I would like to add to that.

This years team may not be as successful as previous years, but what are you going about improving?

There is no doubt that the crowds are down this year and i have seen advertising (On radio and in the Messenger) but how about trying new fresh ideas? How about asking the Hoops community different ways to market the Sixers?

I find the radio commercial too long and boring, will it really attract attention? The Messenger got the add wrong the first time but you can't do anything about that. Maybe a TV add that is longer than the Sixers had last season if you have that kind of money.

I really think that to make the Sixers better, you could involve the local community a little more. How about we ask some questions and you answer them? How about telling us ideas and we can comment or offer our opinion and maybe help?

Another great thing to do is to go back to the grass roots, fix up some courts, get some Sixers to visit sometimes, give out rulers, small basketballs, maybe CD's and we may see some positives.

Mal, you are a very successful person, we know you will improve the Sixers and we know you own the team but how about getting us hoopsters involved and then we can feel that we all own a part of the Sixers and it could be good for Basketball, the Sixers and the Hoops community.

We're all in this together.

TB

At the moment they are 1-5.

In Brisbane the Bullets has their faces plastered over everything. They have advertising on the sides and back of buses, on billboards, plus they are out in the community spreading the word.

Just like in the good ol' nineties!

Mal still does not own the team yet.....wonder if he will make the settlement happen or will Eddy bounce the cheque?

In july i played in a tournament in melb, just a schools tounament... nothing to special, only thing was there was kids from all over the country there for it. at the end of the tournament there were people from souths there handing out hats and cds and all sorts of things advertising them. i couldnt help but notice the mass of posters covering dandenong stadium/shopping centre/bus stops advertising them. Now most of these are small inexpensive things but they keep the name in peoples heads and their pockets as well as on there sterios when they listen to the cd.

As i mentioned before most of these wont cost much but will do a job and with the attendance at there first home game last week, im guessing it did its job.

Just a few thoughts

Tony,
I disagree with a number of points in your letter, and for some reason wanted to air them (probably because I'm still at work and pissed off to be here), so bugger it here goes. You write:
"I have seen fifteen years with more desire for the ball that I have seen in the past few weeks."
I hope you would have. I think it should read:
"I have not seen less desire for the ball in fifteen years than I have in the past few weeks".
I'm sure that is the point you are trying to get across.
In fact, I believe you make a number of ill'informed comments..
"Does the buck stop" with the owner, because it doesn't with the coach? Absolutely not, and especially when the owner is a few months old if that.
"We haven't heard you in the press saying you have full confidence in the team, does that mean you don't?" What? The fact that the dude BOUGHT the tea, shows he has full confidence. He ain't going to spend millions of $ on a team he doesn't have confidence in. To me, that is common sense. My opinion only. Today I bought a chicken parmigiana from the lunch place across the orad from my work. It was very tasty, but I got up and left without saying anything. Does that mean I though it tasted like sh*t. Absolutely not.
How many team owners around the world do we really hear from all that often? Mark Cuban does it and gets blasted for it by the press. I don't think Mal has any obligation to say anything.
I must say I find a lot of your posts informative and accurate. I just don't agree with a number of the things you write in this particular one.
Regards

Lockstock I meant to write "I have seen fifteen year olds with more desire for the ball that I have seen in the past few weeks'

Trying to make the point that some U16s hell most U16s would have more desire for the loose ball etc than what I've seen so far this season bar a few people like AJ. Last game he chased down two loose balls made a steal and got subbed what the!

Mal (or Eddy) bought the team a number of months ago he had either the confidence in the team or an eye on the future.

If I met someone and decided to marry them having total confidence etc, but within a few months find out they are kleptomanics, arsonist or whatever, do I still love them probably do I have total confidence in them still, no.

I feel that Mal bought the team. My $600 season tickets, plus the money I spend on game night, Tshirts and other sixer merchandise can been seen/argued to being paid to him. Should he be answerable to the fans I think he should, the fans are what will make his investment successful.

There are frequent snippets in the press about Eddy Groves. Groves has been known to comment on his coach before. Same with the owner of Townsville.

McPeake has been quoted talking about his team. Vlahov was often in the press so I think your point is moot.

Why do I think that Mal should speak out in some capacity, this team is 1-5 (thanks Sturty6er)our second worse start to a season in our history.

For the first time every I heard a basketball crowd or sections boo their team for their effort.

Things aren't hunky dory the chicken parm might be ok but this team is not. IMO Farley, Smyth aren't accepting any blame. Farley might have scored 24 last game but it was the things he didn't do that spring to mind.

Smyth, got T'd at the wrong time. And honestly there wasn't much reaction from the crowd. Stephon I beleive said he had lost respect of players that were allowing light weights like Black & CJ bump them and they were crying to the refs to bail them out.

Teams/Clubs are heirachical in nature. From manager to in this case owner.

I'll pose the question if the team was 6-0 like Perth would we being seeing Mal hugging Phil celebrating victory?

Mal's team is currently 1-5 when was the last time you sat thru three losing games at home?

TB nail on the head good post,

yes i defend them yes im passionate yes im finding it increasingly hard to defened them except for a couple of the players who have been singled out in other topics

again very good post tb

I pose the questions if you had paid for the team would you be more passionate about it?

Just like when i was told growing up that working hard to save money to buy your first car was more satisfying than having your parents but one in the driveway, is this what is happening here?

The team has still not changed ownership, we still do not know who paid how much for what despite it being public property.

If it was your money and balls on the line wouldn't you be more active in trying to get basketball good press ala TB's points above?

Kent, who is paying the bills then? Is it still the government? Are the salaries of admin and players being met?

Lockstock, I think you make the most convincing point of anyone - our team at the moment is a chicken parmigiana.

Dear TB,

You show great passion for our club which is great, however do you believe that posting a letter to Mal Hemmeling on this site is the correct forum to express your concerns? I would've thought you should have actually sent your concerns to Mal personally.

A few things everyone needs to keep in mind. Kent is correct in saying that officially Mal has not been handed full control. Do you believe that anyone should press the panic button after 4 weeks of a season? Would that show strength and make good business sense? Could any person turn around a business in 4 weeks? The club had their hands tied when signing players to long term contracts (the main reason I believe Ingles went to Southern).

The purchase by Mal Hemmeling is a very positive move, the changes behind the scenes are happening but will take time.

As 36ers fans we have been very fortunate to see very few losses at home, even seen championships in recent times. I know in a winning environment, losing is hard to watch, but do not over re-act and expect Mal to start swinging the axe to solve these issues.

Milk Man. i understand that you and I are still paying the wages, could be wrong but that is what i have heard.

I dont think we can expect radical changes so early from the new owner - Im sure he has a plan and will execute it when the timing is right.

IMO the major problem we have at the moment is the percieved lack of effort and the "oh well we lost again' attitude. As has been said on here numerous times I can handle losing but I cant cop a team just going through the motions!

Randy,I don't think all the posters are calling for Smyth's head simply for the shitty start to the season. Rather it has been the catalyst for them to vent their frustrations on a whole range of issues inherent with Smyth's regime. From what I can see a lot of people have been waiting to stick the boots in (some will argue it's deserved, others not) and the season start is good launch pad for this. The name 'Smyth' will generally generate polarised views, not just in this state but Australia wide. There is a lot of history behind some of these posts and for the believers of 'Karma', Christmas has come early. All coaches have a 'use by' date. The challenge is for the coach to set this and stick to it. The general consensus is that it's expired.

Don't think I mentioned the coach or the players?

Randy, agreed. But what is Mal going to change if he has to? Not the guy sitting in the 5th. row....

Why has Mal not paid for the team yet? How long was settlement? I understand he is operating the business. How can this be if he hasnt paid for it? Trial before buying?

Randy

My reasons for not writing to Mal in person are many and varied.

Do I expect him to sack the coach (I'd love him too) I don't expect him too. I'm not asking for wholesale changes or sackings.

I'm asking where is he. Why haven't we heard from him. As a season ticket holder of long standing my money has been poured back into basketball in this state.

Now my money is going to Mal (or Eddy) I'd like to see some ownership from the top here.

If the team was travelling well I'm sure we'd see photo opportunities of owner and team.

1-5 start and we hear nothing. If the season doesn't recover or doesn't come up to expectations (he stated he wanted a premiership in the first season) or even make the finals. How are they going to market the tickets for next year?

As a season ticket holder I'd like to see something from Mal even if its "Phil and I have spoken and there have been some hiccups but we are looking forward to winning the next few games and put the poor start behind us."

As a business owner I don't expect him to turn a business around in 4 weeks. I would expect him though, astute business man that his is to start to stop the rot.

Alienate the fans to far they might revolt, never to return. what then of his investment then?

Think about this though Lockstock, if the Parmy tasted like shit are you ever going to go back there?????

hell no, but possibly if they were offering it for free - the only reason I'd go back to the sixers games (which I think was your point)..

I was in at the Dome today and might be able to clear up a couple of things. Mal is still working for the Adelaide City Countil until early November. Until that point, the club is essentially operating without a CEO - Mal is very busy and availability for meetings and strategical decisions won't really open up until he has finished at the ACC.

There are some positive plans in place for the rest of this season and next year so, even if you're frustrated with the team or coach, or the beer on tap, or the music, don't jump off this bandwagon.

There might be a time to criticise Mal or question him, but I don't think it's yet. I was hopeful of a new butt-kicking, get-stuff-done owner, but Mal still has the chance to be that person or provide the means for others to get it done on his behalf.

A couple of new ticket options are coming up, a couple of new sponsors (good names, too), I mentioned a small change to the Dome in another thread that should be noticed on Friday, the speakers have been tweaked this season by BSS (anyone else noticed the lack of complaints this year about the audio quality?) - and if you heard the vision for the venue over the next 6-12 months, you'd be enthusiastic (or maybe that's just too much V today). I have heard plans before, but the club is now in a better than ever position to deliver, IMO.

So, a new can of paint, a new sound system and fresh new carpets and no-one will notice the steaming dog-turd left in the middle of the room ?

I deal with the marketing crew - none of them or I have any say in the coaches or team.

Just saying that there are two components here, off-court and on-court. Both have had room for improvement (note that diplomacy!) over the last few years and at least I can pass on the word that the off-court scenario is looking positive.

If you don't like something that's happening, I'm not sure what to suggest - other than voicing your disapproval on here as many are doing, write a letter to Mal once he's in the job full-time? Or if you vote with your wallet, make sure to explain why (e.g., with a letter) as there are a lot of people contributing and it helps if the decision-makers can identify cleanly what is favoured and what might turn people away.

Yes, the club can read this forum, but there's room for some to assume that it could be one fan with twenty aliases making a lot of noise (even though I can see from IP addresses that it definitely isn't the case).

you cannot polish a turd...

however from what Isaac has said, Mal may be able to find a way of chrome dipping one...
sounds (the operative word here is sounds) like a positive move at least...
Thanks for the update...

That's what they have not been doing enough of - is providing us with updates. Glad to see Isaac managing to squeeze some news out of 36ers Central.

KG.

Wow I didn't no there was a direct link to the Wildcats web site. What a load of bandwagon, fair weather excuses for "fans."

Yes I know I don't know much about basketball. I have only been a season ticket holder for 21 years and I have "missed" six home games in that time.

Oh god, here we go again...

ive been twice this season,may not go again.takes too long to get in,bloody music pisses me off,only drink west end and to top it off we r playing like shit