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Post by dexter on Oct 16, 2022 9:11:24 GMT
I think we may have a new record low attendance. Just 25 spectators recorded on FIBA live stats for the Durham v Manchester game today. I assume for the introductions, they announced the spectators to the players :-) Also, Oakland lost again, but they are "improving" only by 35 points today. Back when Sevenoaks Suns actually played in Sevenoaks (or even in the same county as Sevenoaks) I’ve been to a game where there were less then 10 spectators. And that’s when Sevenoaks were arguably the best team in the WBBL. There’s something so good, and so bad, with Sevenoaks Suns. I notice the big screen at Surrey Sports Park during the Lions game was advertising Sevenoaks Suns games. Maybe their intention is to stay in Guildford and build a fan base there. Surrey Suns? |
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Post by LTfan on Oct 16, 2022 10:56:00 GMT
Back when Sevenoaks Suns actually played in Sevenoaks (or even in the same county as Sevenoaks) I’ve been to a game where there were less then 10 spectators. And that’s when Sevenoaks were arguably the best team in the WBBL. There’s something so good, and so bad, with Sevenoaks Suns. I notice the big screen at Surrey Sports Park during the Lions game was advertising Sevenoaks Suns games. Maybe their intention is to stay in Guildford and build a fan base there. Surrey Suns? Sevenoaks Suns have a huge community programme in and around Sevenoaks (and indeed Kent), which the WBBL team are just a part of. The plan was to play WBBL home games at Surrey Sports Park until their own community arena was built in nearby Swanley, but financing for that fell through during the pandemic. So their temporary residency in Surrey has become less temporary than originally planned. |
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Post by dexter on Oct 16, 2022 13:32:03 GMT
Maybe they can be the South East Suns. South East Stars (formerly Surrey Stars) are a women's cricket team that represents Surrey and Kent. One of the 8 regional professional women’s cricket teams in England. They play at various grounds including at Woodbridge Road, Guildford.
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Post by reallyoldfeenixfan2 on Oct 16, 2022 20:11:13 GMT
If the figures quoted are deliberately inaccurate, it raises questions about the accounting practices at the club, and are they actually paying the correct amount of Income tax and VAT etc. Not wishing confuse the attendance discussion, Nix attendance tonight as quoted on the top of FIBA stats sheet was 2000, i knew we were getting good crowds, 2000 in the EPSV with a capacity of 1400, pretty good going. |
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Post by milehigh on Oct 29, 2022 19:06:30 GMT
We have a now "lowest attendence" for the WBBL season today, just 30 spectators claimed at Manchester Mystics, but hardly surprising as it was a bottom of the table game with the opposition being significantly outclassed & outscored in all of their previous games.
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Post by erj14 on Oct 29, 2022 19:54:46 GMT
That's pretty crap, thought Manchester was supposed to be some hotbed of basketball.
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Post by SamH on Oct 29, 2022 21:18:19 GMT
I've been to NBL1 games with less than 30 though, I'm sure some teams have had zero fans in before!
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Post by milehigh on Oct 30, 2022 3:23:18 GMT
Very hard to market a bottom of the table clash, where the sides involved had a combined record of 0-7 before the game, abd both sides were had net scores of c -20 points pergame.
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Post by LTfan on Oct 30, 2022 8:23:51 GMT
We have a now "lowest attendence" for the WBBL season today, just 30 spectators claimed at Manchester Mystics, but hardly surprising as it was a bottom of the table game with the opposition being significantly outclassed & outscored in all of their previous games. I’ve said it before, I’ve been at Sevenoaks Suns games before with less than 10 spectators… and that’s when they were the most successful team in the WBBL. I assume since they relocated to Surrey Sports Park (an hours drive from Sevenoaks, and in an entirely different county - but I won’t go on about it!) their attendances are better but I can’t say for sure as I haven’t attended any games there. |
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Post by milehigh on Oct 30, 2022 8:57:28 GMT
You have to wonder about the viability of some of the clubs, and indeed the whole WBBL when the product they are offering is so unattractive to paying customers.
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Post by dexter on Oct 30, 2022 15:33:15 GMT
You have to wonder about the viability of some of the clubs, and indeed the whole WBBL when the product they are offering is so unattractive to paying customers. I don’t really see much of a distinction between the WBBL and WNBL D1. If there was no WBBL would it make any difference? |
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Post by milehigh on Oct 30, 2022 16:03:13 GMT
To be honest, probably not. I don't think either division could be classed as a viable professional league.
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Post by dexter on Jan 31, 2023 14:40:56 GMT
Does anyone on here have any involvement with the women’s game? There must be a bit of concern and disappointment in how dominant London Lions are. If London had more than double Leicester’s score in the men’s final the whole thing would be considered a fail for the BBL. If women’s basketball was more of a national sport some changes would be made, for example reducing the number of teams in the WBBL, to concentrate the talent into 6 or 8 professional teams. I’m just wondering if people involved with the WBBL are talking about this, or are they happy with how things are going.
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Post by blueskies99 on Jan 31, 2023 15:51:27 GMT
Does anyone on here have any involvement with the women’s game? There must be a bit of concern and disappointment in how dominant London Lions are. If London had more than double Leicester’s score in the men’s final the whole thing would be considered a fail for the BBL. If women’s basketball was more of a national sport some changes would be made, for example reducing the number of teams in the WBBL, to concentrate the talent into 6 or 8 professional teams. I’m just wondering if people involved with the WBBL are talking about this, or are they happy with how things are going. Not sure if you are a listener/watcher of the Sunday Night Breakdown but they covered this topic on this weeks edition.
Dave Forrester was saying something needs to be done raising the following points:-
1) Will the TV companies want to broadcast three blow out finals every season? 2) Where is the development path for women in the £ions organisation?
Worrying times......
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Post by dexter on Jan 31, 2023 16:20:47 GMT
Does anyone on here have any involvement with the women’s game? There must be a bit of concern and disappointment in how dominant London Lions are. If London had more than double Leicester’s score in the men’s final the whole thing would be considered a fail for the BBL. If women’s basketball was more of a national sport some changes would be made, for example reducing the number of teams in the WBBL, to concentrate the talent into 6 or 8 professional teams. I’m just wondering if people involved with the WBBL are talking about this, or are they happy with how things are going. Not sure if you are a listener/watcher of the Sunday Night Breakdown but they covered this topic on this weeks edition.
Dave Forrester was saying something needs to be done raising the following points:-
1) Will the TV companies want to broadcast three blow out finals every season? 2) Where is the development path for women in the £ions organisation?
Worrying times......
Thanks. I will listen to that. Those are two very good points. If it is not addressed I expect the WBBL finals will get cut from the finals day broadcasts. That would be a real shame. For where the BBL is now, it can grow and bring the WBBL along with it, or it can leave the WBBL behind. I think this is something the BBL has to deal with. |
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Post by D44 on Feb 1, 2023 17:00:42 GMT
I was at the Eagles Vs Lions WBBL game where they lost by 80 a few weeks ago. I don't think it's good for the league at all. The height different alone is pretty outrageous. If I was being cynical I'd say Lions have only pumped the money in to avoid any accusations of being sexist by being seen to care equally about both teams. I assume the amount of money in the scheme of their whole budget is relatively small
From what I can tell there is very little interest in women's basketball unfortunately. Most of the people I see there are friends of the players or the 'same old faces' who go to the mens games too. Disappointingly most women seem to prefer Netball as a spectator sport. Newcastle Utd have been steadily growing the women's team after turning professional following the Saudi takeover and the attendances have went way up for that, shame the interest in women's sport hasn't cross pollinated.
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Post by dexter on Feb 1, 2023 19:18:13 GMT
I was at the Eagles Vs Lions WBBL game where they lost by 80 a few weeks ago. I don't think it's good for the league at all. The height different alone is pretty outrageous. If I was being cynical I'd say Lions have only pumped the money in to avoid any accusations of being sexist by being seen to care equally about both teams. I assume the amount of money in the scheme of their whole budget is relatively small From what I can tell there is very little interest in women's basketball unfortunately. Most of the people I see there are friends of the players or the 'same old faces' who go to the mens games too. Disappointingly most women seem to prefer Netball as a spectator sport. Newcastle Utd have been steadily growing the women's team after turning professional following the Saudi takeover and the attendances have went way up for that, shame the interest in women's sport hasn't cross pollinated. I think what London Lions have done with their women’s team is probably doing more harm than good for the WBBL. In contrast I believe the Lions men’s team benefits the BBL. |
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Post by erj14 on Feb 1, 2023 20:31:57 GMT
The thing is, at least the Lions mens team is showcasing some ofa the best British talent. Lions WBBL barely do that, other than Winterburn. For the money they've spent on that squad they could've paid all 12 of the GB team to play for them. I have no interest in any of the games they're involved in, it's not even a competition.
From a wider point of view, the WBBL is an awful league. There is little crowd interest at all and for whatever reason people just aren't bothered about it. The product isn't great though, so I'm not really sure what the answer is.
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Post by dexter on Feb 1, 2023 23:44:51 GMT
I’m not sure what the answer is either, but these are a few of my thoughts.
1. London Lions women in EuroCup women are about as good as London Lions in EuroCup. So it’s not that London Lions women are really good, therefore it must be the WBBL is really bad.
2. GB women are at least as good as GB Men, so it’s not that we don’t have good British players.
3. In Australia netball is really popular. But they still have one of the best women’s basketball leagues in the WNBL, and one of the best national teams. In Australia the NBL has 10 teams and the WNBL has 8 teams. The WNBL is played in proper arenas, often shared with the men’s teams with the women’s game played before the men’s game.
The BBL should take responsibility for the WBBL. Cut it down to 8 teams. Play in the BBL arenas, before the BBL games. Broadcast the games to the same standard as the BBL YouTube channel.
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Post by ScottishBasketballFan on Feb 2, 2023 20:50:13 GMT
Lions coach is no longer in charge, he'll still be involved though.
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