ef="/basketball/basketball.html" target="_self" onMouseOut="MM_nbGroup('out');" onMouseOver="MM_displayStatusMsg('News of minor league basketball.');MM_nbGroup('over','hbar2000_r4_c3','/graphics/nav/hbar/hbar2000_r4_c3_f2.gif','/graphics/nav/hbar/hbar2000_r4_c3_f4.gif',1);return document.MM_returnValue" onClick="MM_nbGroup('down','navbar1','hbar2000_r4_c3','/graphics/nav/hbar/hbar2000_r4_c3_f3.gif',1)" >

Business
NBA's NBDL Announces Fayetteville First City

FAYETTEVILLE, NC Jan. 4 -- The NBA granted Fayetteville, North Carolina the first team in the National Basketball Development League (NBDL).

The League has existed in rough concept for about six months now, following the collapse of talks with CBA owner Isiah Thomas about acquiring his league (Now in held in a blind trust to allow him to coach in the NBA.). Other leagues, including the International Basketball League (IBL) are rumored to have had preliminary discussions with the NBA, which led to no agreement.

Rob Levine, the NBA's Senior Vice President for New League Development announced the Fayetteville selection at the Crown Coliseum, which will be the new home court for Fayetteville's NBDL team, which has not been named.

The announcement is a further indication that some of the stated parameters of the league may stand a little stretching.

In a November 1, 2000 interview with MLN, NBA Spokesperson Brian McIntire stated that the plan for the NBDL was to place eight teams in the Southeast, in mid-sized cities which do not have Division 1 NCAA teams or other minor league franchises. The geography, and the proximity of the Fayetteville selection to several Division 1 NCAA college teams, including Duke, would indicate that, like a big dog, the NBA will sit and scratch about where it wants to.

"Fayetteville is the perfect place to launch this phase of the NBDL," said Levine. "It's a city that has all of the elements needed to succeed in the league including a first class arena. We are confident that the excitement of professional basketball will appeal to its diverse community, including its strong military population."

SFX Entertainment whose site purports that "60 million people attended over 23,000 events promoted and/or produced by SFX in 1999, including more than 7,800 music events, 13,300 theatrical shows, 1,400 family entertainment shows, and over 500 specialized sports and motor sports shows" was identified as a partner. What that means in terms of ticket sales or ownership was unclear. On this subject, the NBDL was unavailable for comment.

SFX will also use its muscle in general entertainment to bring more special events, concerts and the like to NBDL arenas.

ESPN announced that it will feature eight games a year for three years in a 24 game coverage pact with the NBDL. (See Article.) The games will air on ESPN and ESPN-2.

In a tip of the hat to other areas interested in becoming NBDL host cities, the clear mention of the "first class arena" should not be missed. This flies in the face of most minor-league-capable cities, where the arenas for new and developing franchises are normally converted rodeo halls and decaying former sports palaces.

The National Basketball Development League launches its inaugural season in November, 2001. Eight teams will play a fifty-six game schedule in Southeastern US cities from mid-November through March, followed by playoffs whose size, scope and rules have yet to be announced.

NBA literature states that the NBDL is "Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally," and that "the NBDL offers players the opportunity to develop their talent in a highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella."

It will also serve as the minor leagues of basketball sports operations development, with the claim that the front office is the rookie league as well.

The considerable clout of the NBA behind any venture is an ominous drain on the recruiting capabilities of the other independent minor leagues, particularly in light of the NBA ties and the more important ESPN media exposure.

The CBA, whose teams have one owner, will most likely lose its developmental status. The league has a contract with Black Entertainment Television (BET) to broadcast tape-delayed games this season. If they retain the contract for 2001-2002, they may be able to recruit modestly.

As for the other leagues, the IBL, ABA-2000, the USBL, and the Rookie League, the increased competition from the NBA and teams in Europe will make recruiting a challenging proposition.

Tell us what you think