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Thugmeister

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State of Jefferson, CA
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NBA Expansion to Europe: Great idea or Terrible idea?

Hyped78 said 02/14, 07:08 AM
I say it's a terrible idea.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ian_thomsen/02/13/international.expansion/index.html

Don't get me wrong. I'm european and I would personally be delighted to have the chance to watch live NBA games in europe (especially in Madrid).

I don't think there would be problems in terms of fans and attendance (I bet attendance in London, Berlin, Madrid, etc, would actually be better than in Toronto, for example), arenas, or overall adherence.

On the other hand, the 3 biggest problems that would make this idea terrible are, in my opinion:

1) Overseas traveling: this is the biggest hurdle. Schedules would become nightmarish. Plane travels would become of up to 15 hours (if not more, for teams from the US's west coast).

2) Divisions: related to the traveling issue, would the possible 5 european teams be grouped in the same division, to minimize travel? If so, that division would just be plain weak, to start with. If not, traveling would be maximized (which builds the problem even further).

3) No need to expand to more teams! 30 teams is enough.

Thugmeister said 02/14, 10:42 AM
I say its a great idea.

All businesses, professional sports leagues included, need at some point to expand past their present audience. To grow and move forward, a sure-fire way to make more $.

I dont see the schedules being "nightmarish". Teams currently go on 10-14 day road trips on a regular basis. The average travel time from NY to London is about 7 hours. A long flight yes, but one West Coast teams would only be making probably once a year. With 35 teams to the league, the schedule would have to be reworked, and the East coast teams may make this trip a max of 2 times.
The Euro teams would be grouped in the same division, making instant natural rivalries. Why would those divisions be weak? These are NBA quality players after all.
There is plenty of talent in the European leagues to expand by 5 more teams. Throw in a handful of US grown talent and the $ to lure big name NBA stars, and the Euro division will quickly gain acceptance and success.
Better the NBA to do it, a Franchise with a tried and true winning business formula, than some Foreign investment group, making $ off of a great idea.

Hyped78 said 02/14, 11:29 AM
First of all, there aren't many european cities that could house a new NBA team. But let's take Berlin, for example, which is one of the cities being mentioned. The flight from Los Angeles to Berlin lasts over 11 hours. That's crazy. And, when players arrive, either to LA or to Berlin, they'll be completely jet-lagged.

You're saying that european teams won't be weak, to start with? Yes, they will. There will be an expansion draft, and expansion teams are never any good in their first years.

NFL Europe was a disaster, and it wasn't nearly as ambitious as this project is.

The expansion to Canada hasn't exactly been a success, and expanding to europe spells trouble. Basketball isn't exactly a highly popular sport here in europe! More people watch soccer, rugby, cycling, handball, volleyball, etc.

I would like very much for this to happen, but I don't feel any good will come out of it.

Besides... the NBA with 35 teams?!?!?

Thugmeister said 02/14, 01:29 PM
What is so "Nightmarish" about a 5-game road trip? I've flown to Europe, and jet lag disappears in a day or so. Given a couple of days off, the players will be fine. The talent pool in the NBA is ever growing - note the influx of top foreign players the last few years. With the basketball playing populations of both continents at all time highs, the quality of play is only likely to increase, be there 30,32 or 35 teams. Since Expansion possibilities in the US are about over (OKC and....) its only natural to exploit the burgeoning popularity of the sport in Europe. True it isnt soccer, but once exposed to NBA quality Euros will catch on.

This isn't NFL EuroScrubs we're talking about here. This is the best of the best of this sport.

The best European players may elect to stay on their home continent instead of trying to adjust to the lifestyle and language changes of the US.

No league has ever expanded 5 teams at once, so the Expansion comparison is moot. With NBA management all these teams will have at least the chance to succeed quickly. OF course it will take a few years to develop a team that can compete for an NBA championship. But why should that stop them? Patience

Hyped78 said 02/14, 02:37 PM
You're putting too much faith on "it's going to be basketball crazyness in europe!". In 94 the US hosted a soccer World Cup; by now, soccer should be pretty popular in the US. Ooops, it isn't.

It is simply not feasible to have constant trips to europe. Look at the schedule of any NBA team and now replace some of those games with trips to europe.

You're saying expansion in the US isn't realistic. I say expansion AT ALL isn't necessary. 30 teams is good as it is.

Furthermore, are you actually believing NBA stars would like to live in europe, if they were traded? "Dwight Howard, you're getting traded to Berlin".

This is a crazy idea. It's a dreadful move on the part of the NBA. Stick to some pre-season games here in europe, and also some early season games between NBA teams (as it is being done). Everything else is just unfeasible.

Thugmeister said 02/14, 03:22 PM
Basketball is the only sport that has a chance to be truly a global sport. Soccer has failed in the US, now with 2 generations playing as kids and still nothing more than a fringe event. Basketball, in contrast, has caught on like wildfire in Europe and Asia. There is room in the world for a game that can garner interest by large #'s of fans in many countries.
The NBA can either lead the way in making it the New Worlds Sport (replacing soccer) or it can watch a foreign entity take advantage and make it so. I don't see any reason they wouldn't want to lead. Without the nationalistic drive of soccer (face it, Olympic basketball sucks) only with NBA teams can it do so. Its hard to imagine the NBA, the Premier Basketball League in the World, not at the forefront and not pushing its brand outside the US & Canada.
The talent level of basketball is ever increasing. Have you not seen an NCAA game lately? Most of them could whup your current Euro clubs teams' arses. There is plenty of talent to go around. You are overblowing the trips to Europe, as if they are traveling to the Moon, not just an extra long plane ride.
The NBA WILL EXPAND TO EUROPE. And its good, smart, & Right.

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this isn't a bad idea, and i'm leaning towards the right but i can see one snag. i have a feeling that a lot of prima donna college players would get pissy about getting drafted to a European team when the time came.

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NBA Expansion to Europe: Great idea or Terrible idea?

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