National Basketball League of Canada

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

With the loss of the Moncton and St. John's teams, the NBLC is now in dire straits. Will the league even survive?

I have no idea what the future of the Magic will be. The obvious choice would be for the team to jump to the CEBL, but is the CEBL even interested in establishing an east coast presence?

If the teams in Halifax and PEI (and the St. John's team) could be convinced to defect, then the CEBL could have an automatic Atlantic Division in their league, which would be good for reducing travel costs. The CEBL right now is based in Ontario and western Canada therefore travel costs could be prohibitive for a solitary Moncton team based on the east coast.

Unless something like this were to happen, I fear the Moncton Magic franchise will just fold completely.

The problem is the Edge, or whatever would make up a new basketball team in the CEBL, would have nowhere to play in St. John's. The next largest arena in the St. John's area is the Mount Pearl Glacier, which has a paltry 1000 seats.

With how mismanaged the St. John's Sports and Entertainment is, I'd love for someone with big pockets to build a new arena elsewhere in the city and relocate the sports teams there.

[Smevo]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

With the loss of the Moncton and St. John's teams, the NBLC is now in dire straits. Will the league even survive?

I have no idea what the future of the Magic will be. The obvious choice would be for the team to jump to the CEBL, but is the CEBL even interested in establishing an east coast presence?

If the teams in Halifax and PEI (and the St. John's team) could be convinced to defect, then the CEBL could have an automatic Atlantic Division in their league, which would be good for reducing travel costs. The CEBL right now is based in Ontario and western Canada therefore travel costs could be prohibitive for a solitary Moncton team based on the east coast.

Unless something like this were to happen, I fear the Moncton Magic franchise will just fold completely.

The CEBL aren't interested in "small market" teams, whatever that means, but it seemed to be directed at the NBLC markets like Cape Breton, PEI, Saint John, and Moncton.

Both the Abbotsford and Saskatchewan teams are marketed as "regional" or "provincial" teams, getting around the small market thing. If anything, this would suggest only Halifax and maybe St. John's unfortunately, though they could always change their minds.

Is the CEBL still fully league owned? Or have local ownership groups taken over some of the teams? I haven't paid much attention since it started, other than following some of the players that played in multiple leagues.

[lirette]

There is also the incoming ECBL which made it plans known back in the winter. The league was targeting the maritimea and was looking at smaller markets like Summerside for example. I wonder if there's anything there? If the league is well run having Moncton & St John's, the 2 markets with the highest attendance would ve huge for legitimizing the league.

The president of the league is said to be touring multiple maritime locations and arenas starting this week per their FB, and they held a player combine in LA back in June.

However with any of these semi pro leagues you take it with a grain of salt. We've seen nothing but instability over the past 10 years.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Considering that this league is now defunct, and the Eastern Canadian Basket League had to stop play in it's inaugural season, I wonder if there is a chance that the Canadian Elite Basketball League will keep moving closer this way? I wish the ECBL well, but I don't think that they will be around long. I could be wrong though, they are planning on coming back next year to try it again. If they ultimately fail though, I wonder what the chances would be for CEBL to come around?

[MonctonRad]

CEBL is the only option left. They however seem to want to establish a Canadian national basketball league, with a nationwide focus and a similar mandate as the CFL (football) and Canadian Premier League (soccer). As such, their interest lies principally with the larger cities in the country.

The CEBL might be interested in Halifax, but, their interest in Moncton would only be lukewarm at best. With the NBL, Moncton was considered as a linchpin franchise for the Atlantic Conference. With a nationwide focus however, the CEBL would not have similar feelings towards Moncton.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

I would imagine when Moncton hits around 300,000 that these leagues might change their outlook on Moncton if they want a nation wide league. It seems that Regina and Saskatoon have these teams and are still under 300,000 or just over respectfully, and with more regional draw than these cities I just don't see why they wouldn't consider Moncton in the near future.

As per StatsCan estimations for July 1st, 2022
Saskatoon - 347,536
Regina ----- 268,804
Moncton---- 171,608

Just a few years ago July 1st, 2018
Saskatoon - 323,148
Regina ----- 256,317

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1...pid=1710013501

[SevenSquared]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

I would imagine when Moncton hits around 300,000 that these leagues might change their outlook on Moncton if they want a nation wide league. It seems that Regina and Saskatoon have these teams and are still under 300,000 or just over respectfully, and with more regional draw than these cities I just don't see why they wouldn't consider Moncton in the near future.

As per StatsCan estimations for July 1st, 2022
Saskatoon - 347,536
Regina ----- 268,804
Moncton---- 171,608

Just a few years ago July 1st, 2018
Saskatoon - 323,148
Regina ----- 256,317

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1...pid=1710013501

Yeah, those StatCan figures annoy the hell out of me in cases like these. You look at how little there is outside Saskatoon and Regina proper, and then you compare it with everything a stone's throw from Moncton like the Shediac area, Sackville and everything else that isn't counted in our CMA. Not to mention the other 600k people in our 90-minute radius.....

CEBL is exactly the sort of thing I see having as good or better probability of success here than Saskatoon or Regina, just because of the regional numbers, the low number of games, and the absence of any (regional) competition in the pro/semipro sport realm. Same with CPL.

[SevenSquared]

.

[MonctonRad]

:the CPL could work at the Blue Cross Stadium as is - maybe throw in some permanent concessions and washrooms for the east grandstand, but, otherwise it's good to go. Our facilities here are better than the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, although the Wanderers Grounds are better located with relation to the pubs and bars downtown.

The CEBL could just move right into the Avenir Centre. Again, nothing needs to be done with the facility, and, with a seating capacity for basketball of over 9,000, the building is more than adequate.

The size of Moncton is what makes us fly under the radar for these prop sports leagues. At least the CPL is aware of Moncton, and, has speculated on the idea of a team here (at least when the league was being formed). This may have changed now that the league is established.

[SevenSquared]

CPL keeps trying to force its way into MLS markets (Toronto and Vancouver) rather than reducing the barriers to entry for small and medium sized markets.... and that strategy is not working.

Toronto (York United) has been a spectacular failure at the gates since day 1. And although it's only their first year, Vancouver isn't looking that much better. Actual turnout was no worse for the Wanderers' recent U23 friendly at U de M than at many of Vancouver FC's league matches as the season has gone on.

A remote market like Halifax simultaneously being the 2nd smallest in the league and absolutely dominating league attendance shouldn't be a surprise, and is a clear indicator that the league needs to facilitate access (*cough* lower expansion fee) for mid-sized + small cities that don't have direct competition like MLS and CFL nearby.

If they continue to go all-in on trying to force their way into crowded big-city sports landscapes, I don't foresee them growing beyond 6-8 healthy teams.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by SevenSquared

A remote market like Halifax simultaneously being the 2nd smallest in the league and absolutely dominating league attendance shouldn't be a surprise, and is a clear indicator that the league needs to facilitate access (*cough* lower expansion fee) for mid-sized + small cities that don't have direct competition like MLS and CFL nearby.

If they continue to go all-in on trying to force their way into crowded big-city sports landscapes, I don't foresee them growing beyond 6-8 healthy teams.

Agreed.

Both the CEBL and the CPL need to focus on markets not already served by MLS and the NBA.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by SevenSquared

Yeah, those StatCan figures annoy the hell out of me in cases like these. You look at how little there is outside Saskatoon and Regina CMAs, and then you compare it with everything a stone's throw from Moncton like the Shediac area, Sackville and everything else that isn't counted in our CMA. Not to mention the other 600k people in the 90-minute radius.....

CEBL is exactly the sort of thing I see having as good or better probability of success here than Saskatoon or Regina, just because of the number of people within 90 minutes, the light schedule, and absence of any regional competition in the pro/semipro sport realm. Same with CPL.

100%. This was my train of thought when I was posting the population numbers for Moncton, Regina and Saskatoon. That they aren't that much larger than us especially when you consider how much is around us that isn't included in our CMA.

A little off topic but I see some real genius work that the province did with our municipal reforms that went into effect January 1st of this year. I see that they lumped some populations that weren't in our CMA with some greater populations that were already part of our CMA so that they would be pulled in or have a greater probability of being pulled into the CMA at a later date just as Shediac and Tantramar (Sackville). For example the put Dorchester in with Sackville to make Tantramar for example. Giving Riverside-Albert and Alma along with Fundy National Park to make Fundy-Albert village. With most of the population up near Riverview this will haul all of these in. The did the same with Salisbury and giving Elgin and surrounding area to Petitcodiac to make 3 Rivers. More than likely Petitcodiac will be hauled in now as well. These will give us a nice little bump in numbers as well.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Agreed.

Both the CEBL and the CPL need to focus on markets not already served by MLS and the NBA.

I third this as well. I am ready to buy tickets right now.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by SevenSquared

Actual turnout was no worse for the Wanderers' recent U23 friendly at U de M than at many of Vancouver FC's league matches as the season has gone on.

How was the attendance for that event held here? Couldn't find it online.

[lirette]

The commissioner of "The Basketball League" just recently did a tour of the Maritimes meeting with different people in the basketball communities that just lost their teams from the failure that was the ECBL. I do think something is afoot here. Perhaps a couple of these cities will announce franchises in the near future.

It will be really tough to get buy in from fans at this point giving the laughable carousel of leagues that have rolled through, but commission Magley is very familiar with Moncton already. I do think the market can work but there needs to be a strong financial backing and proper marketing done. The ECBL looked like more of a ponzi scheme than anything.

[MonctonRad]

I just did a little looking on line. They are forming something new called the Basketball Super League, which will be essentially a merger of the rump NBLC after league disbandment, and the US based The Basketball League. Play will start this December.

The Canadian teams will be:
- Windsor Express
- London Knights
- Kitchener/Waterloo Titans
- Sudbury Five
- Quebec City Pioneers
- Newfoundland Rogues.

You can bet your wisdom teeth that this league would want to have at least a couple of Maritime teams (Moncton, Halifax) as part of the plan.

If, as you say, the commissioner of the new league was doing a Maritime tour, then, it appears obvious that something may be afoot.

The Basketball League has 49 US based franchises. If the remnants of the old NBLC could bring another 8-9 Canadian based teams to the party, then this could be a very serious league with some potential to stick around for some time

Thanks lirette, this is very interesting news indeed!

Here's the Wikipedia link. It includes links to other articles as well:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basket...(North_America)

And, oh by the way, the current president of The Basketball League is the former commissioner of the NBLC. Hmmmmmmm

[MonctonRad]

From the Kitchener Waterloo Record:

The super league will be owned by The Basketball League, or TBL, which operates 49 teams across North America. TBL teams currently play in 30 states and two provinces.

The goal is to model the league after professional soccer and basketball leagues in Europe, with teams in the super league also playing teams in the TBL.

Super league teams will play 34 games — 20 at home and 14 on the road.

The emphasis on home games is meant to give super league team ownership groups more chances to get fans in the stands, said TBL president David Magley.

It’s no secret that making money is not always easy for minor professional sports, he said, but the emphasis on home games and limited travel should give teams a pathway to break even, and eventually build a brand strong enough to become profitable.

Teams in the new super league — expected to come from Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, Atlantic Canada, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan — will begin their inaugural season on Boxing Day this year, with a season that will run through June. A playoff structure has yet to be established.

So, the Super League sounds like it will be an elevated tier compared to other teams in The Basketball League. The asymmetric schedule with more home games than away games is very interesting.

[lirette]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

From the Kitchener Waterloo Record:



So, the Super League sounds like it will be an elevated tier compared to other teams in The Basketball League. The asymmetric schedule with more home games than away games is very interesting.

This is the link to the Facebook post where the specific community candidates for teams were mentioned

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...ibextid=Nif5oz

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Thanks lirette and MonctonRad for the info.This is great news! This is great for Atlantic Canada and I hope for Moncton as well. It's great that the league is being recycled with fresh life into a new league. The fact that the league is American as well as Canadian, I'm sure will give it some weight and have, I hope, more success that the last couple of Canadian leagues that we've seen. Let's keep an eye out and see what happens next. September 15th I guess we'll know for sure.

[SevenSquared]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

How was the attendance for that event held here? Couldn't find it online.

As far as I'm aware no attendance number was released for the Moncton and Charlottetown matches.

I was at the Moncton match and took pictures from all over, it looked like around 1500 were in attendance. The turnout surprised me, I expected maybe 500-600 given the low-profile nature of the match, and the lack of promotion.