Recruiting related: Silver says G League Ignite's days may be numbered

[nelsonmuntz]

Due to college NIL, Adam Silver says days of G-League Ignite may be numbered

“I’m not sure what the future of Team Ignite will be."

www.nbcsports.com

I am a little surprised by this, because I would have thought that the NBA would want to start challenging college basketball for the top young players. With NIL in the mix, college is competing with the NBA. They are both professional basketball.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Due to college NIL, Adam Silver says days of G-League Ignite may be numbered

“I’m not sure what the future of Team Ignite will be."

www.nbcsports.com

I am a little surprised by this, because I would have thought that the NBA would want to start challenging college basketball for the top young players. With NIL in the mix, college is competing with the NBA. They are both professional basketball.

I think a bigger threat to the G League is the looming age limit change. if it goes back to kids out of high school being eligible there is really no need for the GL.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Due to college NIL, Adam Silver says days of G-League Ignite may be numbered

“I’m not sure what the future of Team Ignite will be."

www.nbcsports.com

I am a little surprised by this, because I would have thought that the NBA would want to start challenging college basketball for the top young players. With NIL in the mix, college is competing with the NBA. They are both professional basketball.

What I’m sure the NBA and OTE are finding out is that it’s really hard to monetize minor league sports unless it has the college allegiances, rivalries, history, etc. around it.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I saw an article where they mentioned an academy type setting for the league, like soccer in other countries. That would destroy college bball, unless kids can get more money in NIL

 

[FfldCntyFan]

What I’m sure the NBA and OTE are finding out is that it’s really hard to monetize minor league sports unless it has the college allegiances, rivalries, history, etc. around it.

This!

I saw an article where they mentioned an academy type setting for the league, like soccer in other countries. That would destroy college bball, unless kids can get more money in NIL

That may be the goal, but do you think the day could ever arrive where, for example, the junior Hornets could be a draw similar to Duke or UNC?

It works in Europe because a) it has been embedded in the culture for nearly as long as the senior professional counterpart has been around and b) there really is no European version of intercollegiate sports. I've come across a massive number of Europeans over the years who are completely baffled by the popularity of sports tied to universities (and high schools) here. It is a concept they cannot really grasp as there have nothing there that relates to it (not even "the boat race" which kind of started it all).

 

[REB1094]

Hasn’t performed too great recently either

Scoot Henderson was their crown jewel last year and hasn’t played very well

Dyson Daniels was their crown jewel before that and isn’t anything special

Jalen Green and Kuminga are solid though, even though both were in trade rumors this year

Holland and Buzelis will have big expectations next year

 

[superjohn]

What I’m sure the NBA and OTE are finding out is that it’s really hard to monetize minor league sports unless it has the college allegiances, rivalries, history, etc. around it.

There's zero interest in it and NIL will keep more kids in school a little longer where they'll be more ready once they go to the NBA so it benefits both college and the NBA. Most of these OTE kids don't look like they know how to play.

I saw an article where they mentioned an academy type setting for the league, like soccer in other countries. That would destroy college bball, unless kids can get more money in NIL

Won't happen. Again, there would be no interest from the public.

 

[Poe]

This!

That may be the goal, but do you think the day could ever arrive where, for example, the junior Hornets could be a draw similar to Duke or UNC?

It works in Europe because a) it has been embedded in the culture for nearly as long as the senior professional counterpart has been around and b) there really is no European version of intercollegiate sports. I've come across a massive number of Europeans over the years who are completely baffled by the popularity of sports tied to universities (and high schools) here. It is a concept they cannot really grasp as there have nothing there that relates to it (not even "the boat race" which kind of started it all).

Exactly, it’s not a model that would work well for eyeballs in the US.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Hasn’t performed too great recently either

Scoot Henderson was their crown jewel last year and hasn’t played very well

Dyson Daniels was their crown jewel before that and isn’t anything special

Jalen Green and Kuminga are solid though, even though both were in trade rumors this year

Holland and Buzelis will have big expectations next year

Yeah the teams have actually be terrible. The current G League team hasn’t won a game this year. I’m not sure how others done in the past but it’s been a really bad developmental program for them so far.

All guys do is learn how to lose.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

For all of college footballs faults in destroying college athletics, the relationship between the NFL and CFB is the strongest in “minor league” sports. The NFL is smart enough to see that there’s no appetite for a “G league” style in football (don’t get me started with USFL/XFL or whatever that’s called)

NBA would be smart to promote College basketball as much as possible.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

There's zero interest in it and NIL will keep more kids in school a little longer where they'll be more ready once they go to the NBA so it benefits both college and the NBA. Most of these OTE kids don't look like they know how to play.

I’m curious how long we see the OTE model stay afloat. I get that it’s supposed to be a social media driven model, but their social media numbers seem pretty paltry compared to how much money has been dumped in. I’m just genuinely curious how management and investors really thought they were going to get enough folks to care. They must be hemorrhaging money right now.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Not sure how to feel about OTE yet. Can’t name the players who have played there and haven’t done well. But the Thompson twins have been pretty impressive this year and play the game the right way. Rob Dillingham has been pretty good for Kentucky as well.

As far as how it’s done business wise, it’s hard to tell because people on this board really aren’t their target audience.

 

[AllHusky]

I really don't even know what it is. Am I ignorant or is it a nothingburger?

 

[UofCT]

I saw an article where they mentioned an academy type setting for the league, like soccer in other countries. That would destroy college bball, unless kids can get more money in NIL

With the amount of interest, alumns, fans, etc with College hoops I don't see it going anywhere. Removing the 1 and dones will only strengthen the product.

 

[Palatine]

I'm surprised the entire G-League has survived.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I really don't even know what it is. Am I ignorant or is it a nothingburger?

You're absolved. I know 4 people who watch the actual NBA, and less than zero people who care about Ignite.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

I'm surprised the entire G-League has survived.

Isn't it a developmental or reserve league? Like the Wolfpack or AAA baseball. The point is to keep a pool of players fresh in case of injury/trade and build young talent for the future. Fans in the seats is just a bonus

 

[Shamon30]

I actually enjoy watching the G-League. Of course, I only watch the games in which UConn guys are playing. It's a different sort of watching experience because I'm just rooting for individual players and am not so much focused on any one team. I can see how that can limit the league's financial appeal. Isaiah Whaley was the guy I watched most last year, but I never went to Greensboro to see a game in person. The average fan doesn't have the time or resources to attend a lot of games for the sake of a single player on a team that's far away.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

What I’m sure the NBA and OTE are finding out is that it’s really hard to monetize minor league sports unless it has the college allegiances, rivalries, history, etc. around it.

If college athletics shrink to 30 teams playing at the highest level, then you can throw allegiances, rivalries, history, and etc. into the toilet.

And the NBA and NFL don't need to monetize it. They just should want to eliminate college sports, because it is competition for the NBA and NFL.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

And the NBA and NFL don't need to monetize it. They just should want to eliminate college sports, because it is competition for the NBA and NFL.

I don’t think that’s a strategic goal. The amount of money they would have to shell
out to make a feeder system capable of identifying and developing enough top talent to supply their product would be staggering. There is no way the competition from college sports, which already does pretty well to avoid the pro league time slots as is, would make up for that.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

If college athletics shrink to 30 teams playing at the highest level, then you can throw allegiances, rivalries, history, and etc. into the toilet.

And the NBA and NFL don't need to monetize it. They just should want to eliminate college sports, because it is competition for the NBA and NFL.

There is no competition whatsoever. College football does everything it can to schedule around NFL.

We love CBB here but it doesn’t challenge NBA ratings except for a few weeks in March. But it’s not like an absence of March Madness means more viewers for NBA.

 

[navery12]

Isn't it a developmental or reserve league? Like the Wolfpack or AAA baseball. The point is to keep a pool of players fresh in case of injury/trade and build young talent for the future. Fans in the seats is just a bonus

Kind of, but at least half and maybe even 75% of the guys in the G League aren't even affiliated with an NBA team. NBA teams only have a max of 3 guys then have the rights to, so it's almost more a mix of independent league baseball and AAA baseball

 

[whalerfan]

The NBA needs a developmental league. Too many times do we see teams sit their best so they can rest. Too many times do we see young kids wash out and have nothing. All the other leagues have a 2nd tier why not the NBA?

 

[superjohn]

The NBA needs a developmental league. Too many times do we see teams sit their best so they can rest. Too many times do we see young kids wash out and have nothing. All the other leagues have a 2nd tier why not the NBA?

Umm they do, it's college basketball. The NFL's is college football.

 

[Chuck]

Since we have no idea what college sports are going to look like in a few years, I wouldn't be shocked if we see some type of "understanding" or direct agreement to make the top college basketball conferences an NBA minor league. It looks like the players are going to be deemed employees. NIL is stupid and will eventually just be a supplement to the schools paying the players directly.

What will it look like? I have no idea. Maybe the NBA sponsors teams (NBA as a league sponsoring conferences, not individual teams) or even takes ownership positions in all of the NCAA P2 (or 3, 4, 5) teams. They provide training and lots of money, and in return they get control of the player development (as well as revenue stream). Transfers would be tied to real contracts that players sign with colleges and they'd move eligibility to 6 years or so (after that, just go abroad). It would look more like the international soccer regime where teams get paid for their players moving on or up.

This would be horrible for the sport we love (college basketball), but there are a few things we know: i) The greed of college sports has no bounds, ii) the NBA has super deep pockets, iii) the NBA is admitting that their minor league might lose to college basketball and they won't take that without throwing some haymakers.