CABL teams to get on board support it push to get there own home grown talent in the team?

Seems like a great way to promote and keep your juniors if they see a link from Juniors-CABL-SEABL-6er's

We have salary cap, no even spread of 36ers players to clubs, an and association that doesn't care.

Was it this time last year that Mildura tried to be part of our league and was rejected?

South have been competitive at times, at least. They did get their share of 36ers in one season recently!

I can't remember Southern really challenging hard since the Hodge brother days. (I don't follow ABL as closely as I used to, so might be wrong.)

Serious question here. Are imports allowed to be paid and if so what normal conditions do clubs offer. Thanks