Venue Challenge

[spacejammer]

After seeing Caledonia and Sheffield begin life in their new venues last week and Bristols venue most likely to be opened next year.

It occurred to me that the BBL as a league have come a long way from having most teams play in glorified sports halls to having their own facility.

Whilst I think it's fantastic for the league.
I do wonder now whether this would be a challenge for any new team joining the league in the future?
Since it might give the impression to play in the BBL you must have an arena aswell.

Once Bristol have their own home the only teams without their own facility would be Plymouth Patriots, Surrey Scorchers and London Lions.

[dexter]

This depends on what you mean by their own venue. It is my understanding that Surrey Scorchers and Surrey Sports Park are both owned by the University of Surrey. Do you mean not having to share their venue with other users?, because this seems to be the main issue.

[erj14]

Cheshire don't own their venue either.

[baldereagle]

Or Manchester !

[spacejammer]

I forgot about Manchester.
I think I worded it wrong.

I think what I was meant to say is if more teams start moving and getting into arena style complexes.

Would a team from the EBL or SBL belive they need to also be playing in an arena style complex in order to move up?

Because I will admit it will seem weird to have like 7 BBL teams playing in arena homes and then a couple of teams playing in sports halls?

[LTfan]

There are minimum venue requirements before you're awarded a BBL franchise (although there's always been ways around them).
I don't think any potential newcomers will be put off applying to join the BBL just because they don't own their own venue. 
Look at London Lions. The Copper Box Arena, probably unquestionably the most impressive arena in the league. But London Lions don't own it. Never will. And will probably never own an arena anywhere as impressive as it. But as long as being just an anchor tenant works financially, that's not a problem. 

So I think there's an increasing pressure on any newcomers to play in a certain standard of arena (and in theory the BBL's minimum venue requirements should take care of that) but certainly not to own it.

[reallyoldfeenixfan2]

Oct 12, 2023 7:55:38 GMT spacejammer said:

After seeing Caledonia and Sheffield begin life in their new venues last week and Bristols venue most likely to be opened next year.

It occurred to me that the BBL as a league have come a long way from having most teams play in glorified sports halls to having their own facility.

Whilst I think it's fantastic for the league.
I do wonder now whether this would be a challenge for any new team joining the league in the future?
Since it might give the impression to play in the BBL you must have an arena aswell.

Once Bristol have their own home the only teams without their own facility would be Plymouth Patriots, Surrey Scorchers and London Lions.

Think I read that there's another issue concerning Flyers  new place. There have been problems over  other businesses in the location objecting to things. Looks like the saga may continue past the "opened next year". A pity.

[spacejammer]

Oct 12, 2023 10:48:25 GMT LTfan said:

There are minimum venue requirements before you're awarded a BBL franchise (although there's always been ways around them).
I don't think any potential newcomers will be put off applying to join the BBL just because they don't own their own venue. 
Look at London Lions. The Copper Box Arena, probably unquestionably the most impressive arena in the league. But London Lions don't own it. Never will. And will probably never own an arena anywhere as impressive as it. But as long as being just an anchor tenant works financially, that's not a problem. 

So I think there's an increasing pressure on any newcomers to play in a certain standard of arena (and in theory the BBL's minimum venue requirements should take care of that) but certainly not to own it.

I think that last paragraph phrases what I was meant to say better.
Like if you have a good well established EBL club and you want to jump up to the BBL but your venue looks like the North gate arena.

Then surely you would feel the pressure to want to play in a bigger facility.
And who's to say 777 won't eventually put more sanction requirements like teams have to play in venues more arena standard then sports hall standard?

I will admit given how we're not a massive nation on basketball.
It is amazing to see so many Basketball purpose arenas built now.
I wonder if we will ever host a major tournament one day with these facilities.

[dexter]

Other than the arenas already now being used and a few university facilities I can think of, there really aren't any other medium sized sports arenas in the country. It will be very difficult for any more teams to join the BBL without a big capital investment.

[LTfan]

Oct 12, 2023 12:54:14 GMT spacejammer said:

Oct 12, 2023 10:48:25 GMT LTfan said:

There are minimum venue requirements before you're awarded a BBL franchise (although there's always been ways around them).
I don't think any potential newcomers will be put off applying to join the BBL just because they don't own their own venue. 
Look at London Lions. The Copper Box Arena, probably unquestionably the most impressive arena in the league. But London Lions don't own it. Never will. And will probably never own an arena anywhere as impressive as it. But as long as being just an anchor tenant works financially, that's not a problem. 

So I think there's an increasing pressure on any newcomers to play in a certain standard of arena (and in theory the BBL's minimum venue requirements should take care of that) but certainly not to own it.

I think that last paragraph phrases what I was meant to say better.
Like if you have a good well established EBL club and you want to jump up to the BBL but your venue looks like the North gate arena.

Then surely you would feel the pressure to want to play in a bigger facility.
And who's to say 777 won't eventually put more sanction requirements like teams have to play in venues more arena standard then sports hall standard?

I will admit given how we're not a massive nation on basketball.
It is amazing to see so many Basketball purpose arenas built now.
I wonder if we will ever host a major tournament one day with these facilities.

Personally I don't see a problem with that. The ambition of the BBL should be growth, and that includes everything from better talent on court to better and more professional venues.
If an NBL team is of BBL standard (on court) but plays in their local leisure centre then I don't think they should be in the BBL. Playing in a local leisure centre is a challenge they must overcome, along with putting together a basketball team of a professional standard on court.

The BBL as a professional sports league should have standards. And quality of venue should be one of them. Doesn't mean they need to own it though (although all the better if they do).

[spacejammer]

Oct 12, 2023 14:17:32 GMT LTfan said:

Oct 12, 2023 12:54:14 GMT spacejammer said:

I think that last paragraph phrases what I was meant to say better.
Like if you have a good well established EBL club and you want to jump up to the BBL but your venue looks like the North gate arena.

Then surely you would feel the pressure to want to play in a bigger facility.
And who's to say 777 won't eventually put more sanction requirements like teams have to play in venues more arena standard then sports hall standard?

I will admit given how we're not a massive nation on basketball.
It is amazing to see so many Basketball purpose arenas built now.
I wonder if we will ever host a major tournament one day with these facilities.

Personally I don't see a problem with that. The ambition of the BBL should be growth, and that includes everything from better talent on court to better and more professional venues.
If an NBL team is of BBL standard (on court) but plays in their local leisure centre then I don't think they should be in the BBL. Playing in a local leisure centre is a challenge they must overcome, along with putting together a basketball team of a professional standard on court.

The BBL as a professional sports league should have standards. And quality of venue should be one of them. Doesn't mean they need to own it though (although all the better if they do).

But then what about the teams that came into the BBL with sports hall venues then built towards a new arena.
Like Cheshire and Sheffield as well as the teams who went from the arenas back to sport hall like venues?

It's understandable that we want teams joining the league to have and play proffessional and gorgeous venues.
But at the same time surely for a new franchise coming up or trying to build themselves up then like planting a tree they need to be given time to grow and flourish before they grow into something magnificent.

I mean look at Bristol Flyers they didn't just come into the league and automatically had the arena built?
They joined and play at the College venue and are now on the brink of a new facility.

It's why when the BBL talks about a Birmingham team and said they wanted to bring a new franchise in and have them play in an arena the size of the Barclay Car Arena.
I thought that was crazy as they would need to build and establish a fan base before jumping ahead to a huge arena.
And given how a franchise has failed 3 times in Birmingham previously I thought they would know that.