News of the announcement of a new all-Canadian professional basketball league drew two distinct types of reaction in this country: 'Great news,' and a sarcastic 'good luck with that.'But while it's fair to draw on previous experience in knocking the financial viability of a Canadian hoops circuit (see Canadian National Basketball League), it's worth remembering that things are a little different this time.
As basketball at the grassroots level continues to blow up here, the idea of a domestic league makes more and more sense. A decade ago, then-men's national team coach Jay Triano said the lack of one was a major hindrance in the further development of Canadian talent. Since then, the number of NCAA-bound basketball players from Canada has only grown. Players like Tristan Thompson are just the tip of the iceberg of the up-and-coming Canadian talent.
But given the reality that most NCAA players -- and certainly CIS players -- will never sniff minutes in the NBA, the only alternatives are Europe and other foreign countries for any sort of professional career. Having a Canadian-based operation with the requisite CFL-style import rules means more Canadians playing more minutes in a familiar environment. That equals an added bonus for the national team, among other things.
That said, running any sort of second-tier sports league in Canada has major challenges. For this new hoops league to avoid going the way of the Canadian Baseball League, they are obviously going to need to keep costs down -- and ideally that means keeping it regional. One of the key people involved in this project is Halifax Rainmen owner Andre Levingston. Levingston has built a successful operation in the Nova Scotia capital, averaging around 4,000 fans a game when the franchise was playing in the U.S.-based Premier Basketball League. I know a little bit about Levingston from past work experience, and I know he's a well-liked go-getter of sorts in Halifax. Seeing as this idea came out of Atlantic Canada, and that the region has something of a historical affinity for basketball, it's a good place to start. The team in Quebec is a natural follow, and beyond that, maybe certain markets in Ontario (Ottawa and London come to mind). But to expand west of Ontario -- a part of the nation not known for hoops-loving -- would probably mean nothing more than more expensive flights and more red ink.
I hope that this idea works -- I don't know what their overhead capital looks like or where it's from, but I wish Levingston and company all the luck in the world. I just hope they keep things in perspective.
But given the reality that most NCAA players -- and certainly CIS players -- will never sniff minutes in the NBA, the only alternatives are Europe and other foreign countries for any sort of professional career. Having a Canadian-based operation with the requisite CFL-style import rules means more Canadians playing more minutes in a familiar environment. That equals an added bonus for the national team, among other things.
That said, running any sort of second-tier sports league in Canada has major challenges. For this new hoops league to avoid going the way of the Canadian Baseball League, they are obviously going to need to keep costs down -- and ideally that means keeping it regional. One of the key people involved in this project is Halifax Rainmen owner Andre Levingston. Levingston has built a successful operation in the Nova Scotia capital, averaging around 4,000 fans a game when the franchise was playing in the U.S.-based Premier Basketball League. I know a little bit about Levingston from past work experience, and I know he's a well-liked go-getter of sorts in Halifax. Seeing as this idea came out of Atlantic Canada, and that the region has something of a historical affinity for basketball, it's a good place to start. The team in Quebec is a natural follow, and beyond that, maybe certain markets in Ontario (Ottawa and London come to mind). But to expand west of Ontario -- a part of the nation not known for hoops-loving -- would probably mean nothing more than more expensive flights and more red ink.
I hope that this idea works -- I don't know what their overhead capital looks like or where it's from, but I wish Levingston and company all the luck in the world. I just hope they keep things in perspective.
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