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Basketball Fan
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 Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:43 pm Post subject: NBA "Champions League" of veteran players to launch in 2016 |
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http://nba.nbcsports.com/2015/11/17/nba-champions-league-of-veteran-players-to-launch-in-2016/
| Quote: | NBA “Champions League” of veteran players to launch in 2016
Golf’s “Champion Tour” of past-their-prime but well known and loved golfers is a financial success for the PGA — former players get to make a little more money and the PGA, which puts it on, rakes in some cash as well.
Will it work with former NBA players?
We will find out starting in 2016 when the Champions Tour (not run by the NBA) launches. Sam Amick of the USA Today has the details.
Behold The Champions League, a non-NBA affiliated venture where the league’s chairman and CEO, Carl George, is hoping to provide family-friendly and affordable entertainment during the NBA’s downtime. The vision, expected to be announced formally today, looks like this.
• Sixteen teams to begin competing in the summer of 2016, with a strong preference for players who have competed in the NBA during the last three years. According to George, the New York team is already fully formed and includes former NBA players Al Harrington, Rasheed Wallace and Maurice Ager. Teams in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta and Cleveland are up next, with the goal to employ approximately 250 players in all (170 on teams, others as player-coaches or in other roles). Each team would have two former NBA All-stars on the roster and a Hall of Famer in the front office. George said that 60 players have committed to this point, with many more “in the pipeline” while the subsequent teams are rolled out….
On average, George said, players would make approximately $200,000 per year (for 80 or 90 days of work) in their pay structure if they take part in both the season and the charity events. The strategy to attract the best-of-the-rest players is simple: provide a far better payday than the NBA’s Development League (top tier approximately $25,000) while offering a more-comfortable alternative to the overseas route that can certainly lead to more money but that, inevitably, requires a life-changing relocation.
It’s ambitious. How big a market there is in the summer for this level of hoops is certainly a question — the NBA’s Summer League has become a big draw and is shown on NBA TV, but that is just a couple of weeks and the audience trends toward young, die-hard fans. Will those fans watch this new league, one where they may know some of the players fairly well but don’t have the emotional attachment they do to an NBA team (or college team, for that matter)?
Obviously, star power would be a big part of this. Seeing Sheed scream “ball don’t lie” again would be fun, but it would take big names to draw really big sponsors/eyeballs. I’m not sure guys on the verge of retiring such as Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett would go this route. It will also launch opposite the Olympics this summer, something hoops fans will follow.
Still, this has potential. Even if the financial dreams are lofty at the start, this could be a lot of fun to watch and follow through the slow parts of the NBA offseason. |
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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Difference between golf and basketball is that basketball requires much more athleticism. So a guy that no longer has it anymore won't fare much better on the senior tour. You might as well make it a half court game because none of these 40-50 year old players are gonna be running the length of the court..... 
Not to mention you will never see superstars like Kobe or MJ in this tour because they pretty much left it all on the court in the NBA. These guys don't have a healthy bone left for the senior tour. |
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numero-ocho
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:42 am Post subject: |
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Still remember that 1992 NBA Legends game during All Star weekend when both Norm Nixon and David Thompson got seriously hurt. They cancelled the Legends game a few years after.
It might work if the retired NBA players get in shape and the games were actually competitive instead of friendly pick-up type games.
They should look to see what tennis is doing with their senior's tour. The quality of those matches is pretty good.
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yinoma2001
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:47 am Post subject: |
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AKA the 2015 Lakers?
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lakez34
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:19 am Post subject: |
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| It'll come down to quality. IF the teams play competitive ball, I'd watch. If it's all-star style ball, I'd watch a few times, and then be done. |
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ocho
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:23 am Post subject: |
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| Man Boob Basketball Association. |
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Plaza234
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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There's no way they will be able to pay their players 200,000 each for basically playing 20 games during the summer. It sounds like the WNBA schedule, and the WNBA doesnt pay anywhere close to that.
Golf is different because it is still man vs the course. You are still seeing the same sport, just with a guy that is older. That is part of the draw of the Champions tour. Basketball is different, because its not the same game when it is older guys playing against older guys.
I dont think this idea will go much of anywhere. |
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DaMuleRules
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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| I can't see how this will draw enough fan interest to keep it viable. |
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Tark the Shark
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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| DaMuleRules wrote: | | I can't see how this will draw enough fan interest to keep it viable. |
Take the league to China. |
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numero-ocho
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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| ocho wrote: | | Man Boob Basketball Association. |
Double-D League?
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activeverb
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Plaza234 wrote: | There's no way they will be able to pay their players 200,000 each for basically playing 20 games during the summer. It sounds like the WNBA schedule, and the WNBA doesnt pay anywhere close to that.
Golf is different because it is still man vs the course. You are still seeing the same sport, just with a guy that is older. That is part of the draw of the Champions tour. Basketball is different, because its not the same game when it is older guys playing against older guys.
I dont think this idea will go much of anywhere. |
I don't think it will go anywhere.
At those salaries, the payroll would be about $100,000 per game, versus about $900,000 a game for NBA teams. |
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Plaza234 wrote: | There's no way they will be able to pay their players 200,000 each for basically playing 20 games during the summer. It sounds like the WNBA schedule, and the WNBA doesnt pay anywhere close to that.
Golf is different because it is still man vs the course. You are still seeing the same sport, just with a guy that is older. That is part of the draw of the Champions tour. Basketball is different, because its not the same game when it is older guys playing against older guys.
I dont think this idea will go much of anywhere. |
A league won't work....
All the good players sacrificed their good health in the prime of their NBA days. You are talking about a schedule where it would tax their already fatigued bodies.
As a special exhibition of a couple of games might work but thats about it. |
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activeverb
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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| lakersken80 wrote: | | Plaza234 wrote: | There's no way they will be able to pay their players 200,000 each for basically playing 20 games during the summer. It sounds like the WNBA schedule, and the WNBA doesnt pay anywhere close to that.
Golf is different because it is still man vs the course. You are still seeing the same sport, just with a guy that is older. That is part of the draw of the Champions tour. Basketball is different, because its not the same game when it is older guys playing against older guys.
I dont think this idea will go much of anywhere. |
A league won't work....
All the good players sacrificed their good health in the prime of their NBA days. You are talking about a schedule where it would tax their already fatigued bodies.
As a special exhibition of a couple of games might work but thats about it. |
I don't know about that. Sounds like they are aiming at a players who don't have enough ability left for the NBA level, but would choose this as opposed to going overseas -- Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marbury, Dee Brown, Sean May would be the type of guys they'd go after that.
Each team would probably have one or two guys like that, and then a bunch of D-league players who never made it. |
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activeverb
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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| lakersken80 wrote: | | Plaza234 wrote: | There's no way they will be able to pay their players 200,000 each for basically playing 20 games during the summer. It sounds like the WNBA schedule, and the WNBA doesnt pay anywhere close to that.
Golf is different because it is still man vs the course. You are still seeing the same sport, just with a guy that is older. That is part of the draw of the Champions tour. Basketball is different, because its not the same game when it is older guys playing against older guys.
I dont think this idea will go much of anywhere. |
A league won't work....
All the good players sacrificed their good health in the prime of their NBA days. You are talking about a schedule where it would tax their already fatigued bodies.
As a special exhibition of a couple of games might work but thats about it. |
I don't know about that. Sounds like they are aiming at a players who don't have enough ability left for the NBA level, but would choose this as opposed to going overseas -- Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marbury, Dee Brown, Sean May would be the type of guys they'd go after that.
Each team would probably have one or two guys like that, and then a bunch of D-league players who never made it.
My guess is the names would make $200,000 and the non-names less, but more than they could make in the D league. |
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rwongega
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Reflexx
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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| activeverb wrote: | | lakersken80 wrote: | | Plaza234 wrote: | There's no way they will be able to pay their players 200,000 each for basically playing 20 games during the summer. It sounds like the WNBA schedule, and the WNBA doesnt pay anywhere close to that.
Golf is different because it is still man vs the course. You are still seeing the same sport, just with a guy that is older. That is part of the draw of the Champions tour. Basketball is different, because its not the same game when it is older guys playing against older guys.
I dont think this idea will go much of anywhere. |
A league won't work....
All the good players sacrificed their good health in the prime of their NBA days. You are talking about a schedule where it would tax their already fatigued bodies.
As a special exhibition of a couple of games might work but thats about it. |
I don't know about that. Sounds like they are aiming at a players who don't have enough ability left for the NBA level, but would choose this as opposed to going overseas -- Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marbury, Dee Brown, Sean May would be the type of guys they'd go after that.
Each team would probably have one or two guys like that, and then a bunch of D-league players who never made it.
My guess is the names would make $200,000 and the non-names less, but more than they could make in the D league. |
Yup.
Probably will have a bunch of borderline NBA talent, with a few guys that have real talent but washed out of the NBA because of other reasons. (improper fit with last team, personality problems, etc...)
Personally, I'd like to see Gilbert Arenas play right now. |
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yinoma2001
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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And no one wants to see these guys get hurt in action either.
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