I'd like to see another NZ team.

Here is what I think the league would be like:

Illawarra Hawks Become the Capital Hawks based in Canberra.

The league would be divided into two conferences, 6 teams per conference

Northern Conference
Cairns
Darwin
Brisbane
Capital Hawks
Sydney
Gold Coast

Southern Conference
Perth
Adelaide
Melbourne
S.E Melbourne
Tasmania
New Zealand

@MasterChief
Another NZ team.
How about a North Island team and a South Island Team.

Yeah I know. But wouldn't it be cool

I think you might be right actually.

But I still think Illawarra should relocate

Ok, how about expansion teams for 20 years time

Classified, I think Wellington would be the go but I like the idea.

OK

I think the league will go good with a 2nd NZ team and Illawarra linked to Canberra.

Wow you are very intelligent about this topic

Yeah.

Victoria would get another 3 teams before Darwin would ever get one

1) I think 12 is max for the time being, as in the next decade minimum.

2) In that time frame no Darwin

3) No second WA team

4) The incoming two teams would be best placed in Vic and NZ

5) Top 6 with 4v5 elimination, before semis best of three, grand final best of 5. Keep it simple, none of this double chance nonsense etc.

6) Use Cairns and Hawks in a "Hawthorn" style with Tasmania - Hawks play 2/3 games a year in Canberra; Cairns 2/3 somewhere North Queensland that isn't cairns ie Townsville. Grab the “basketball adoring” fans as part of your base in those areas with “a good night out” filling the rest of the crowd numbers.

7) Similarly, Victorian teams should adopt a few games to play in Bendigo (MU), SBC (Phoenix), Geelong (NW Mel team)

8) No conferences. Not now, not ever. If I had my way NBA would ditch them.

9) Consider the optimal number of games - if you're a full paying member do you want to go to 14 games? Is that number just right? Could less home games and cheaper memberships draw more members?

10) What about an NBL Cup hub each year for 2 weeks:

Round 1 elimination (1 game each) from 12 to 6
Round 2 elimination (1 game each) from 6 to 3
Round 3 final four - 3 winners + wildcard team that lost the least (1 game each)
Round 4 grand final (1 game)

Losers still play for final standings

Every team plays 4 games; where matchups are lottery based for round 1/2; for losers rounds 3/4.

4 games also counts to regular season and are on top of existing 28 games.

Fixture wise; Start mid/late-October run Thu-Sun schedule; during December/Jan run games daily save for Christmas Day; Feb run NBL cup for 2 weeks on a "daily" schedule; return to Thu-Sun for the rest of the season & Finals

Surely Geelong would be a candidate. Huge city that supports and loves sport. Good sport for them to follow in the summer when afl is in offseason.

Wellington also a good option by the sounds of it

Yeah that's not an indicator of the are necessarily.

If anything an indicator of the volatility of sports, incompetent NBL administration, ownership issues etc

I think SEQ shared between gold coast and sunshine coast would be better than a stand alone gold coast team.

More team and they need to increase their salary cup...

It gets tiresome people wanting to shaft Illawarra.

Park you smugness, and just reflect that it's still the only team that's survived - yes, sometimes barely, but survived all the same - from season 1, when every other foundation team, and many more besides, have gone bust.

And for the record, Wollongong is much larger than Geelong, Hobart, or (someone's ridiculous suggestion) Darwin.

And Newcastle is much larger than them all, so if you haven't mentioned it, you don't know what you're talking about.

It's not about being bigger, it’s about passion for sport. You just need to compare Geelong to any NRL team and they get bigger crowds than most nrl teams. I think even the Geelong seabl team get a pretty big crowd.

The fact is people in Victoria are just more likely to support their sport teams. Sydney are more interested in Mardi Gras

teams we have aren't making money

Things that will never happen in our lifetime in the NBL.
Darwin
More than 2 teams in NZ.


Teams that could/should happen
Newcastle
Canberra
2nd Nz Team
Gold Coast
Victorian Country team (Geelong/Bendigo/Ballarat)
Vic West team
West Sydney
Townsville

This is based on population growth and the ability to secure sponsorship

"unless they cont both legs"

That typo was close!

Well its been a long time since i last posted this, but it got a lot of attention

A lot of people in Melbourne haven't gone to games because of the coronavirus pandemic. I am very impressed with Perth’s and Adelaide’s crowds. Bit then again, there’s not many sport teams to go and support unless you like the minor leagues.

Another issue in Melbourne is we have too many other sports on the same time.

For example I’ll have to miss the North Melbourne, Collingwood game at Marvel stadium since the Throwdown is starting at a similar time.

Before coronavirus happened both Melbourne teams were getting decent crowds, mainly because we were playing during the summer with no AFL.

Our bronze area always seems empty because many of us would rather sit in the extra gold seats which are available. I’m gradfult I don’t live in Perth or Adelaide, the demand is too high and no leg room for seating lol.

I would personally like to see?

1. West Sydney Razorbacks (Sydney SuperDome)
2. Canberra Cannons (AIS minor construction)
3. Newcastle Falcons (Newcastle Entertainment Centre minor construction)
4. Second Perth team?

If the NBL were moral beings then they need to bring back our 2 foundation clubs Canberra and Newcastle back. West Sydney Razorbacks were a great rival with the Kings in the 2004 NBL finals. It was really disappointing seeing the Razorbacks go down hill after they lost all their talented players because of financial reasons. Great club which needs more love.

Another issue in Melbourne is we have too many other sports on the same time.

For example I'll have to miss the North Melbourne, Collingwood game at Marvel stadium since the Throwdown is starting at a similar time.

Perth never seem to play on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday?

We got Cairns on Monday night, but Monday games aren't too bad. Having a game at the start of the week lifts your spirits.

Yeah that's a pretty poor post by KR - the "only go to NBL game if there’s nothing else to do" is a Sydney trait not a Melbourne one. Melbourne gets good crowds to sporting events across the board.

Perth has 2 AFL sides for 2mil people, Melbourne has 9 (10 if you count Geelong) for 5mil people. Plus an NRL team etc. plus there’s 2 A League sides (3 if you count Geelong).

The one part of KRs post that is right is NBL shouldn’t go to winter. AFL/NRL dominates and simply would gut crowds everywhere but particularly east coast where the teams are stacked.

4. Second Perth team?

The reason I don't go to many games in Melbourne any more is because every game is on Foxtel, which is a heck of a lot cheaper and more convenient viewing than getting to a game, paying big bucks for the 'experience’, and risking my health.

Ironic in a way - I wanted more on TV to build the fan base, but if it leads to less bums on seats then that hurts the teams.

Second Perth team would be good?
Evens out the playing field in the West.

Again no.

United are definitely more inclusive now.
Phoenix are the same.

The Tigers needed to just focus on the NBL and not their junior clubs in Albert Park.

Perthworld doesn't want the competition

"Certainly need another nz team soon.
Canterbury or Wellington makes sense."

could turn into "NBL1 Expansion" (NBL1 Far East?) replacing the NZNBL, in the future! Would certainly be a competitive conference.

End-of-season cross-over finals would be amazing if a "Far EAST" conference team made it to the GF. The entire NBL1 fan-base could be supporting Aust or NZ to the end.
[I am sure that every New Zealander who reads this will be thrilled with giving up their NZNBL to the Aussies NBL1!]

Spitballing about a 2nd WA team have existed since the early 90's

What's interesting is that again our economy is booming, the Wildcats are close to maxing out on memberships, and we do have a lot of interstate migrants here. Maybe some BBall fans that don't like the Cats??

But gees that would be a tough field to plough.
The NBL might like the idea, but any new team in Perth would be a punching bag for at least the first few seasons.

Besides with two Perf teams to hate, I think many would be at risk of a brain haemorrhage.

Been a while since there was some activity here, but I might have a change of opinion since then.

Second WA team shouldn't happen, because the fan base in WA for the Wildcats takes up basically the entire state, they probably wouldn't want, or need a second team, so I don't think a 2nd WA team is realistic.

Newcastle could get a team, since Newcastle's population itself almost is at 500k, and I don't think it makes sense for a major city in Australia not have a team, so it could be a possibility.

Canberra hasn't had a team since 2003, and maybe an expansion could be a possibility. But since there are probably already enough teams in the NBL, maybe move Illawarra Hawks there, or they could play some home games in Canberra or something like that.


For Darwin and the NT, I don't think it will happen, since there isn't a lot of fan interest there, at the very least, Cairns could play a few home games there in my opinion


2nd NZ team in my opinion should happen. Maybe the NZ Breakers have to change their name to Wellington or Auckland or Canterbury or something like that, but 2nd NZ team could base in the South island, making the Breakers a North Island team, but I think a Wellington team and a Canterbury team makes more sense.

Some other possibilities:

A Geelong team
Bring back Townsville
A Western Sydney team, maybe? But it probably wont be that successful.
Same with Gold Coast
Bendigo may happen for a long-term expansion
No 2nd South Australian team
Eastern Melbourne team, maybe (Ringwood, Box Hill, Vermont)

They really do need stadium upgrades

ok

Classified,

"Second WA team shouldn't happen, because the fan base in WA for the Wildcats takes up basically the entire state, ..."
Do you mean that the, "fan base in WA for the Wildcats" all 13,000 members, "takes up basically the entire state,".

What I think you meant is true of any one-team states, SA, Tas & NZ. They, and Perth-ites have no intra-state choice.

Yet you think that states with more than one team should be watered down even more. The list above under, "..it's easy" has 5 teams in Qld, 4 or 5 in NSW, 3 or 4 for NZ.

Further, you use population numbers as a reason for Newcastle @ 500,000 while Perth boasts 2,000,000. By your own reasoning, Perth should have 4 teams!

Perth has shown its hunger for good, big-time sport. Basketball is at frenzy phase and getting frenzy-er every year. Surely Freemantle could accommodate a team for the 2 or 3 Perth/Freo-ites who like basketball but not the Wildcats.

It seems that every objection to a second team in WA, say Perth, is based on protecting their own turf at (the same) expense to everyone else's turf. Any/every new club is going to attract followers. Some of them WILL HAVE BEEN YOURS! Happened to MU with SEM, will happen with every new franchise, anywhere, everywhere. An expanding league needs to live with that, all of the league. Perth should be no different.

I think that Perth should have a second team, based in Freemantle, and that it should be the NEXT team in the league.

There are a fair few factors at play really:

> how many clubs is reasonable in the next 5-10 years? Particularly from a talent spread perspective.

I'd say there’s enough talent for 12 teams whilst remaining high quality and not diluting too much. You’d be introducing ~$3mil in extra money towards players. That’d make players happy. Hopefully means a bit of money and marquee spots to try and pull someone like Kay back home.

> What infrastructure is required, what kind of corporate support is required, where are either "local" investors likely to be or where are investors likely to be happy to invest?

Assuming growing costs of owning a club, up to $2mil salary cap potentially for players in that 5-10 year span, I think infrastructure wise they’d be wanting 8-10k stadium size. Try to avoid the prohibitive nature of Illawarra, Cairns and Tasmania stadium sizes.

Very hard to tell where investors are likely to be. One assumes Vic, NSW, NZ, WA are most likely.

> Where are people likely to actually rock-up and support? What kind competition of exists?

Sometimes “build it and people will come” is a thing like Tassie. Sometimes it isn’t, like Gold Coast.

My list of options would be, in order of fav to least fav, two of:
1. Second NZ side
2. Third Vic side
3: Second syd side
4. Second WA side

Second NZ side - Whilst cannibalising an all encompassing Breakers side, it could enhance NBL love in NZ by creating a rivalry. Perhaps split between Auckland and Wellington - TSB Bank Arena is a tad small.

Third Vic side - North west, play at John Cain Arena, change United back to the Tigers. If Geelong has or builds a 4K/4.5k size stadium, perhaps a game or two there as well. Victoria is sporting heartland, and infra is always good in cbd. Population is there for a third team, LK and NBL are heavily Vic based with lots of investment connections.

Second Sydney side - super iffy on this. Sydneysiders are notoriously bad at even going to NRL matches let alone anything else. Maybe attempt West Sydney again? Have Kings play out of ICC in the CBD and West Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena? Wouldn’t want them playing out of the other Olympic park arena - it’s a bit small and pathetic. Maybe paramatta a potential option? No stadia, but if that happened to be built maybe in 10 years time we see that instead of west Sydney?

Second WA side - Wildcats fans naturally hate this and would say “you don’t understand Perth” - but that’s a bit one-eyed. Yes, wildcats build the popularity and fan base no doubt. A second side would 100% piggy back and off the Wildcats success and create that rivalry a bit like the “new age” Port Power that aren’t so much made up of old school SANFL Port fans, but younger fanbase that want a cheaper ticket, able to get to a game and generally be a bit different. WA teams are always well supported and so well financially whether it be the Eagles or the Cats. Even the Dockets etc do well. It’s a sport city like Adelaide - but better.

Fourth on the list of options, but it’s not a dumb option.

I don’t think the NBL should really ever expand past 12 sides - I just don’t think the Australian talent extends that far, and never will. That’s a lot of Australian spots to fill IMO - it’s an entertainment business and a highly competitive environment, there’s always got to be an Aussie connection as part of the NBLs identify, but it shouldn’t be carrying players just because they’re Australian, and the kind of mix they have at the moment between internationals and Australians is about perfect. NBL has done well funnelling money towards getting those top Aussies back home, that’s smart, that’s the Aussie connection.

I’d draw a line through GC, Newcastle, Canberra etc. Population growth isn’t “everything”.

Ok RobT, I get the point that 13k members wont take up the entire state, but I think one WA team will be enough for a while. Maybe Perth would like some in-state rivalry sometime in the future, so Fremantle could be a long-term expansion for the NBL to think about

I'm back

Be great if Western Australia had another team. They definitely need a rivalry because they love their sports.

Welcome back, Classified! where you been? Thanks for your support but why, 'sometime in the future,'?

Becoming more and more obvious that the objections for a 2nd WA team are coming from Wildcats supporters and fans ONLY.

Now, that makes sense. The die-hards don't want this. Who would? You only see dilution of Wildcats' monopoly on all things NBL in WA. It is very evident that you (not you, Classified) don't give a rat's arse for the rest of us.

Personally, I don't care a lot if WA has a 2nd team or not. I will never get to see either team play at (their) home. However, I strongly believe it will be the right thing for the NBL and for those Perth-ites who don't follow the Wildcats for reasons that I have already stated here, several times.

Yeah, I am bashing the subject but with all the discussions of where to locate the next, and future expansion teams, with tried and failed locations in the past, how does Perth escape serious consideration?

Every other future location in consideration has had issues that are not in any way resolved. Newcastle, Canberra, Western Melbourne (Geelong to Melb), Gold Coast, Townsville. A 2nd Perth team has none of the negative issues and all of the positives, except for die-hard Wildcats fans not wanting any local competition.

Just for the record, I feel that a lot of this applies to NZ and the Breakers, too. However, I don't read/hear dissent from New Zealanders, or any-one else, for that matter. It seems that they would welcome a 2nd team and most of that talk is about where, when and how, in the North Island. Proximity to Auckland and the Breakers doesn't matter, it's direct rivalry and competition. IT MAKES SENSE!

And, 'sometime in the future, we may even be discussing a 3rd team for NZ, one in Christchurch. I promise not to suggest Broome or Albany as WA's 3rd. What about Kal?

Please! Get real! That sort of response is ridiculous.

How the hell would I know? Where does it come from for the first team? Oh! Every corporation in WA, of course.

So now, every-one AND every corporation in WA are totally besotted and happy with the Wildcats and throw all their spare dollars their way and there's nothing left for a new, adventurous, sports program, in a sports-mad state, in a national comp, that is going bananas in international exposure and notice.

You, sir/madam, do disservice to all other users of 'Anonymous'!

Why would anyone wish to invest in Perth at the moment, it's a hermit kingdom. Outside WA, no one really likes Perth any more and businesses are not in the near future going to invest there other than in resources outside Perth:

A second Perth/WA team isn't as silly as Wildcats fans make it sound - clearly the Wildcats have built a huge popularity for basketball in the state, lots of coverage and backing. We know any second team piggy-backs off of it which is fine and a testament to the state and the way the Wildcats are run.

The arguments against it are down to geographical aspects - NBL is an east coast league, a third Vic team or a second Syd team (when allowed) or a larger east coast town will command preference even if it is likely to have less people rocking up to games than a second WA side.

I dare say, going over trodden failed ground on the east coast is preferred over looking to WA again.

Personally, I think a NW Vic team and a second NZ team would be best. A second Syd team perhaps even though Sydneysiders are notoriously bad at supporting clubs through attendance - maybe Kings play at ICC and the second Syd team plays out of Qudos with a Syd west/paramatta type market aim.

I wouldn’t go GC, Newcastle, Canberra, Darwin.

12 teams max, never go 14/16 again.

Where would the corporate dollars etc come from for a second Perth team?

Perth isn't some basketball heaven, the Wildcats have just been incredible at building their fan base over a long time.

They were able to reign things in when times got difficult, build again and keep an established brand that people had attachments to and had success going and get new generations in.

Its the model to be used all over the country and why teams in Sydney and Brisbane came back with established brands, which, while they clearly had low points, still had traction with the local community.

If you're in Perth and like basketball, why wouldnt you follow the Wildcats? They've had success, excellent players who've stuck around for years, a good game nigh experience, a great stadium.

aside from being completely irrelevant, pokies being rejected is a huge win, daylight saving isn't a great fit for every region and extended shopping is pretty much obsolete now with online shopping being available.

Well said Cram. I've always been a bit envious of what the Wildcats have managed to build in Perth compared to the Sixers in Adelaide.

Perth is only a bit bigger than Adelaide and they have a big hurdle to jump being so isolated from the rest of the country and needing to pay top dollar to attract players from interstate but they created a great culture and now that winning culture itself is it's greatest selling point. Come over here if you're serious and want a legit chance of winning a championship year in year out.

Aside from the mining boom which is only recent there is no reason why something similar couldn't have happened with the Sixers in Adelaide and we don't even have that natural disadvantage of being so isolated but if you look at the regimes in charge in Perth compared to rag tag bag of misfits we always have in Adelaide and it's night and day. That's the difference.

One club is run professionally and all the community engagement that comes with it with buy-in from it's players focused on winning championships like they're going out of fashion the other club over the past couple of decades operates like a glorified tuckshop under numerous regimes. Just ambling like a zombie from disaster to mediocrity to disaster to mediocrity again.

Could Perth handle two teams? I think it could it would take some time to really get off the ground as I suspect most Wildcats fans are Wildcats fans first basketball fans second but if prepared to start slowly and build it I think it could work especially with all that mining boom money floating around. A second team in Adelaide? Ha forget it we can barely manage having one.

Perth could easily have a second team. There's money, corporate sponsors and they love sports. Yes, it will take time for the second team to be decent, but it doesn’t take long. Local rivalry is just what the Wildcats need.

I know there’s some Perth family’s that can’t afford memberships. Second team will be slightly cheaper for families who have tighter budgets.

Challenge Stadium would be a great stadium to start a new franchise. Once the team gets better then they could move to RAC Arena with the Perth Wildcats.

I think teams like Canberra, Newcastle, Gold Coast and Townsville won’t work. Not enough support and hard to make a big profit.

Geelong and North West Melbourne has a good chance getting a team. If the NBL will consider another Melbourne team then please rename United, Phoenix to Melbourne Tigers, South East Melbourne Magic and bring back the North Melbourne Giants as the new team. League would be complete and it will honour it’s past.

#341 nailed it with the comparison to rugby league in Melbourne and the Storm.

Challenge Stadium is in the middle of nowhere. Even the Wildcats couldn't consistently sell it out the year prior to Perth Arena opening.

Yeah, and even when they did they barely broke even.
A 2nd Perth NBL team would surely still play at RAC.

A second team wouldn't draw enough fans to justify RAC (which costs vastly more than Challenge). Which is why it won't happen.

You could make the argument though that the Wildcats consistently being the biggest crowd pulling team in the league year after year suggests a second team could do alright there.

A city rival would be awesome but it's just not feasible.

(and if there was one they would have to be called Perth Bandits like duh obviously)

Pragmatically(?), I think you're spot on.

Worries me that the options offered so far, with the exception of the NZ team/s, have all been tried and have failed, mainly because they have always been the obvious locations and still are.

The difference, for me, between then and now, is purely and totally because of LK and his team. Now there's a real suck statement, you there, Larry?

Seriously, he started by becoming a team owner and since then has turned the NBL into a dynamic, world standard sports' league admired by the world's best, featuring future NBA draftees, SRPs and our home-growns.

Whatever we think and lobby for, with our whys and where-fores, LK will do whatever's needed (I help with occasional advice. He reads my posts).

Tasmania needed new stadium, govt funds and support, done. Saved Illawarra from extinction, done. Revived Brisbane, and got SEM up and running, done. All clubs stable and competitive (who would have thunk?).

'GC will always fail.'

I find the GC's failures in Basketball and AFL (and other sports?) surprising. So many ex-pat southerners, especially Ricky Tickies, thought that every visiting team would have half a fan club there. Not so.

What if, ...
The next GC incarnation should offer fans of visiting teams a deal on weekend packages including travel, accom, good seating section(not court-side) and game entry fees.
[the deal should be good value for the visiting fans and just profitable for the GC club]

Summer is the NBL season, and the GC's low season for domestic tourism. Could be - 2 birds, 1 stone!

I didn't think so either. Just a bit of fun.

Gold Coast and southerners?

Have you ever sat on a car park shuttle bus to a Titans NRL game? The home fans are outnumbered 10 to 1. The Suns actually seem to get more home crowd support btw.

I've only ever gone on free tickets. The locals aren’t really interested in supporting them. The biggest crowds seem to be when teams like Canterbury and Penrith are playing there. I think it’s an attractive beach weekend if you live in western/ south western Sydney.

The A League tried a Gold Coast team. The owner wouldn’t open all the available seating because it would cost too much money.

As for basketball, how many fans would travel interstate now?

Should Canberra get an NBL team again?

If government gives the Canberra franchise enough money to upgrade the AIS Arena then it should happen.

But if the nbl keeps expanding then they should open another import spot. There's not that many talented Aussie’s/Kiwi’s going around. EuroLeague had limited roster spots it seems. But nbl budgets need to go up. You could just tell the difference between the Cairns Taipans match against the b-grade Sydney Kings team. Standard needs to get better if the nbl want to keep expanding. Get more into the Asian market or whatever it takes.

Good point there, I think the NBL might only be able to hold around 8-14 teams anyway until they need another import spot

Disagree, going to 4 imports would see only 1-2 Aussies/kiwis playing big minutes per game per team


This makes sense

3 imports
1 asia
1 commonwealth
1 ns
8+ locals

Anyway, should they add or remove teams?

I just want to see the NBL do something about this BS Top 4 finals structure. With Tassie's remarkable inaugural season it's such a shame they're likely going to just miss out on the finals because the NBL took their eye off the ball busy expanding the league but not the finals structure.

No way should only 40% of the league make the playoffs what's in it for the majority of teams in the league? Now with 10 teams at least make finals Top 5 in the NBA 16/30 teams make the playoffs every year and even then they've expanded it on the sly with the extra pay-in teams.

I said at the start of the season Top 4 in a 10 team league was a bloody joke and what a cinderella story it would've been for Tassie with a team everyone thought was going to finish bottom making the finals, big missed opportunity by the NBL.

Its basically the NBL's fault if Tasmania doesn't make playoffs because of top 4 playoffs.

What do you prefer

<8 teams
8-10 teams
10-12 teams
12+ teams

Five is an awkward number. Expanding to six once there are 11 or 12 teams makes sense.

Canberra did better in 1990 than the JackJumpers will do this year even if they win tomorrow, and failed to make the playoffs.

Not really the SANFL have had a Top 5 finals structure for years and it works well.

Week 1

#1 gets first round off automatically go into second week of finals

Qualifying Final: #2 vs #3 both teams with a double chance.

Elimination Final: #4 vs #5

Week 2

SF #1: Winner of EF vs loser of QF

SF #2: #1 vs winner of QF both teams double chance, winner into GF

Week 3

Preliminary Final: Winner of SF #1 vs loser of SF #2

Week 4

Grand Final: Winner of SF #2 vs winner of PF

Sure you can shake it up a bit to fit basketball better but is good.

5 is awkward, and 6 is not much better.

No way should only 40% of the league make the playoffs what's in it for the majority of teams in the league?

Playoffs are by definition a participation trophy. The NBA have 16 teams making the playoffs when there are only 2-3 legit contenders each year and I would argue Illawarra and Perth are just making up the numbers this season. It was even worse last season when United sleep walked through the season to the title.

If you want to get serious then what ever teams finish 1 and 2 should go straight into the GF every year, I wouldn't want to see that.

"5 is awkward, and 6 is not much better."

Would 4v5 single game elimination final be awkward?

It's one extra game, with all the fun of winner continues, no tomorrow for the loser.

Then your normal semi/GF structure after that.

I think it’s the natural process to follow rather than this whole loser plays winner of x nonsense that SANFL does.

Isnt this topic about expansion opinions, not playoff bracket opinions
I might make another topic for playoff brackets later

Four playoff positions is fine. The league has many issues at present but this is not one of them.

Play in

Top-4 finals system is not good for 10 teams. Even if the nbl put an extra finals game, they couldn't with court availability. Like Zodiac said the nbl were too busy having a new franchise to even try and expand the finals structure. It’s on the nbl, but I’m hearing they will have a play-in games for nbl23.

Massive loss for Tasmania if they miss out. I still like the top-6 format of lucky loser, because then everyone plays without being rusty. If your the highest seed then you deserve a second chance. If you lose then you just lose home court advantage. But once the nbl gets to 12 teams then just bring back the quarterfinals of 8 teams.

I always scratched my head when the nbl went with top-8 from 2004 to 2008 with single game elimination games from 8th seed to 3rd seed. 3rd and 4th seeds always had the disadvantage against the lower placed seeds.

Rick Burton should of just had best of 3 quarterfinals like the nbl use to have finals in 1992 to 1996. At least the Hunter Pirates would of had a home final, plus Gold Coast and even Singapore. It never suited the 7th and 8th seeds for having a home final game, because they only get one final if they make it to the semifinals. More teams playing series is for the better.

Even expand to best of 5 series with home, home, away, away then the decider at home for only semis and grand final. Then travellers can see two games.

Iong term, I see something like...

Finals
4 spots for 10 current teams
6 for 11 (+Canberra)
6 for 12 (+Wellington-NZ)
6 for 13 (+Newcastle)
6 for 14 (+Townsville)
8 for 15 (+Western Sydney)
8 for 16 (+Greater Geelong)
8 for 17 (+Sunshine coast)
8 for 18 (+Canterbury-NZ)
8 for 19 (+Gold Coast)
8 for 20 (+Darwin)



Same way Afl has done it.

Max 12 between now and 2050/oblivion please

Canberra the only small market worth pursuing.

A second NZ team the only medium sized market worth pursuing.

NW Victoria splitting JCA and Geelong, Sydney #2 only big markets worth pursuing.

4 options, pick 2 most viable and add 2024-2028.

Top 6/12, 3v6; 4v5 elimination finals, top 2 straight to semis - have semis best of 3; GF best of 5.

Simples.

Guarantee you, will be more teams than 12 by 2050.
35 million projected population by 2050.

Top four is perfect for the depth we have right now as usually the third and fourth seeds are a mile away from the top two in terms of talent.

Depth is the key metric, not number of teams.

Over the last 12 seasons the 24 #3 and #4 seeds have collectively advanced to the Grand Final series only five times over four seasons.

...and in the past four seasons zero times.

You don't dilute the playoffs further because one new team entered.

Of course you do that's what virtually every league does when a new team enters and it's not one new team it's two SEM and Tassie yet still keeping the stupid Top 4 thing. Top 4 in an 8 team league okay but not in a 10 team league.

Follow the NBA ideal with at least half the teams making the playoffs every year even then NBA is 16/30 and now with the play-in games effectively what 20/30. The NBA is the absolute definition of handing out participation trophies even though there are only 2-3 legit contenders every season.

If it's good enough for effectively 2/3 league to make the playoffs every year in the NBA surely it's good enough for only half of the NBL's teams to make the playoffs.

I always thought Phoenix should of been based out in country Victoria. Not South East Melbourne.

I don't have an issue with 5 out of 10 teams making the playoffs, but what is a top 5 playoff format that isn't shitty, unfair, or pointless?

4v5 elimination final?

Should there be a team in Newcastle?

Yes team 12

What would be 11th team then?

Canberra

If we get to 12 I'd like one of them to be Wellington

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I don't have an issue with 5 out of 10 teams making the playoffs, but what is a top 5 playoff format that isn't shitty, unfair, or pointless?

4v5 elimination final?

Canberra & newcastle?

Canberra and Wellington I think.
Newcastle and Townsville 13-14

Just heard Larry Kestelman on 1116 SEN.

Canberra and Gold Coast are top on the agenda.

Also second Perth team approached the NBL.

My thoughts are if the Canberra government get behind a team like Tasmania then it should be Cannons.

Gold Coast have the Gold Coast Convention Centre. More people live in the Gold Coast. Gold Coast Blaze is a really cool name rather than Rollers.

Also second Perth team approached the NBL.

whos still here

Huh?

Strange this topic keeps popping up lol.

Most likely second Sydney team. My guess is South Sydney will be the 11th nbl team, owner Mike Cannon-Brookes.

Canberra needs to wait a couple of years to fix up AIS Arena. It's bigger than MyState Bank Arena.

Still can’t believe how much they spent on the Tasmania arena without giving it an extension which it badly needs on the camera side.

Tasmania's venue is already too small.

It's too early to decide whether Tasmania's venue is too small. After year two and into year three will give a better read on demand there.

They had members miss out on playoff tickets because they didn't have the seating capacity.

It's too small.

Will the fans keep coming in droves if their team is in the bottom half of the table? I doubt it.

Tassie love their team. I've attended New Years Day game and game 2 final in Tasmania. Spoke to a few locals and their considering NBL over AFL.

It’s crazy what a team could do in one state.

The fact it was sold out every week, played apart in creating demand and helped in my opinion. Full House helped a great atmosphere which in return made people wanting to come back.

Love it! I hope it stays that way for many years.

Aaahh, reminds me of the old days when Tigers played Spectres / Magic / Titans / ... the atmosphere was brilliant!

I know Melbourne United want to do heritage round with Phoenix. Would love to see rematch of Tigers vs Magic/Titans or Dragons.