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Posted: Thur Oct 1, 1998 at 10:12 AM ET The NBL used Bondi beach as the setting for it's launch of what will undoubtably be the most vital season in the league's 20 year history. On a 30 plus degree day, 11 players from 11 clubs posed for numerous photographs while NBL chief executive John Rymarz revealed his thoughts and plans for the upcoming season. "I don't think our competition in summer is going to be sport," Rymarz said. "I think it's leisure activities such as the beach. "Today's a perfect example. It's a hot day. "We're scheduling games later in Sydney, for instance, so people can go to the beach and then go to the basketball. "The challenge is not insurmountable. The alternatives out there for other summer entertainment aren't really there; there's no football, I suppose. That helps a lot." The NBL's Most Valuable Player five years running, Andrew gaze, was optimistic about the prospects of the NBL in the coming years: "There is a perception that basketball is a little bit flat and really we have an easy problem because the sport is in a really healthy situation, all we have to do is change the perception." Gaze said "It will give more opportunities for the national team to line up matches in the same playing period as overseas teams as well as aiding our campaigns for the Olympics and World championships, The change will also take away the pressure of trying to compete against the winter football codes and perhaps attract more spectators to the matches." the launch was also a chance for the NBL newest team, the West Sydney Razorbacks, to push their cause. "For the NBL to succeed the Sydney teams need to do well, we would really like to be the only Sydney team to do well to tell you the truth." Derek Rucker joked. Andrew Gaze also saw the significance of the second team in Sydney "West Sydney should be strong and could push the Kings into taking that one step further for a premiership."
Video: The Uniforms for the Inaugural NBL Summer season, of all 11 NBL teams. |