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A-League's template for Australian basketball reform

Roar Guru
11th May, 2009
13

Australian basketball needs to do what it should have done at the start of the NBL reform process – look very closely at soccer’s A-League for inspiration.

Soccer’s NSL was a barely cared-about mess when a federal government report into the sport in 2003 recommended widespread changes, including a new national league.

After an 18-month hiatus, soccer emerged with the A-League.

It slashed and burned most of its existing clubs – just two from the NSL surviving the cull.

The rest were replaced by shiny new, slickly-marketed franchises.

One team per town, eight teams, a clean slate for competition and sport.

The tough decisions proved the right ones.

Four years on, the A-League works a lot better than what preceded it – and importantly has become a part of mainstream Australian sport.

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It has a lucrative television deal with Fox Sports, every match is shown live, and clubs attract decent crowds, or at least their city or region’s attention.

Basketball chose to work with what they had to reform the NBL, and race against time to do so.

The Melbourne Tigers and South Dragons pulling out of any competition planned for 2009-10 is a damning indictment the reform process hasn’t worked.

Expressions of interest for the new league came from existing clubs, including those who would appear not to have the funding to back up the ambition.

Unlike soccer – which has two of Australia’s richest men in Frank Lowy and Clive Palmer involved – basketball has failed to perk the interest of genuine financial heavy-hitters.

For basketball, failed entrepreneurs like ex-Sydney Kings owner Tim Johnston and Brisbane’s Eddy Groves, the perceptions they bring and failed clubs they leave behind are like `old’ soccer’s ethnic baggage.

Those saying the Dragons and Tigers’ decision will kill Australian basketball could be right.

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The Australian Baseball League never recovered from its “hiatus” in the late 1990s.

But the Dragons and Tigers have now bought basketball time, if those in charge choose to use it.

There’s no reason basketball can’t come up with a fresh, well thought-out new league, with a presence in all Australia’s key markets and New Zealand, backed by a decent TV deal.

As the NBL was starting its reform, netball – which already had a national league performing acceptably – chose a far-sighted approach.

It linked up with New Zealand to form a trans-tasman league, which has outstripped its predecessor in popularity and interest.

That’s called looking at the big picture.

Exactly what Australian basketball should take the time to do.

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