"Every NBA game is a barn burner full of highlights" said no one ever. There are less dunks in the highlights so the league is terrible....

For real? Overtime after overtime.. Sobey triple double first since 2015. Every team with wins and losses. Blocks and dunks in most games. No entertainment at all.

"It appears you enjoy players who look like they are good but actually don't contribute too much overall to winning games.
"

I have even said that this is primarily about the NBL as an entertainment product. I'm talking about the NBL's ability to draw new eyes.

When the NBL looks at its ratings and sponsorship at the end of the year, the athleticism and entertainment value of the players in the league will directly translate to more gains for them than the objective results of individual teams. That is a deadset fact. And I already said that this will annoy hoops purists, of which I generally am one when I am not thinking specifically about the commercial good of the league.

"When the NBL looks at its ratings and sponsorship at the end of the year, the athleticism and entertainment value of the players in the league will directly translate to more gains for them than the objective results of individual teams."

This is a guess on your behalf, based on no fact. Do some research into the habits of Australian sports fans. As it is, TV ratings are up this year on both FTA and STV.

My question to you is, do you think the standard of the league has dropped or the spectacle? They are two different things.

My personal opinion is the standard is pretty much the same, but the spectacle from an early-season perspective, when there is always rust, is very good for this early on.

The only thing holding the NBL back is true rivalry games and expansion so we can really start getting excited about those potential rivalry games, the talent and action, close games and scoring is fine, nothing to see here folks...

I agree that there has been a slight drop nothing too bad but I did think during the offseason there clearly was a move around the league to cut back on costs whether that was in return for going from 3 NBA games to 7 this year I'm not sure.

Tokoto wasn't much but it was a shame Conger priced himself out of the league. It wouldn't surprise me if Prather returns though.

"As it is, TV ratings are up this year on both FTA and STV."

Okay, not disagreeing with you, but do you have the stats on this for FTA outside of the first game which was said to have rated at 65K?

"My question to you is, do you think the standard of the league has dropped or the spectacle? They are two different things. "

The athleticism has dropped, which I equate to both standard and spectacle. I believe the NBL is less athletic by the measure of probably 1 super-athletic player per team.

"This is a guess on your behalf, based on no fact. Do some research into the habits of Australian sports fans."

I base the guess on the complaints of NBA fans when they watch the NBL, and the reasonable assumption that they're the type of people we're trying to win over with the TV product, and that if they were won over, it would therefore increase revenue for the leagues and teams.

"I agree that there has been a slight drop nothing too bad but I did think during the offseason there clearly was a move around the league to cut back on costs whether that was in return for going from 3 NBA games to 7 this year I'm not sure"

Well as I understand it, each game cost the team at least $80,000 to play, and some teams played twice. If those games are the difference between keeping a Casey Prather or not I say you keep Casey Prather.

Well as I understand it, each game cost the team at least $80,000 to play, and some teams played twice. If those games are the difference between keeping a Casey Prather or not I say you keep Casey Prather.

Sure I would rather have Prather back, but if we're into wishful thinking I'd like Ennis too.

But I wouldn't say the standard has dropped.
Brissy look competitive which is something I didn't expect, and there have been some cracking good games.
Also, whilst I haven't seen them in the flesh yet, Cairns' imports look pretty good.

"Where did this $80k figure come from? ME was saying it a few weeks ago, also saying that figure *didnt* include airfares, but never provided a source."

It's a figure given from an insider at the 36ers.

I don't think the cost of nba games would have come from the salary cap, and there is no way teams would prioritise those games over recruiting a better player.

Only lowlight has been the how the game is being called by the refs. Game after game has enough highlights to keep the NBL fan interested.

We've lost some athletic guys, no doubt. Tokoto was an athletic freak. Who could forget Conger's double handed block off the backboard? Kennedy not as dynamic as Prather.

I'm not totally convinced about how much this impacts ratings etc. I'll sit on the fence on that question.

I think the parity of the league this year almost makes up for the loss of some great imports last year. People like close games, and having as many teams in contention for finals for as long as possible is essential.

Well, as far as I am concerned, basically all teams are worse off with imports than they were last year and athleticism is one of the biggest indicators. I'll look at this team by team.


Adelaide 36ers

Shannon Shorter is better than Deleon. They've retained Moore, which is cool. They've lost Childress and Creek (two athletic and dynamic players), but picked up Wiley. So on imports, I rate them as a step behind where they were last year if you include the loss of Creek and Childress basically being filled by one import in Wiley, and the fact that Shorter had a far more rounded game than Deleon.

Brisbane Bullets

No Travis Trice - a big loss to the team and the league. Keeping Stephen Holt doesn't make a lot of sense anyway (what the hell has the guy even done since Melbourne?!?). And they lost Perrin Buford, who may have been a bit of a personality issue for the team, but he delivered WAY more than Alonzo Gee was going to. Once again, another team a step behind in athleticism and dynamicism in their import spots. They replaced Trice with Gliddon and Cadee, Cadee being perhaps the most overrated human being to have ever walked the earth.

Cairns Taipans

Scoochie Smith was ass. We all know that. Melo Trimble is a very easy upgrade on him. DJ Newbill is an upgrade on Nnana Eqwu, although they play different positions. However in no way, shape or form is Devon Hall in the same conversation as Michael Carrera, who had all the makings of an absolute star player before leaving the team. He was that entertainment factor that is the basis of the conversation I am having here. But if I am being fair, Cairns did upgrade in their imports ability, but a clear drop in athleticism has to be noted for the purpose of the point I am making.

New Zealand Breakers

Edgar Sosa, DJ Newbill and Rakeem Christmas have been replaced by two guys who've done little to this point, and Shawn Long. Shawn Long is a clear and obvious replacement for Rakeem Christmas, but the other two, whatever their names, have done nothing in any way to replace DJ Newbill and Edgar Sosa. The team also notably lost Kirk Penny. New Zealand's imports are a downgrade.

Sydney Kings

Last year it was Travis Leslie, Perry Ellis, Jeremy Tyler and then Jerome Randle. This year it is Jerome Randle, David Wear, and Next Star Kid Brian Bowen. Randle vs Randle cancels itself out. Jeremy Tyler was an asswipe. However David Wear is Daniel Kickert-lite on a team which already has Daniel Kickert. The big difference between teams I see is Perry Ellis, who was an absolute class player. Whilst Sydney picked up Andrew Bogut, there import situation when considering the loss of Ellis and the retention of Wear probably took a step backwards. But having said that I tend to think of Sydney as one of the teams that is a bit more aesthetically pleasing from a viewers perspective anyway at this point, especially with Randle.

Melbourne United -

They kept Ware and Boone, although Ware is playing like a shadow of himself, so that cancels itself out. But they lost Casey Prather - perhaps the biggest loss of the entire off-season - and gained DJ Kennedy, who looks competent, but probably isn't even worthy of shining Prather's shoes, and certainly is not the entertainer that Prather was. Melbourne's import situation has taken a step backwards in both function, and entertainment value. The addition of McCarron, whilst savvy, is also not enough to negate the loss of a player like Tai Wesley.

Illawarra Hawks -


The loss of Rotnei Clarke, who was freakishly crafty and ridiculously talented, cannot be overstated. They've replaced him with lost-and-found rejects such as Cedric Jackson and Jordair Jett, with Jordair, surprisingly, being the most impressive of the duo. The two will have their spots but are nothing on Rotnei for both the function of the team and the entertainment value. Brian Conklin is a very, very good player, however, but when talking about athleticism he is not in the same planet as Conger. Aesthetically, Conger is a loss to this team, but when it comes to actual function, Conklin is obviously a very astute choice.

Perth Wildcats -

Bryce Cotton vs Bryce Cotton = Bryce Cotton. JP Tokoto was a more entertaining player than Terrico White, but Terrico has proven more effective. And Derrick Cooke Jr was more athletic and entertaining than no import, but probably was less effective than his immediate replacements Nick Kay and Tom Jervis. Perth will be a stronger team this year than last, and on functionality they've made smart choices. But when it comes to the speed and pace of the game, entertainment value, they're taking us right back to the grind it out style they used to play in the early 10's which bored us all to tears back then.

So while I cannot fault all import selections, the loss of a lot of talent in some teams and the downgrading in athleticism in others are obvious and noteworthy and do make for a very different a more floor-bound league this season. Some teams have made astute selections that have improved the functions of their teams while others have made decisions that are not only less entertaining, but less useful (Deleon, Wear, Kennedy, etc).

There is a difference is standard and in entertainment value for the league this season.

I think you're been narrow minded in how you measure entertainment in basketball. Entertainment is more than big dunks and blocks. Watching perth this year is night and day, the floor is spaced, plays are been run to perfection regularly and they are scoring more than in some time. Highlights are great but even the casual fan once watching will realise if they are few and far between. Many of the imports we have lost had flaws or had them when they arrived. The reality is teams need to take the best player available, to serve their team needs, if they do that they should win, if they are winning its usually entertaining. Dare i hypothesise the casual fan wants to watch a team that wins and plaus well rather than a team who loses every week but has a good dunk every game.

I think you're been narrow minded in how you measure entertainment in basketball. Entertainment is more than big dunks and blocks. Watching perth this year is night and day, the floor is spaced, plays are been run to perfection regularly and they are scoring more than in some time. Highlights are great but even the casual fan once watching will realise if they are few and far between. Many of the imports we have lost had flaws or had them when they arrived. The reality is teams need to take the best player available, to serve their team needs, if they do that they should win, if they are winning its usually entertaining. Dare i hypothesise the casual fan wants to watch a team that wins and plaus well rather than a team who loses every week but has a good dunk every game.

Perhaps the local talent has now improved, aside from the loss of Creek.

You were focusing on the athleticism of the imports. Then you mentioned the loss of Creek. Sobey has definitely stepped up in the "highlight reel" category.

You also mentioned the NBA. The NBA has become a 3ball league. The NBL is starting to look a bit like an imitation of that.

NBL hasn't been in better shape for years.

"But when it comes to the speed and pace of the game, entertainment value, they're taking us right back to the grind it out style they used to play in the early 10's which bored us all to tears back then"

Perth are averaging 100 pts per game, never would I have imagined a Perth team to average this much ever. Terrico nowhere near as showy as Tokoto, but Cat's have been there done that and it didn't work, White is an upgrade and can flat out score which is what we were missing. Ennis was enough to build the Red Army back up, now it's all about titles. Ennis, Prather both worked in excitement factor and a title. Tokoto, Daniels did not work. That's a 50% title strike rate with a showy player. Happy to take the more experienced less showy guy any day of the week.

Ennis > Cotton > Prather > White > Tokoto > McKay > Beal > Daniels > Johnson > Ingram

That's my order when combining showy with success.

Found Homicide's hoops account

I think they need to hire Jackie Moon from the Flint Tropics to bring back the entertainment aspect to the league

I reckon the league's still improving except for the officials.