LK said getting a naming rights sponsor wouldn't be a problem, and yet we don't have one. Maybe he's pushing for strong $$$ and not allowing it to be devalued.

Nonetheless, bloody happy with LK Off-Season

I applaud LK for holding off on a naming rights sponsor if it's because of $$ and wanting the right household name to be the sponsor.

The JB Hi-Fi National Basketball League is much better than something like The Obscure Chinese telecommunications company National Basketball league.

Agreed, i'm liking the way the league is heading. It's a becoming a contrast to the incompetence of the last decade or so.

The net is still full of Clinton Gardner types, though. They are hating on every change.

Meh, who cares. If MU get some value out of it, at least that will be somebody.

The only bit I like, is that as part of the deal, the NBL gets free advertising. That may help.
Otherwise broadcasting a few random games isn't going to achieve squat.
This is just the way it is for Basketball in Australia.

Really excited for the future of the NBL, finally some "get it done" attitude, can't wait for Brisbane to come back..

Hopefully once the NBL gets back into prime time, we'll still a return to 12 min quarters?? *wishful thinking*

In regards to 12 minutes quarters coming back I doubt it very much, even the NBA have pressure from their broadcast partners with how long NBA games go for (some of that has to do with so many timeouts and other stoppages).

Best to stick with 10 minute quarters if that is FIBA's official standard for Olympics etc.

I do wish however that they stop the game clock when the ball goes out of bounds during the last 2 minutes of each quarter.

Huh? You mean after a basket?

Yea, its a long shot. Just reminiscing about those beastly stats from yesteryears.

Had at least 2 guys on every team avging 20+

http://www.ozhoopsboards.com/showthread.php?t=7920

Also need to market the stars a bit more, plus starters pack Showbags at the royal shows..

http://www.hoops.com.au/forum/38120-nbls-fta-deal-with-nine-network/#p553030

Yes sorry.

Anyway, back to topic, hopefully the FTA deal will help slowly bring in some youngsters / new fans into the game like it did to me back in the 90's, just need to work on the entertainment and production value.

Yep, saw their post on Facebook, Perth is an example of a team that does it right not only on a professional level, but on a community level.

Lanard Copeland recently said he and his ex-Tigers teammates were easily recognisable in other cities, but now the imports aren't.

It's a diff era now everything's gone through the net I suppose. Used to read about players and stuff through One on One mags, etc.

Hope they bring back some sort of 30 min weekly highlights, features, interviews that they used to have in the 90's.

I'm not in any other state, so I don't know WHAT other teams do.
But the impression I get from a lot of posts, is NOT good.
FTA will NOT save your team.
FOXTEL will NOT save your team.
LK will NOT save your team.

I don't know about LK and MU. Last season every 2nd post on this board was complaining about what LK had done with Melbourne, now apparently he's the Messiah. I'll leave that alone.

Getting off their asses and engaging the community just MIGHT.

Everyone just wants to bitch and moan about Perth, and claim its all down to Jack's Money (although funnily enough Jack doesn't pay me to attend games, rather the reverse.) And ignore the fact that the Cats have spent 30 years working their assess off in the Perth community.

I can't say for sure, but the impression I get is that most people in Australia would be barely aware we even have an NBL, and couldn't name their city's team. The Wildcats are a household name in Perth. Even people who don't follow basketball at least KNOW who they are. The amount of work they do in schools and the community is phenomenal

The recruitment / import scene is encouraging with guys coming back from college / europe and also the recruitment of guys at either end of their NBA careers..

We also need more stars that identify with the team for longer periods though.. a.l.a Crawford, Grace, Copeland etc Harder these days.

Used to see stars floggin Chicken Treat and what not on FTA too.. now mainly just AFL players doing that sorta stuff.

Bottom line, more exposure, FTA and grassroots very important.

True about Perth, a lot of history and hard work put in way back since Cal came to town, the Big 4 of Crawford, Fisher, Vlahov and Grace were big stars around here back in the 90's, marketed very well.. Perth's always done a good job of connecting with the community, they're just a team you're always gonna love to support.

While I don't support the change for Melbourne to United, losing that history and some support, lets give it some time, but hopefully once another Melbourne team gets the nod, they can revert to the Tigers and get a rivalry going on.

Just on this, I reckon having one NBA game on FTA every weekend will also raise the profile of the sport / NBL. As long as they intertwine promotions/marketing during NBA / NBL games. That helped in the 90's.

Such a shame..

Tough one this one, the one game per week for NBL is a start though.

Just need more promotion / marketing. Heard the latest radio spots for the new season at a general national level, something that is new.

Along with the respective local team market radio spots, hopefully will bring NBL back into public minds.