Sports stats



IBL Excited About 4th Season

August 21, 2007 - International Basketball League (IBL) News Release


Goal #1-Eliminate boring games: Too much time between live plays hurts the rhythm of a game and keeps players from getting hot. Lengthy breaks in play also give the defense a ‘disproportionate advantage'. League Founder 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. Results: The 2005 IBL results surpassed everyone's expectations: After 156 games played in 2005, IBL teams averaged 127 points per game (average) and just as importantly, the games occurred from start to finish in just under 2 hours. In 2006, the scoring average was again 127 points and again these games occurred in just under 2 hours; 2007 saw a scoring average of 129 points per game.

Goal #2-Reduce travel costs: Extremely expensive travel costs drive minor league basketball teams out of business within one or two years-the alternative, a local league-would not provide the diversity necessary to satisfy fans. Solution: The IBL has created 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'. 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 they do so more efficiently. This ‘one flight guarantee' (the IBL promises a maximum of one trip per season requiring air travel) promotes financial health and longevity for IBL teams. Results: All 17 teams completed the ‘05 IBL season; as well all 24 teams completed the ‘06 season. The ‘07 season saw 22 of 23 teams complete their season (one team was removed half way through the ‘07 season but it should be noted that this removal did not affect other IBL teams' home games).

Goal #3-Increase player talent: The IBL experienced a huge talent increase between the 2005 and 2006 season and an even bigger increase into the 2007 season, as seen with the Santa Barbara Breakers and Portland Chinooks. Santa Barbara through the season had as many as five ex NBA players on their roster including Toby Bailey, Fred Vinson, Lamond Murray and Samaki Walker. The Portland Chinooks have five potential and/or hopeful NBA talents as well: All Pac 10 player David Lucas (36.5 points per game in the 2007 IBL season), former Providence star and Washington Wizard God Shammgod (24.7 points per game in the IBL season) and 2006 CBA All Star David Jackson (23.1 points per game in the IBL) were features of a loaded Portland team. Portland also had minor league superstars Bo Collas (an All Star in 2006 for the IBL's Eugene Chargers team-considered by many agents to be one of the best non-NBA players in America that year) and Michael Parker (an All Star from his previous team-the Bellingham Slam).

* The 1st reason for the influx of more talented players is the stability the league has demonstrated over its first 3 seasons. "Our business model encourages owners to crawl before they walk and then to walk before they run," said IBL Commissioner Mikal Duilio, who added, "teams finish their season and pay their bills; this attracts players". * A 2nd reason for the increase in talent is because many of the IBL teams are in bigger cities where a rich base of a certain type of player exists-players who choose to begin their non-basketball career right out of college. In an IBL season, a typical IBL player would be gone for only one weekend of 4-games in 4-days; therefore Commissioner Duilio says "IBL players can hold a non-basketball career during their playing years; our league attracts some very talented players who want to play professional basketball but at the same time-they want to get started in a career". * A 3rd reason for the influx of talent is the number of IBL players that have earned contracts with professional teams overseas. The Battle Creek Knights had 7 players ink deals abroad in their last off season while the Seattle Mountaineers placed 5 players (a 6 th player turned down a $50K offer). The IBL is becoming a development league for overseas teams and leagues; the 2007 off season goal is that 70 IBL players gets jobs overseas. IBL Commissioner Mikal Duilio visited Japan in January 2007 and in August 2007 Duilio attended the Chinese Basketball Association camp and draft. Other efforts include 1) the IBL forming a player agency (IBLPA) for players without agents and 2) the IBL co-hosting 2 camps per year that will bridge IBL players to overseas teams.

• Discuss this story on the International Basketball League message board...

International Basketball League Stories from August 21, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central