IBL attempts to solve minor league basketball's problems

January 5, 2006 - International Basketball League (IBL) News Release

The International Basketball League had 17 teams in its inaugural 2005 season. The IBL is currently comprised of 26 teams heading into the 2006 season.

The league is gaining exposure throughout the United States for its fast-paced play; the team scoring average in 2005 was 127 points per game and in just two hours. But it is the financial feasibility of team ownership that swiftly fosters league expansion. Operating costs for teams in the IBL range between 50k and 80K, requiring only 400-700 fans per game to break even.

"The two features of the IBL are extremely low travel costs with our 'one flight guarantee' and fast and exciting games due to an immediate inbounds policy and the limit of timeouts to one per quarter" said IBL League Commissioner Mikal Duilio, "we have 26 teams in the league and each team can point to one or both of these innovations as the primary reason for their participation."

The International Basketball League has identified three problems in minor professional basketball and believes it has found solutions for each of the three problems. Further, the IBL has identified two issues and is considering solutions for those two issues.

Problem #1: Costly travel

Extremely expensive travel costs drive most minor league basketball teams out of business within two years-the alternative, a local league-would not provide the diversity necessary to satisfy fans. Solution: The IBL has found a unique scheduling technique whereby teams can play opponents from all over the nation, but only have to fly once, a method termed 'cluster scheduling' by its founder Mikal Duilio. How cluster scheduling works: The IBL recruits teams in geographical 'clusters'. A cluster is defined as two or more teams within driving distance. The result is an affordable schedule with an excellent variety of opponents, as teams do travel, but more efficiently (on the one flight teams can play four games in four days- all in one region). The IBL's 'one-flight guarantee' keeps the team owner's costs in check. Did the IBL solution work in 2005? In 2005, there were only six flights (total) among the seventeen teams; restated- twelve of the seventeen IBL teams did not have to fly at all. As a result of this affordability in IBL travel, all seventeen teams that started the season finished their season; sixteen of those seventeen teams have returned for the 2006 season.

Problem #2: Boring games

Basketball in general has become less athletic as a game; lengthy breaks in play keep players from getting hot. Too much time between live plays hurts the rhythm of a game. Lengthy breaks in play also give the defense a disproportionate advantage. League Commissioner Mikal Duilio-"The game was created by Dr. James Naismith as an athletic game, not a game to be drug out over three hours. The IBL philosophy is that basketball should be an athletic game that ebbs and flows rather than tiptoes along in unnatural stops and starts. A basketball game loses its athleticism, flow and perspective when the game lasts more than two hours." Solution: The IBL instituted two rules to increase the emphasis on athleticism and to bring flow back into the game: 1) an immediate inbounds and 2) one timeout per quarter. Did the IBL solution work in 2005? The 2005 IBL results surpassed everyone's expectations: After 156 games played in 2005, IBL teams averaged 127 points per game (average) and in 2 hours-it was very fun to watch. Media note: See articles online, or request references to articles.

Problem #3: Choosing the wrong venue

Teams often opt for the prestige of playing in a large arena without the ability to fill it. Teams that draw less than one thousand fans cannot afford an arena and often-these teams either go into debt, lose money and sometimes a team will drop out of a league (hurting other teams in the league). Even teams that do draw over one thousand fans can be hindered by playing in a large venue; the negative perception associated with empty seats can be disastrous. A classic case happened in the Quad Cities of Iowa Illinois where a CBA team was doing great for years (in a smaller arena) but when the team upgraded to a much bigger arena, the empty seats caused unfair negativity. IBL Solution: encourage teams to right size their venue. Putting those same 1,000 fans in a high school or college gym will add a sense of excitement to the game. With smaller venues come better prices for owners-and in fact-fans get a better view of the action. Did the IBL solution work in 2005? IBL teams played in high schools, colleges and small arenas. All seventeen teams that started the season finished their season; sixteen of those seventeen teams returned for the 2006 season.

Issue: Over promising player compensation

When owners promise to pay players an amount that is not in concert with the earning potential of the team, the team either pays the players less than promised or closes the team down; this miscommunication can be a problem when players leave jobs behind to play professional basketball. Possible solution: IBL League Commissioner Mikal Duilio "If a player is only going to make $60 per game, tell the player this-so that the player does not quit their job and so they do not put their family in financial straights".

Issue: Paying players 'just enough'

Most leagues pay the players just enough to get by without a job-and while those leagues mean well-they inadvertently limit that player's post-basketball earning potential. When that player exits the minor leagues looking to work in the real world, they are six years behind in technology and six years behind in developing real world work habits. Possible solution: Consider requiring players to hold jobs while playing. A residual benefit of such a policy is that players can be more practical role models for children. A league schedule should be efficiently designed so that a player can hold a job. IBL teams have schedules whereby players will spend the night at home on all but one (long) weekend per year.

International Basketball League Stories from January 5, 2006

• Local talent joins the Express - Elkhart Express
• IBL attempts to solve minor league basketball's problems - IBL

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