National Basketball League Of Canada

[JGX]

http://www.journalpioneer.com/Sports/2011-12-23/article-2846305/New-Canadian-basketball-league-struggles-at-the-turnstiles/1

Still, his goal is to draw between 4,000 and 5,000 fans a game, and the majority of the seven teams are well below that, averaging fewer than 2,000 fans a game in the NBL’s inaugural season. The Oshawa Power is drawing the smallest crowds at just below 700 fans a night.

“We’re a long way from [the attendance target],” Kennedy said on a conference call Tuesday. “It’s as much based on hopes and expectations than it is in reality currently.”

[BBallfanJ]

London Lightning advanced to the NBL Canada championship series by defeating the St. John Millrats 2-0 in their opening series. London awaits the winner of the Halifax/Quebec series.

[CKR13]

London Lightning: First NBL Champions

Looking back, it was a great series. More to come in the future.

[Hepcat]

Yay for the London Lightning!

[BBallfanJ]

The NBL Canada received expansion applications for season 2, from 5 cities today - all from Ontario.

They are:
Kitchener
Windsor
Missisauga
St. Catherines
Ottawa

Interesting that Kingston wasn't among the locations. We heard so much about them looking to get a team for season 2.

http://metronews.ca/sports/244502/nbl-canada-eyes-ontario-expansion/

[manutebol]

Is this a strong championship?

[Hepcat]

Yes! Go Lightning!

[CHBB]

I was just about to start a thread asking about this league as I didn't even know it existed before seeing it on Wikipedia about an hour ago.

Thank God for interbasket haha

So what is the deal with this league, what is the level of the product/play and what are the plans or ambitions of it?

Also, where, if anywhere, can I watch games?

I've been saying for a few years now that Canada needs its own legitimate professional and college leagues, and low and behold they have the NBL. This is good because to me there are only three possible markets for the NBA in Canada, and one of them currently has a team while another had a team for about five years. I think it could be similar to the Euroleague in Europe where each country has its own domestic league(s) and the biggest markets have teams in the top tier league, the NBA.

[CKR13]

Almost a week and I am still appalled what happened in Game 7 of the Windsor - Halifax series. Windsor wins by default and both sides accused one another of grave assault leading to player injuries. A step back for the league.

[Hepcat]

The National Basketball League of Canada is the best basketball league in North America not controlled by the NBA.

The London Lightning were the league champions in 2012 and 2013 while the Windsor Express were the champions in 2014 and 2015. With a 24-14 record, the London Lightning look good again this year. The Halifax Hurricanes at 27-10 also look to be serious contenders.

[Hepcat]

So the London Lightning defeated the Windsor Express 107-88 in game six of the semifinals and London will now play the Halifax Hurricanes who rolled over the Saint John Mill Rats in the NBL finals.

[Hepcat]

So what is the deal with this league, what is the level of the product/play and what are the plans or ambitions of it?

I understand that Canadian Olivier Hanlan is earning 165,000 euros playing for Žalgiris Kaunas this year in the Lithuanian Basketball League where he's currently struggling. His salary is far in excess of what he could hope to earn in the NBL. And of course Canadian national team players such as Andy Rautins, Aaron Doornekamp and Phil Scrubb currently play in Europe and not in the NBL.

My suspicion therefore is that the London Lightning would finish near the bottom in Euroleague but might perhaps contend to just make the playoffs in the Italian or Spanish leagues.

[Hepcat]

Game seven for the championship tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM in Halifax between the London Lightning and the Halifax Hurricanes!

[Hepcat]

So in game seven it was:

Halifax Hurricanes 125 London Lightning 117

Very sad.

[Hepcat]

So the London Lightning won their third championship in the NBL Canada's six year existence earlier this week with a 129-116 game six victory in a best of seven series against the Halifax Hurricanes.



The Lightning were also the dominant force in the ten team league's regular season with a 35-5 record. There was good competitive balance in the league otherwise as the record of the last place Niagara Lions was a respectable 14-26.

The league mandates a minimum of four Canadian players per team.

The Lightning drew an average of 5429 fans per game this year. The Island Storm of Charlottetown was far behind in second place though with an average attendance of 1934.

The number of teams is set to expand again in 2017-18. I can't see the Orangeville A's staying in Orangeville because the team drew only 293 fans per game despite a 16-24 record. Orangeville has a population of less than 30,000 so it's not exactly a prime location for a franchise. Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton and Quebec City would seem to be the most attractive markets for additional teams.