"Oh what a tangled web this could be with trainings and venues!"

Why? He got paid out by the club.

I think more of a tangled web is that his fans thought it was unfair/unethical he lost the Sixers job, yet he basically did the same thing to Clarke.

Anyway it will be interesting to see how he goes.

Tangled Web, Lightning owners own 36ers Arena where 36ers train, and presume Lightning offices are there? Lightning seem to train elsewhere at least on the socials they post. So you would imagine a fait amount of cross over, hopefully all got their big boy pants on and it could be the start of something great.

Or have the 36ers bought the Lightning, ready for next year? Just saying!

Sure it will be great overall and there should be a massive spike in Lightning crowds, especially from the disgruntled 36ers fans when he was asked to leave 36ers.

Lightning have a reasonable squad (inc. 2 Olympians) so should be winning more games, time will tell.

It shall be interesting to see the team progression.

Happy for Ninnis but definitely a bit of a tangled web given the Lightning's owner also owns 36ers Arena which is where the 36ers train, I think the Lightning train at Wayville or Marion don't they? The Lightning are up for sale too.

Interesting the NBL now part-owns the WNBL and LK is said to be tipping money into the 36ers and that fininacial investment in the 36ers is likely what lead to the signing of Trez the firing of Ninnis to hire Wells and likely also the hiring of Weston as GM, all NBA connected. GK as we all know was very hands on in his running of the Sixers.

It will be interesting to see who buys the Lightning but I'm happy for Ninnis he's now 'back on the scene' albeit the WNBL but who knows where this opportunity might lead to next?

"I think more of a tangled web is that his fans thought it was unfair/unethical he lost the Sixers job, yet he basically did the same thing to Clarke."

What? Ninnis was the coach before Marty Clarke.

I think hes referring to the Lightning Interim coach

Okay I didn't know his name but I doubt he was being viewed as the next HC anyway given the owner is trying to sell the team and the Ninnis name would improve the prospects of that.

Yes, Matty Clarke, not Marty Clarke.

Scotty back at the Lightning after a few years off doing other things.

I still remember him and Marcus Wong walking when Vince Marino sacked Chris Lucas because Chris refused to start Angela Marino over more accomplished players.

Great move for lighting.Ninnis will drive culture enthusiasm and interest in team. Driven for success and more experienced than ever. Imagine how motivated he is to re-establish the glory days..be first for a modern era ship. Won't that ruffle some feathers in a certain nest on portly road.. precidting success..

Has Ninnis coached women before?

I have taken my time with this one because I'm not sure how I actually feel about it.

Firstly coaching women's basketball is vastly different from men. We expect to be coached, it's not just about running up and down the floor & you win because your team has the best imports. That's what's been happening & it hasn't worked IMO.

I believe he was an assistant with Chris Lucas in the day.

Has there been any other elite high level experience with a women's program as well as high performance development of young women?? Running holiday camps surely doesn't meet that bar. Happy to be advised what elite female basketballers he's developed recently.

My biggest concern is that if an NBL opportunity comes up will he walk, more money, more hype etc.

Will the new owners of the WNBL have a say in the 2025/26 season?

Agree with the above - of Scott was that interested in coaching women's basketball he would of been in the mix for other jobs in the past

Seems a bit of a short term in the right place at the right moment to fill a gap and as mentioned could jump if the NBL called.

Maybe all they want is a short term spot filled, but is a bit of slap to long term womens coaches looking for an opportunity

Ninnis does not want to leave Adelaide so he is never moving in for greater hype elsewhere

How does a coach who has never coached women's basketball get an opportunity like this? It's not just plug and play. It shows why the team is where it's at.. ownership don't know the game. I actually wish him well for the players to have success but the learning curve will be steep. Not saying he won't be successful because usually a first year coach in the league does well until they are figured out. But, recruiting, managing the athletes and getting the best from them will be his biggest hurdle. Women's basketball is built different ask Dereck Fisher.

How much would the Lightning now be worth as they are looking for a new owner/investor?

Vince Marino first private owner (?) paid $113000 in 2016.

The Old Basketball SA (BASA was it) took control for a bit.

Grant Kelly reportedly threw a million into the pot.

What would it cost to run per year $500-$750000 per year?

What would the price tag be right now. $2 million??

1st - the lightning are not worth anywhere close to 2 mill. Went to a game the other week, might have been 300 people in the stands and we got free tickets. If the cost was say 40 bucks a ticket (I didnt look) and everyone did pay, what they made $12,000 that game.
Its 21 games for the season - lets say 12 home games at $12,000.00 billing - $144,000.00 in ticket sales for the season?
Does the ticket sales cover the players salaries? coaches salaries? venue hire? trainers? management staff?

The girls are talented, the game was good. but the people aren't coming. I would guess the team is actually losing money at a large rate for the owner(s).

2ndly - do agree would have loved to see someone who has coached womens basketball be afforded the opportunity. Matt Clarke has been coaching the NBL1 Womens team at southern for sometime now, has won 2 championships from memory and I believe has been involved in the lighting for a couple years.

Grote 12
But with next years changes, which will all be about promotion and entertainment, aim for 2000 people paying per game at $40 (tickets are $40 and $50 depending on seat, which I think is too high at the moment, should just be aiming for bums on seats and engaging Adelaide), that's nearly a million, then sponsorship, merchandise obviously increases etc.

Current venue can hold 7000 so even if you got 3500 at $30 plus the freebies etc that's 1.25 million a year in ticket sales.

Invest in Marketing and Promotion, I think if we look at what has happened to NBL if you got it for around the $2 million could be worthy investment, concern maybe that current owners are looking to leverage what could happen and pricing it out of reach.

"I would guess the team is actually losing money at a large rate for the owner(s)."

According to Vince Rugari from the SMH the Lightning have lost more than $2.5 million over the last five years.

Zodiac as you would expect if only 300 attending (including freebies), but even then that's only $500K a year an extra 17000 people attending a year and that's covered. So looks like a crowd of about 1500-2000 would be break even, not including extra sponsorship/merchandise etc

You would have to say if SA can't get to that level there is something seriously wrong.

Given Ninnis got paid out by the 36ers, maybe he was an attractive hire because he's not actually getting paid all that much to do the job?

Doing it out of good 'ol fashioned spite maybe?

Ha he didn't look too happy about getting the job as he was walking up to the press conference. Given the close business relationship between the Peligra guy and GK maybe Ninnis was pushed into it to keep receiving his 36ers money?

SMH

Don't post if you have no idea, and I mean no idea.

You know who you all are.

Was that directed to me? Go look that journo up on Twitter to see his post, he's a sports repoter for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Keep in mind you don't get much bad news stories for the NBL/WNBL out of News Limited (aka Limited News) because they're in bed with the NBL financially. The Age/SMH are not.

benchballer
how are you expecting the sport to go from 300 attendees (maybe not all fully paying) to get to 1,500 - 2,000 paying attendees?
like what if half the attendees at the game i went to were freebies? we are going to 10X the paying attendees in what span of time? 12 months? 24?

To put in persepective, more people probably watch local NBL1 games than the lightning. And NBL1 does no advertising?

Saying invest in marketing is great, but thats more money spent that doesnt promise returns.

Look at AFLW, they are pumping millions into advertising, yet the crowds barely get over 2,700.
If the club is losing millions then i doubt they can afford millions to try and invest in marketing.

when was the last time an AFLW club congratulated a player on something related to basketball ? Yet we see some basketball social media (? local clubs) celebrating their players football achievements and how good it is? IMO that's not helping at all.

best way to improve local wnbl attendances - field good team that plays competitive games and wins a few, local grassroots buy in - Lightning players getting to local junior trainings etc and quality players. Lightning have some absolute top level players to watch - their PG I am hoping will come back - great player, local media involvement - news stories, social media, promotions etc

fielding a good team - Adelaide have some great individual talent but maybe not the cohesion
Isobel Borlase was WNBL all 1st team last season
Stephanie Talbot is a olympian
2 imports
plus they have local players
Jess Simons
Tayla Brazel
Maddy Freer
Brooke Basham

local grassroots buy in - The lightning already go around to clubs giving away free tickets (how we got ours)

The real question is, how do you get a jnr basketball girl excited to go watch womens basketball? besides giving away free tickets

They are in the news this week with the announcement of the coach, does that increase attendance for tonight? I cant go so i wont be one doing a head count, but im hopeful.

This isnt a new issue though
https://thewomensgame.com/news/wnbl-sides-future-in-doubt-516034

https://www.hoops.com.au/forum/44363-adelaide-lightning-financial-woes/

i didn't mean Adelaide have a poor team at present - quite he opposite - I think it's a great line up - was just saying what I thought get people in the door game day

Will be interesting to see crowd tonight, there is a couple other sporting events going on as well though. Strikers at Adelaide Oval, Reds at Coopers Stadium. Makes you wonder about the scheduling, and again would think we would see a change next year.

Marketing of this game is pretty average, new coach etc and we have seen a couple of the same Facebook posts about the game, not overly exciting ones either. This is where Marketing can be done cost effective, don't need to spend big Dollars.

Great win and a good crowd (possibly 1500 to 1700) for Lightning.

"Great win"?

The Flyers are awful. Adelaide spanked them by 26 on their floor 2 weeks ago. Since dumping Hurst, the Lightning have scrapped in a 1-point victory against the bottom-of-the-ladder Capitals and fumbled their way to a 10-point win at home against the Flyers who have lost 4 of their last 6 games and those wins come against Canberra.

Adelaide are currently cooked, and I don't think it has anything to do with the coaches.

Great to hear crowd might have tipped 4 figures.

Did see on socials that southern and Woodvile got free entrance though. Hopefully that was the minority of the crowd and they had some income flow through.

Crowd was 922, it's literally posted on the WNBL live stats. Their highest for the season as other games have been around 400, down there with Bendigo for lowest in the league.

How can Bendigo still not draw a crowd? They are great to watch and hadn't lost until this round. Whoever is in charge of marketing at Bendigo needs to resign.

Watched the Adelaide game against the Flames yesterday and Ninnis does not say a lot but the team seem to be responding.

Flames were ahead most of the game until the 4th quarter and they dropped off and Adelaide just kept grinding away and came away with the win.

So Ninnis 2 from 2.

Dissapointing thing is that maybe the players did not want to play for Hurst and have changed their mind under Ninnis even though Hurst was not the greatest coach.

Flames unfortunately fell apart in the 4th and Malloy would be dissapointed.

Retired Flames were absolutely terrible in that last quarter. I am not sure what was worse the players or the coach.

The players had so many easy layups and stuffed them up. Other times they were passing to the other team. Defensively their effort was terrible.

Molloy should be angry at himself. On what planet do you go from 10 up to down 2 and finally call a time out 6 minutes later when your team has scored 7 and the other team 19. He should have called a timeout 4 minutes earlier. Even a parent junior coach could tell the momentum had swung. He had two timeouts at that stage and he needed to use one.