Its official: opba folds, another disappointment for players

[not so fast]

PLayer who go to camps in good faith, pay their money, drive to the locations, live in all kind of unstable conditions, just to play a basketball game, should at least be able to trust that the league officials can provide them the opportunity they claim.

After being duped now by the upbl,aba,and now the opba, it is time that, at least for me, and anyone I know, to forget these minor minorleagues, and if the players can't play in the CBA, or the NBDL, or the USBL, then that player needs to go and get a real job and move on with his life.

The instability of these start up leagues are the only thing that is certain about them.

The real sad thing is there area lot of players who are willing to play in these leagues, many for next to nothing in terms of pay, and yet these ego driven owners and league officials go out and perpetrate this myth about their so-called new league. And these people prey on dumb people like me, and the sub-par players I know, to help them facilitate this travesty.

Well, enough of these leagues, which really all should be called fantasy leagues because thats just what they are, a fantasy for the owners and officials, and players as well as the coaches.

I am a life long Cubs fans, and thats really enough fantasies for me.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

The OPBA was toast a couple of weeks ago when they had problems making their FIRST payroll. As a matter of fact, they were crispy critters right out of the starting blocks because their business plan was based on a false assumption to begin with.

What was that assumption again? Was it, we just need 300 fans per game @ $5.00 per ticket to cover all expenses? Yeah right! Works on paper every time. The reality is that you may have an announced crowd of 1500 (although OPBA crowds weren't anywhere near that number) and still not have 300 people in the entire house that actually bought a ticket.

This is nothing though. Wait until November when the ABA starts up for some extreme off-court drama.

[not so fast]

Even though 2/3 of the season was cancelled, the opba is still going to have playoffs, now I have heard it all. Maybe next year they can have a four team-double elimination tournament and no regular season at all.

Or better yet, how about having fake scores and fake standings like the aba has been rumored to do. Then have playoffs. Fantasy basketball at its best!!

[TEN]

I know that I have been busy...but what the heck is the opba? I don't think that I have even heard of that league. Not so fast....what's the story?

[Shootmaster_44]

The biggest problem was the owners wanted to start a minor league in Ontario. I might just have a Western Canadian bias, but it seems that if it isn't the top league, it isn't supported in Ontario. I know the leagues that have rolled through Saskatoon haven't faired much better, but they haven't died that quickly. At least the Storm, Slam and Hawks managed to pull off complete seasons before riding off into the sunset. As I recall, the WBL and NBL both attempted teams in Hamilton, at Copps Coliseum no less, and they still died due to poor attendance. I think it just goes to show that if it isn't the NBA, most casual fans want nothing to do with it.

Besides most of the OPBA cities were within driving distance to an NBA city. As the old adage goes, once you've had champaigne why go back to ginger ale? Meaning once you've had the NBA why go see the OPBA? 4 out of the 5 teams were within the Greater Toronto Area and have seen the Raptors. The fifth team was based in Windsor, what casual basketball fan would have given up the Pistons' run to the NBA title to go watch some players they've never heard of? I would've gone for two reasons a) I'm sick of the NBA's style of play and b) live ball is better than watching it on tv.

My theory for starting up any professional league in Canada is this: Place teams in Western Canada first. Out here we seem a little more receptive to minor league sports. Build up those franchises and the league's rep. Once that's done, place a team in Ottawa and in Quebec. Those places are little more receptive to bigger minor league sports. Build those franchises up and build the league's rep. Expand in the Maritimes and ensure the success of those franchises as well. Once that is done, then expand into Southern Ontario. By then this league will look semi-large and fans out there will be receptive to it. If not at the very least the Southern Ontario teams will die, at worst the entire league will die like Canadian Baseball League did.

[not so fast]

Ten, the opba is the ontario professional basketball association. Which really had nice guys trying to run it, but just didn't do enough homework and took on more than they could handle.

Just refer to previous threads on this topic, quite frankly I would rather try and forget it.

By the way, to all those Dave Joerger groupies out there. How come he didn't win the USBL championship?

(I miss all the hostility on the old message board, I need to get some started here)

[hoosierboy]

Because he didn't have Daleo coaching for him to whoop up on!

(Ah that felt good!)

[not so fast]

Hoosierboy, it's good to see you are still out there, thought maybe you had moved to south dakota already and fell under a tepee.

The question is to all the dakota fans, what will you do when joerger comes to town now? Didn't he leave you high and dry ?

As far as him in the USBL, maybe he didn't quite have the budget he had in Dakota?