What will be the NBDL's fate after this season?

[SignGuyDino]

Personally, I think it's 50-50 odds on continuing. The most likely scenario in which they survive is they finally merge with the CBA.

[Tha Man*]

They continue on after renegotiating there leases losing one or two more teams in the process but spinning it like they are moving the teams to better locations in the SE. Again there will continue to be no merger because egos and the stubbornness that goes along with it.. :evil:

[SignGuyDino]

Seriously, maybe the NBDL should consider a "house league" where they have 6 teams play from a common place. If the agenda is developing players, and they won't move these teams to high school gyms to match their attendance, why not?

You can laugh, but SlamBall is expecting to go another year doing basically the same thing.

They could have the games right at NBATV studios. God knows NBATV could use some new programming. It'd be really cheap to run games from that studio.

Then they could tour from time to time.

It worked for pro wrestling in the south. OK that was 25 years ago, sue me.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

The five financially strongest NBDL teams should merge with the CBA. The weakest of those five should relocate to a great lakes region market because it seems like the CBA will be losing a team in that region (unless the owner has deeper pockets than I can imagine). That way the CBA will have five teams in the western states, four in the great lakes region, and four in the southeast.

Well, that's what I would like to see at least. I would also like to see better marketing of the teams across the board.

I don't know about the NBDL, but I think that a "house league" would save women's basketball. Schedule games for the Lifetime channel (now THERE'S a channel that could use some more programming). They should also dump the baggy uniforms and invest in some form-fitting jersey dresses. When was the last time ANYONE ever saw a female tennis player running around the court in a baggy uniform tailored for a man? Woman's tennis has been a popular spectator sport for decades without a hint of folding-up camp.

[Tha Man*]

Like I said before the merger won't happen because of egos. the "D" is too worried about image to merge with the CBA. If the merger occurs the CBA will have to dump teams to make the NBDL look like they are the stroger force in the minor league basketball system.

[SignGuyDino]

I don't know. Depends on whether the NBDL can get one or two expansion teams to make up for the one or two lost causes in the league now (Asheville and Charleston are the biggest lost causes.)

My idea has always been to have a "Continental" conference of old CBA teams and a "National" conference of old NBDL teams, with an all-star game of their own at All-Star Weekend.

Perhaps the NBA will swallow their pride and have more CBA teams in now. What I highly doubt is they'll accept the quarter-point rule.

I still think they need some drastic rule changes, of course my preference is four on four, which would dramatically increase scoring, and that they should play in the summer, but other than that there are ways to speed up the game to right at 2 hours. Keep the red-white-and blue ball. And I've griped about this before, but they need to sell personalized jerseys.

Ultimately, the NBA NEEDS a decent minor league, if for any reason, a threat against the malcontents in the game that they better get their act together.

And they NEED programming on NBATV. How many times can they show "Bill Walton's Long, Strange Trip" until everyone throws up? :roll:

Stern smells blood with the upcoming NHL lockout. If they get one, it could kill the NHL as a major sport. That's why they are working hard to get the labor deal done now. I wouldn't be surprised if the most contingeous point is a proposed bigger role for the NBDL. The player's union ought to establish a program to encourage retiring players to give back by investing in a local NBDL team.

[SignGuyDino]

Chris Webber's involvement in the CBA isn't exactly helping with the credibility.

espn has several stories about David Stern's 20th Anniversay as Commissioner (Feb. 1). In one story, the NBDL is rated as even a bigger failure than the WNBA.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=smith_sam&id=1714525

I have a hard time believing this considering the WNBA has cost the NBA a LOT more money than the NBDL.