PBL Alive and Well - Hires Supervisor of Officials

[Minor League Man]

ABA06er...thought the PBL was dead, huh?

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3504022

PBL Hires Supervisor of Officials
07/09/07 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)

• Discuss this story on the Premier Basketball League message board...
(Chicago, IL)...The Premier Basketball League announced today the addition of Charlie Neal as the professional basketball league's Supervisor of Officials. Neal will oversee all PBL officials, including hiring and training, hosting tryout camps, administrating and scheduling game officials and evaluating officials' performances. Neal will be based out of the PBL's Washington, DC office and will travel to each PBL market during the regular season and playoffs.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Neal is a well-known professional and college basketball official, having officiated in the ABL, IBL, USBL and ABA along with NCAA Division I games. Neal has also worked as a clinician and observer at various professional and college referee camps around the United States.

In addition to his officiating career, Neal has worked as a sports broadcaster for over 30 years, including ESPN, where he is currently a play-by-play announcer for many college sporting events. Neal has also worked on-air for CBS, TNT and BET and has won numerous broadcasting awards throughout his career.

The Premier Basketball League will play a minimum of 24-games in their inaugural season beginning in late December 2007, followed by championship playoffs in April 2008.

Notice how the PBL's resumes are different from the ABA's...

The ABA talks about their multimedia hip-hop television experience (No diss on hip hop-I'm an aspiring artist myself-but this ain't the forum)
The PBL just sticks to the game (basketball) and the job (officiating) before going into miscellaneous (broadcasting)

PBL is the future!

[dbaproball]

This is yet another sign of just how the PBL is doing things right. They are setting the bar very high for the other leagues. Now they have to deliver, but it sure looks like they are establishing a very strong infrastructure.

[zeke41]

Could be another alternative for ABA teams tired of trying to convince sponsors to invest their marketing dollars in the God-awful, inconsistent, poorly-led ABA (not to mention hustling to cover cancelled games). DBA, how come teams have opted to organize themselves instead of going PBL? Not that it's necessary...I'm just curious, that's all. My assumption is it is a cheaper alternative for now! Any thoughts?

[bomp]

The Premier or the CBA are good spots to be. Hopefully, they will merge at some point and we can have one strong independent league besides the D-League.

[dbaproball]

Without speaking for anyone else (I'l let them do that), many that have expressed interest in what the DBA is all about are really looking for an immediate safety net first and way to improve their current situation next. I don't think any have set out with the specific mission to leave the ABA. Instead, they want to know that they have a place to play where they have some control over who's in and who's not based on performance (something they don't have now.)

There are also many who are concerned about the league's reported financial situation, lawsuits, etc, and some are questioning the league's ability to survive. If it can't, or if teams simply want control of league affairs, the DBA will provide a viable option.

The DBA at present is in a bit of an awkward position of not necessarily wanting to exist, but having to exist. It is prepared to operate as a league, learning from mistakes of the past, and is prepared to operate as an owners consortium.

Interested teams are reluctant to go public with their interest just yet for the obvious reasons, and we are obliging them with discretion. The coming weeks will be very interesting. Either the situation has stabilized for these teams, and the DBA could remain dormant for a year, or there will be a quick ground swell that will push to the league to full fruition very quickly. The infrastructure is in place to accommodate that. Many contacts and arrangements have been put together to facilitate a smooth transition. The DBA still has not done anything to announce its existence beyond these boards.

I am not fully familiar with the PBL's requirements for venues, league fees, etc. Perhaps some otherwise solid ABA teams can't meet these requirements yet (or don't want to.)

[zeke41]

I feel you on that...good for all of you. I would be worried, too. The league does little to support the teams, and the problems within continue to surface and worsen. It's good to know that there are some solid, intelligent owners out there that are smart enough to prepare for the worst-case scenario. That is good for minor league basketball!