03/04/2015
Paulo Kennedy's view from Downunder
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Making basketball work - Part II

MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy's View from Downunder) - How can we make basketball work in Australia?

There's a myth going around that the sport is flying Downunder with the exception of the NBL, something I wrote about last week.

We have achieved some great things in terms of participation levels and international competitiveness, but these have come despite major failings in key areas.

Basketball is a fractured sport where so many interests are working separately of each other, and sometimes contrary to each other.

I don't claim to have any magic bullets, but what I do have are some ideas and examples that might help get our sport on the track to where it could be.

I'll start by looking at the numbers. There are nine governing bodies for basketball in this country, who employ over 170 people between them.

Basketball Australia (BA) has their own constitution and strategic plan, as do state and territory governing associations. In BA's most recent plan they write: "Have all shareholders' strategic plans reflect the objectives of the strategic plan for basketball in Australia and identify their contribution to each of those objectives."

It's a good statement, but even if achieved it doesn't exactly describe unified governance.

In Australian rules football, the AFL is the governing body and the majority of state governing bodies operate directly under them.

Cricket Australia has a national strategy that encompasses all states and territories and ensures all are moving in the same direction, albeit with their own specific nuances.

Some people will say state basketball associations are too independent and their relationship with BA too fractious to establish stronger links, but that's simply resisting progress.

Last year, FIBA's members unanimously approved changes that have seen each continental governing body become a regional office of FIBA.

Now if FIBA can find a system that works for such diverse organisations as FIBA Europe, FIBA Asia, FIBA Americas, FIBA Africa and FIBA Oceania, there is no real barrier but common sense, communication and compromise stopping BA and the states from doing likewise.

Basketball has achieved cohesion in some areas, like the National Intensive Training Program, and that coordinated player development approach has achieved outstanding results internationally.

Imagine if those 170 basketball employees were all singing from the same hymn sheet, not only could current programs be done better, the efficiencies achieved would allow new ideas to be explored.

Why have nine different finance units, nine different marketing units, nine individual communications strategies, nine separate orgs attempting to lure sponsorship, and uncoordinated efforts to increase participation and increase engagement of current participants?

A new national federation (NNF), incorporating all state and territory associations, would streamline operations and, just as importantly, create a clear hierarchy.

The NNF would be responsible for all representative, national and international competitions with the exception of the NBL, giving them great carrot and stick powers to shape the sport for the better.

They could deliver sponsorships that reach millions via local stadiums, and in turn pass on financial and in-kind benefits to local associations and their members.

It's a market just waiting to be tapped, and local stadiums should be the hub for making basketball a self-sustaining economy.

No matter what is happening in basketball across all levels - 3v3 competitions, club tournaments, state league games, national league games, international matches, TV broadcasts - its promotion should be visible to the basketball community in their local stadium.

So should the sport's sponsors and business partners.

Ideally, young hoopsters would see screens in their stadium's foyer that alternates pics, clips and promos from sponsors, local juniors, seniors, WNBL, NBL and Aussies playing in the NBA and WNBA, reinforcing to them the basketball community and pathway that exists.

When it comes to community engagement and schools, we currently have programs run by state associations, local associations as well as NBL and WNBL clubs.

A coordinated approach between the NNF and the NBL could deliver a far more efficient and effective program.

Not only can the community engagement staff from each organisation pool their resources to improve efficiency, but the combination of the local programs' reach with the hero factor of NBL and WNBL players will magnify the impact on the children they reach.

The story is no different when it comes to development of talented juniors. Australian rules football has been winning this battle with basketball because the AFL pathway is so clear and enticing.

What that sport can't offer is regular, direct access to coaches and players from their elite league. Basketball can, which would put talented young athletes on the basketball pathway before the AFL does, and allow hoops to directly pitch what our sport has to offer with the athletes inside the tent.

With a unified approach to both talent ID and community engagement, successes and failings can be reported up the chain and the learnings immediately shared around the nation.

The same goes for marketing, communications, sponsorship and other areas like facility development. Administration costs can be shared, so can promotional expenses.

But first our nine governing bodies must become one cohesive unit, and they must affiliate more strongly with professional clubs.

The nuances of how programs are implemented in each state should still be determined by their boards, but the on-the-ground process of running the 'good ship hoops' must be done as one.

The big question is who's prepared to break the current inefficient structure to put something better in place?

Anthony Moore probably is. Having been involved with him in his pre-basketball professional life I know the new BA CEO knows how to compromise and problem solve.

With an Australian Sports Commission and AFL background, he knows how cohesive governance can achieve results.

Bob Elphinston does. The former FIBA President was a key driver behind their major reform to pull all organisations under the one tent, he knows how it's done and he is an outstanding problem solver.

The NBL should be congratulated for getting Elphinston involved as a consultant, now they, BA and all state associations should engage his services to explore how unity can be achieved while still respecting the boundaries of independence.

Federal sports minister Sussan Ley and her state counterparts should have a great interest. Governments pour a serious amount of money into basketball at a number of levels, but they can achieve far greater value for money if they are dealing with one efficient organisation.

Currently, basketball is a sleeping giant who answers to no master. If we harness this giant beast, the rewards will be great in almost every facet of the sport.

So, who's making the first move?

Paulo Kennedy

FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.

Paulo Kennedy

Paulo Kennedy

Paulo has joined our team of columnists with a weekly column called 'The View from Downunder', where he looks at pertinent issues in the world of basketball from an Oceania perspective, perhaps different to the predominant points of view from columnists in North America and Europe.