Is it a new NBA?

NBA would hate that to happen. Smaller markets = less TV viewing. Less money in the future TV deals

Then they would be wrong. The NFL is the model... Grow your game. Everyone has a chance...

I agree, Music City. This is looking like a totally new NBA. Milwaukee will factor heavily into that this season. I have no doubts about that.

 

Broader market appeal will help this league, rather than the same old same old. I'm thrilled to see the changes that have taken place here for the Bucks, and it is all top down, comprehensive change. We've got a management that wants to win, a coach who loves being here and having the opportunity to bring a franchise up from the ashes, and a good stock of diverse players, thanks to both Kidd and John Hammond, and especially to Edens and Lasry.

 

Somewhere along the way the league got lost in star power, special treatment, and large markets. The NBA didn't realize that the game itself is actually bigger than the stars... Fans love to see good, quality basketball. We are seeing that now in cities across the nation, as opposed to just a few large market teams. The NBA is starting to get this right.

 

Now, if only they would call traveling, and not award superstars special treatment with regards to the rules of the game. When the game itself has truly become bigger than the stars, they will have gotten this right.

San Antonio changed everything in the NBA.  Small market, international players, tremendous success.  

They gave hope to the other teams the league not named New York or Chicago or LA. 

The biggest issue the big market teams have is their meddling and incompetent ownership.  James Dolan is a putz and the Buss conglomerate isn't much better.

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Somewhere along the way the league got lost in star power, special treatment, and large markets. The NBA didn't realize that the game itself is actually bigger than the stars... Fans love to see good, quality basketball. We are seeing that now in cities across the nation, as opposed to just a few large market teams. The NBA is starting to get this right.

Stern is widely credited with elevating the league through big market and star appeal. That was during a time when the world was far more segregated. It's funny- I watch that Bird/Magic documentary and chuckle when Bird talks about going to the paper the next day to check a box score to see how Magic played that night. What a different world it is today.

So now you have a global marketing plan, and an example to follow with the NFL. Silver gets it. He knows it's about having a larger framed big picture plan. The foundation was laid by Stern using Bird, Magic, and then Jordan. Now the geography and market are not relevant. The game is healthy, you have a new generation of good stars in the game today that are entrepreneurs as much as ballers.

And now the smallest NBA market will hopefully join the smallest NFL market in becoming relevant again.

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And now the smallest NBA market will hopefully join the smallest NFL market in becoming relevant again.

[pedantic bastard]

You may be surprised, but according to AC Nielsen, New Orleans is the smallest NBA market.  (OKC and Memphis are also smaller than Milwaukee.)

[/pedantic bastard]

Sorry- yeah, I shoulda checked it. It was true for a long time, though. ��

But yeah, I'm surprised New Orleans is smaller than Milwaukee. Maybe pre-Katrina that wasn't so?

I was going to bring it up Music City, but the game is not just a national game. It is global. A good friend of mine is essentially the "Dan Patrick" of ESPN China. Peter Cheung. The guy is phenomenal, and covers the NBA almost exclusively now, and does a TON of broadcasts of games throughout the NBA, and has an enormous following himself. Gigantic market.

 

BTW, told me recently the Bucks were one of the most compelling teams in the NBA. He's going to be flying in to broadcast some Bucks games this year. Pretty cool.

That's very cool...

Milwaukee is far from the smallest city in the NBA.

Old NBA (fka NBL)

 

Fun story. Played a few hoops games at the Sheboygan Armory and saw more than my share of AllStar wrestling matches there with the likes of Dick the Bruiser, The Crusher, Wahoo McDaniel, etc...