Here are 10 things that should be New Year's resolutions for the bj-league:
1. Find a way to create some stability for coaches. Constant turnover each season, with 1/2 or 2/3 of the head coaches changing is bad for business. It leaves very little stability on teams and hurts players and team from getting better. Which slows down the overall improvement of the game. It starts in each team's front office. Team presidents and general managers need to become more patient and build long-term plans for winning.
2. Scrap whatever unrecognizable promotional plan is in place and start all over again for all teams, as directed by the league office to do this: At all games, fans can buy one ticket and get one free. And any group of more than 10 should receive a discount of 33 percent. Then promote this new discount aggressively on radio and TV stations, websites, via Twitter, etc. And, as a result, attendance will rise, and more fans will become connected to their local teams and the league as a whole.
3. Establish a press club for all who cover the bj-league. This'll lead to cooperation among media (such as photo exchange for a game in one paper's local area and returning the favor down the road), better media coverage and greater legitimacy in the eyes of the public. The fact that one still doesn't exist, in season seven of the league's existence, shows a lack of leadership and a failure by those in charge to see the big picture. And at the same time, begin involving the press in voting for league-sanctioned awards. It leads to media outlets taking the league more seriously and having to pay attention.
4. Find local announcers to provide play-by-play for all BJTV games. The current format is, well, boring, stale, out-dated and dreadfully unimaginative -- video only. Get announcers as part of the program, providing audio coverage and analysis for every game. It makes sense to give auditions to local and recent college grads in each of the league's 19 current markets, but trying out veteran announcers isn't a bad idea, either.
5. Develop a national media campaign for the league, something like the NBA's "I Love This Game" of several years ago. Use the slogan at all team venues and throughout Japan as the league steps up its marketing and promotions.
6. Make multiyear contracts an option for players. Teams can become better and the league as a whole can improve with this sensible business model.
7. Hire somebody to update and improve the bj-league website. Its current setup is unattractive, boring and features way too little English information for a league with dozens of imports and a growing fan base outside Japan, including those players and coaches' families, acquaintances, hoop media and basketball agents.
8. Require all future bj-league refs to gain experience working in overseas leagues, for a few years before joining the bj-league. There aren't enough of them with legitimate pro-level experience, a byproduct of the league's rapid expansion. The league should establish more alliances with overseas leagues, especially U.S. college conferences. Japanese refs would benefit greatly from calling games featuring more tall players.
9. Embrace the establishment of a players union. This will get all parties - team owners, the league's board of directors, coaches, agents, GMs -- speaking more frequently and honestly about the problems the league faces and work together to make steady improvements. This includes putting a plan in place for players' pension and retirement plan in the years to come.
10. Require all teams to submit player quotes after games, quotes that are posted with the archived box scores posted on bj-league.com. Players' comments are a big part of a league's history and a way of educating the public about what takes place game after game, season after season. The current format -- one comment or two from each head coach - isn't enough.
1. Find a way to create some stability for coaches. Constant turnover each season, with 1/2 or 2/3 of the head coaches changing is bad for business. It leaves very little stability on teams and hurts players and team from getting better. Which slows down the overall improvement of the game. It starts in each team's front office. Team presidents and general managers need to become more patient and build long-term plans for winning.
2. Scrap whatever unrecognizable promotional plan is in place and start all over again for all teams, as directed by the league office to do this: At all games, fans can buy one ticket and get one free. And any group of more than 10 should receive a discount of 33 percent. Then promote this new discount aggressively on radio and TV stations, websites, via Twitter, etc. And, as a result, attendance will rise, and more fans will become connected to their local teams and the league as a whole.
3. Establish a press club for all who cover the bj-league. This'll lead to cooperation among media (such as photo exchange for a game in one paper's local area and returning the favor down the road), better media coverage and greater legitimacy in the eyes of the public. The fact that one still doesn't exist, in season seven of the league's existence, shows a lack of leadership and a failure by those in charge to see the big picture. And at the same time, begin involving the press in voting for league-sanctioned awards. It leads to media outlets taking the league more seriously and having to pay attention.
4. Find local announcers to provide play-by-play for all BJTV games. The current format is, well, boring, stale, out-dated and dreadfully unimaginative -- video only. Get announcers as part of the program, providing audio coverage and analysis for every game. It makes sense to give auditions to local and recent college grads in each of the league's 19 current markets, but trying out veteran announcers isn't a bad idea, either.
5. Develop a national media campaign for the league, something like the NBA's "I Love This Game" of several years ago. Use the slogan at all team venues and throughout Japan as the league steps up its marketing and promotions.
6. Make multiyear contracts an option for players. Teams can become better and the league as a whole can improve with this sensible business model.
7. Hire somebody to update and improve the bj-league website. Its current setup is unattractive, boring and features way too little English information for a league with dozens of imports and a growing fan base outside Japan, including those players and coaches' families, acquaintances, hoop media and basketball agents.
8. Require all future bj-league refs to gain experience working in overseas leagues, for a few years before joining the bj-league. There aren't enough of them with legitimate pro-level experience, a byproduct of the league's rapid expansion. The league should establish more alliances with overseas leagues, especially U.S. college conferences. Japanese refs would benefit greatly from calling games featuring more tall players.
9. Embrace the establishment of a players union. This will get all parties - team owners, the league's board of directors, coaches, agents, GMs -- speaking more frequently and honestly about the problems the league faces and work together to make steady improvements. This includes putting a plan in place for players' pension and retirement plan in the years to come.
10. Require all teams to submit player quotes after games, quotes that are posted with the archived box scores posted on bj-league.com. Players' comments are a big part of a league's history and a way of educating the public about what takes place game after game, season after season. The current format -- one comment or two from each head coach - isn't enough.
RSS Feed
