Vancouver in the NBLC

[Penguin022]

There's talk about Vancouver in the NBLC. Thoughts?

[Bramaca]

The NBL needs a western conference if they hope to make a real go of the league. Potential sites in the west would include Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg. Then there are a bunch of smaller cities that may have the potential to support a team.

[cflsteve]

Expansion in the West is something that should be in the future for the NBLC.
However it would have to be carefully planned out and select a region in which 4 or 5 teams can come in at the same time and have a well planned out system of travel within the division as well as a system for the cross country travel and schedule.

The Central division in Ontario has been able to follow a plan that is used for CFL and OHL travel with the train for the longer road games and bus for the closer games.

The Atlantic division covers a smaller area in which the maritimes Junior hockey division has mapped out usuing bussing.

A WHL regional set up would be ideal so selecting the BC province or the Prarie regions would be the way to start.

[Evad]

Hey guys its been awhile since I've posted.  This is from another post I put up last year, but for the topic above I thought it might be good to copy and past it here.  I agree with cflsteve and this set up might work WAY down the road.

NBL Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division (New Brunswick,Nova Scotia and P.E.I)
Halifax
Summerside
Moncton
St. John
Montreal

Central Division (Quebec and Ontario)
Ottawa
Mississauga
Windsor
London
Brampton

NBL Western Conference

Great Plains Division (Manitoba and Saskatchewan)
Saskatoon
Winnipeg
Regina
Brandon?

Pacific Division (Alberta and British Columbia)
Calgary
Edmonton
Vancouver
Victoria
Lethbridge?

So you have games within your Division and Conferences during the year.  Then playoff time you work the bracket like the NBA and have a Eastern Conference winner play against a Western Conference winner.

[cflsteve]

I agree that Western Expansion is something for the future at this point. Logically it would need to be 4 or 5 teams coming in at the same time.
There are models of other leagues already that provide cost efficient regional travel as well as rivalries among cities.
The basic model is a BC division and a Prarie division.
Things to look for would be an already running franchise moving from a lower league to the NBLC. Also looking at ownership groups already within a city that has a stable of franchises within a synergy model.
The city of Vancouver itself may have trouble gaining support but does have Canucks S&E looking to add to their NHL club.
Edmonton and Calgary both have groups and Arena's which are lead by NHL clubs with WHL and NLL clubs as well. Is basketball popular enough for those cities to be successful.
Saskatchewan has the Riders CFL in Regina but draws from the whole Province. Next most popular supported would be the WHL franchises and Huskies CIS football.

[cflsteve]

With Western expansion something that is a huge undertaking seeking out expansion in Ontario has a huge upside with the explosion of talent coming out of the GTA and surrounding areas.
Ottawa Expansion of the SKYHAWKS has a huge upside. Popularity and top CIS Carleton Ravens gives a solid basketball base. Moving to the new TD Place in Landsdowne Park will place the franchise in what is going to be a huge area for entertainment. Having the OSEG being made up of all Ottawa based wealthy owners has them invested to make sports franchises successful and popular in Ottawa. They may not own the SKYHAWKS but is certainly in their best interest to have them as a successful partner/Tenant for the TD place Arena. They will promote the SKYHAWKS and the NBLC to draw even more people to the complex and surrounding area. No doubt they would want to host the All Star game as well as CIS basketball Championships and the Capitol Classic. Carleton also invites several NCAA men's basketball teams that OSEG would profit from hosting.
RogersTV Ottawa also a great partner for Ottawa sports Broadcasts.

[cflsteve]

The City of Toronto is already packed with top pro sports. With the population of the surrounding areas to the North GTA areas. To the West GTA areas and the Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph area. As well as to the south in Hamilton.
With new and renovated arena's and the explosion of local talent NBLC has moved to the GTA area of Peel.
Hamilton to the South is having a revival of sports interest now. Including the newly managed and Corporate FirstOntario making modern improvements at Copps. There is a new explosion of Corporate partners and local sponsors for the Hamilton CFL and AHL franchises with excitement of new THF and upgades FirstOntario. with the corporate and local sponsor support being extended to an NBLC team in Hamilton has a huge upside. NASL is also in the works.
FirstOntario Centre would also be a prime spot for the All Star weekend. It could also serve as the new place for the draft and pre draft combine. Moving it out of the city of Toronto but close enough to Toronto where it would be a more high profile event not having to compete with the NBA
With Canada winning the World Lacrosse Championship the already popular sport of Lacrosse will also get a boost. Hamilton Nats suspended operations due to the World Championships. With a ton of Canadian Lacrosse talent as well as the Iroquis population and amount of top Lacrosse players the Nat's moving to the more popular indoor NLL could be something that would become a better investment.
Hamilton is primed to have a partnership of owners that would invest in NBLC, NASL, and NLL franchises that could include CFL Cats and AHL Bulldogs.
Like Ottawa the Cable channel 14 are big supporters of sports in Hamilton broadcasting MAC football and Bulldog games as well as other programming. CHML radio also is well invested in TiCats, Bulldogs, and MAC football programming.
This all makes Hamilton prime for an explosion and redefining the sports market

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