"New NBL" update

As the basketball public wait with baited breath to find out about the announcements were made in Melbourne today, here (below) are Boti Nagy's thoughts on the importance of today and what could come of it.

Click on the title below to read the full story.

AdelaideNow... Game can rebound with new vision

BOTI NAGY

April 07, 2009 12:30am

TODAY either will be a landmark day for the future of basketball in Australia or further evidence the sport is administered by basket-weavers and even an overhaul cannot save it.

Have no illusions - that's how important today's announcement of Basketball Australia's new chief executive officer is. The sport is desperately in need of a genuinely committed visionary who actually has the onions to institute the changes necessary to regenerate the game's image.

That's what's at stake after the balls have stopped bouncing in Melbourne's Federation Square with BA's attempt to break into the Guinness Book of World Records for simultaneous dribbling.

That's double the number of fans who attended any Sydney Spirit NBL game last season but then that was Sydney, not Melbourne, and the issues of Australia's elite national competitions will not publicly be addressed until next week.

But even though BA will draw positive press today for its world record attempt, the truth is the identity of the new CEO is of far greater significance.

Spirit to survive

Here's a media release I just received from the NBL. Good to see that the Spirit are going to survive until the end of the season. The team is doing well oncourt and it would've been sad to see them go already.

SPIRIT SET TO SEE OUT NBL SEASON

The Sydney Spirit National Basketball League (NBL) team has been saved, with players and coaching staff from the club voting overnight to accept an adjusted rescue package offered by the League.

The League met with the team on Tuesday morning to confirm their individual financial situations and subsequently adjusted the proposed salary component of the rescue package accordingly.

Interim Chief Executive Officer of Basketball Scott Derwin said the decision by the players to accept the rescue package meant that the Spirit would now complete the 2008/09 season.

“Sydney sports fans are now assured the Spirit will play out the current NBL season, with the players and coaching staff courageously agreeing as a group to play on despite it being necessary for them to take significant pay cuts,” said Derwin. “They really are playing for the love of the game and have accepted the absolute bare minimum salary to cover their families’ living expenses. We are glad that we have managed to find a way for the Spirit to continue in the League, given their outlook just over a week ago was very bleak.”

“The issues facing the Spirit have been truly unique and therefore called for a unique solution,” Derwin added. “The League funding the on-going operations of a team in financial trouble is highly unusual, but we believe it was absolutely necessary in this case and we are pleased that the Spirit will now see out the season.”

Derwin said that gate receipts from all remaining Spirit home games will continue to go towards paying the players and coaching staff for their outstanding contractual salaries owed over and above those covered in the rescue package.

“We have made the commitment that, once basic operational costs are covered, all additional profits will be funnelled back to try to make up for what the players and coaching staff are owed under their contracts with the club. That means that by Sydney fans buying a ticket to a Spirit game, they are directly helping the players, coaches and their families through what has been a tremendously stressful period.”

Sydney next travel to Cairns on Thursday to prepare for their clash against the Taipans this Friday night. The Spirit’s next home game will be against the Townsville Crocodiles on Sunday 21 December at the Sydney Olympic Park Entertainment Centre. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults, $5 for children (13 and under and $25 for families and are available through Ticketek (www.ticketek.com.au).

Will the Sydney Spirit survive?

I received an e-mail yesterday announcing that the Spirit may not survive to the end of the season. When you're getting "crowds" of under 1000 to your home game, you're always going to struggle. What's disappointing is that on-court the team has done quite well (all things considered). They're in the top 6, they've just got Jason Smith back on court and Julian Khazzouh (pictured below) is having a break-out season. Click on the title below to read the full story and I'll keep you updated as I hear more.

NBL > News

Interim Chief Executive Officer of Basketball Scott Derwin has issued the following statement regarding the Sydney Spirit National Basketball League team:

“The League office was informed by Sydney Spirit owner Greg Evans on Saturday that the team was in a perilous financial position and has indicated that he was planning to put the team into administration,” said Derwin.

“We have since been seeking urgent talks with Evans to ascertain what, if anything, can be done either to help him maintain the team in the NBL for the remainder of the season, or to find a buyer for the Spirit’s license who could continue the club’s on-going operations.”


(I'm not sure what sort of defence Ballinger was employing here, it obviously didn't work)