Andrew Bogut column: NBL’s State of Origin concept could rival NBA All-Star game
The NBL must be very careful in bringing back a mid-season concept that could end up looking like a poor man’s NBA All-Star weekend... but there is a potential solution, writes ANDREW BOGUT.
Basketball
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Could a unique State of Origin series be the NBL’s answer to an All Star game?
The idea, of course, would need work, but it’s the premise I like. Oh, lets not forget some sort of playing bonuses or prizemoney, so this isn’t just an up-and-down the court friendly fest.
It sounds like a pipedream, but I really think it could work for the NBL if planned properly.
A lot has been said about the NBL introducing a mid-season game or bringing back the All-Stars weekend.
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My only concern is copying the NBA All-Star concept with not even a fraction of the budget.
The NBL must be very careful that it doesn’t look like a poor man’s NBA All-Star weekend because that would bring more negativity than positivity, in my opinion.
I think most agree that the NBL should have something mid-season to celebrate our league — and it should be something with its own flavour.
Most sports have a mid-year game. Rugby league has Origin and I think basketball could do something similar.
You could also involve the imports depending on which state they are playing in, or the state they have been in longest during their career.
I think that would be more meaningful than just an All-Star game.
We need to make the NBL as talked about as possible.
I’ve previously spoken about a trade window and player salaries going public – a bunch of different things that give the league publicity and some of its own unique credibility compared to other sports.
No sport in Australia does full blown mid-season trades and no sport is releasing salaries.
They are some things that we could do to be different.
It think a State of Origin All-Star concept would be meaningful because the players should be passionate about representing their state and I think the fans can easily buy into that tribalism.
To make an even number of teams, it would look something like WA, SA, Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
It could be run over a two-week break, with pool games one weekend and finals the next. I think it would be the only tournament of its kind in Australia. The NRL’s State of Origin involves two states and the AFL doesn’t have it anymore.
You could add a twist by introducing something similar to the TBT basketball tournament, where fans have a share of their specific team and if they win they get a refund on their tickets, or perhaps even receive a little payment for their team’s success.
Who knows, but I think there are a lot of unique things that you can try. And once again, don’t knock the wild ideas I am throwing up, it’s all about the premise.
The passion and support that State of Origin in rugby league produces is what the NBL needs to bring to their own mid-season concept.
I was shocked by going to an Origin game in Sydney and then going to a regular NRL game, in terms of how almost meaningless the regular season games felt compared to Origin.
Obviously, it is different for NRL finals, but Origin is their pinnacle. The fans are passionate about it and they get involved.
It is a great spectacle, not only in Australian sport, but world sport. I didn’t grow up as a huge rugby league fan being raised in Melbourne, but Origin has really opened my eyes to how physical the game is and how proud they are to represent their state.
That said, they are getting paid. They aren’t doing it for free and they are getting substantial bonuses to play.
Let’s be honest – human nature says that if you have some performance bonuses in there it will be an easier sell to players.
Money talks and I think that is something that the NBL could look at to make this a competitive series which reflects well on the league.
The push back will be from coaches and owners alike. You never want a player to get hurt playing in a mid season tournament away from their club. So the discussion needs to be had and how we best approach the situation.
Rugby league have managed it pretty well.
I would also argue that you also don’t just want a 50 per cent effort All-Star game because that will only raise more negatives than positives.
I wouldn’t pay to watch that, much like I wouldn’t pay to watch the NBA All-Star game.
I don’t think we can afford to just have an up-and-down, open gym All-Star game.
Lets not do an All-Star game just to do it. That would be my one concern. This is something that should be planned.
Sometimes the NBL does things as a reactive response. Some work. Some don’t. This is one thing that if done, needs to be well executed and organised.
If a mid-season event is in the pipeline, then the NBL should send people to go to the State of Origin, NBA and NHL All-Star games, even the Euroleague All-Star games to get some ideas.
The NBL’s concept must be unique. A run-of-the-mill All-Star game has been tried before in the NBL and didn’t fare too well.
It must bring something different. Do you involve juniors, base it around a national junior championships perhaps? I’m not sure what the answer is but if I was working for the NBL I’d go and visit those global All-Star games.
The concept might be two or three years away, but let’s start planning now.
The game must be competitive.
If you made it a State of Origin with prizemoney where guys are playing hard and want to get to the win for their state, then you will have people tuning in. NBA and international scouts would also tune in.
You could have LaMelo Ball vs Nathan Sobey, Casper Ware vs Chris Goulding, the list goes on.
But I don’t think an All-Star game will get the cut-through. Look at the NBA. None of the executives or coaches generally watch it or take it seriously.
But if this mid-season game is done properly, the NBL has a chance to showcase how the league has become a legitimate breeding ground for the NBA.
A game like this will allow good players to display their talents while playing alongside other All-Star level players.
This would add so much to the NBL’s calendar, but it must be done properly and not just to tick a box.
My message is clear – don’t just introduce an All Star concept just to do it.
Let’s make sure that there is some forward thinking and planning. I think Larry Kestelman should have enough powerful and strategic people in his camp, along with Jeremy Loeliger, that they can put this together with a two or three-year plan.
Then when the concept comes out it goes bang – and it is not just another event that people barely knew about.
If they plan like that way, I think a mid-season concept can work well and become an annual thing that people will mark on their calendars.