commissioner stern is an idiot

[threrf23]

There are travel issues, culture issues (players don't want to play in Europe), tax/currency issues (tax laws differ from country to country and give certain teams advantages), the talent in the league is already arguably thin, Euro interest in the game is not as high as Asian interest, and then there are probably more issues that I haven't thought of off the top of my head. So many reasons why this idea is (Please Use More Appropriate Word) and the fact that it originated from a league source should raise yet another red flag for owners.

Now, if we were talking about creating an NBA Europe - maybe eight teams, plays during the offseason (NBA offseason and major Euro leagues offseason), plays by NBA rules and regulations, thats a respectable idea IMO if market research verifies that it is (I don't know much about existing Euro leagues). This would give another option for fans in the offseason (who watches the WNBA?), and give fans/coaches the ability to better scout Euro players perhaps, as it would allow them to get a better picture of how their game translates to the NBA.

[threrf23]

They could just send a whole division out to Europe at once to get the road games over with. Then after every division from the Eastern Conference has visited Europe, they could send the European division out to America to get their American road games over with in the Eastern Conference. Repeat this with the Western Conference after a few weeks so the European Division/Conference can play games between themselves.

The European division could fit road and divisional games in while a whole American division came over too.

What about the playoffs?

I'm sure it could work on some levels, but it really wouldn't be worth it IMO (even if you ignored the "watered down" issue)

[Joyeuse]

Haha, imagine a finals series between LA and Berlin.

[threrf23]

Also, time zone becomes an issue fan-wise, too. Games played in Europe would begin between 9 AM and 11 AM I believe on the west coast.

[DarkAzcura]

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What about the playoffs?

I'm sure it could work on some levels, but it really wouldn't be worth it IMO (even if you ignored the "watered down" issue)

I guess the NBA could get rid of conferences all together..have teams play all teams an equal amount of times, and take the top 16 teams (maybe 18 now and do those weird wild card playoff things that the NFL does?)

A lot of changes would have to be made if they brough a European division into this leauge, but it is definitely possible.

[LarryBrdismyDad]

I almost puked when I saw this idea on sportscenter. It has cultural issues, currency issues, tax issues, travel issues, scheduling issues, and most importantly quality of play issues. The NBA is starting to become a great league again thanks to an increased talent pool. There hasn't been an expansion team in 4 years since Charlotte. The NBA does not need another team and this idiot Stern wants 5 more teams? That is a crazy idea. Do you realize how bad those teams would be? Who the hell will want to sign there as a free agent?

The NBA should keep doing what it has been doing. With all the young talent in the league and the talent that is now coming from the college game, the league will only continue to get better over the next five years if they dont change a thing.

[John Locke]

Great Idea on many levels, not so good on some levels.

First of, the atmosphere on Euopean Sports events is way better then in the states. People are signing the whole time, it's sort of like some college games, except people have flares and stuff and are a bit more crazy.

I don't buy that American players don't want to play in Europe. Or I don't want them to be able to have a say in this. Their career is 10 years and they are getting paid millions. Plus, living in Paris probably beats the hell out of living in Charlotte.

I see one problem pretty quickly, and that's when players with a criminal record are traveling. Can they get visas?

But there a couple of things I found very ignorant, reading this post and the replys. First of all, A flight to many places in Europe is not longer then a flight from East to West. And the flight from London to NY is far from horrible. How can you say that? I've flown over the Atlantic, from Europe to the States many, many times and it has always been a good flight.

[Relative Autonomy]

the nba shouldn't expand to Europe but incorporate some already existing European Teams.

Stern has been talking about this since the Toronto/Vancouver expansion.

[sully00]

This is only common sense. Why do people overreact to the idea of change so much?

This isn't about expantion this about relocation. Teams are in unsustainable markets and looking to move were? Unsustainable or questionable at best markets. How is Vegas and OKC really better than SEA and NO, answer it isn't. The NBA is the easiest sport to tap into the Euro market these guys can travel by private jet. For West coast teams instead of two trips to the East Coast it will be one to Europe. They can even stay 4 divisions and just restructure the divisions.

I would rather see my team fly in a plane for a couple of extra hours and have stadiums full of rabid fans than watching my team go to Memphis and ATL and play in front of family and friends.

Oh and I am sure that players are going to hate living in London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, instead Memphis, Salt Lake, Sacramento, or Charlotte.

[Joyeuse]

First of, the atmosphere on Euopean Sports events is way better then in the states. People are signing the whole time, it's sort of like some college games, except people have flares and stuff and are a bit more crazy.

Having lived in the UK a couple years, I have mixed feelings on that. Enthusiasm is good, but the attitudes of some European sports fans can be downright scary. They are often extremely drunk and belligerent, even in dedicated family sections (people bring their kids to games and then get drunk and cuss and just generally act like irresponsible jerks in front of them). There are soccer fans that travel with their teams in packs just looking to start brawls. In that case, there can be even more enthusiasm for random violence than for actual sports teams. In one of the games I went to, the crowd yelled and chanted religious slurs at each other (one team represented a Catholic fan base, the ohter, Protestant), and it's seen as just part of associating with a team. Even if we're not as enthusiastic in the US, I feel much safer and happier attending sporting events here than I did in Scotland. I don't really like the mob mentality I experienced there.

[GuyClinch]

How much would it cost the NBA to buy a fleet of 10 Concordes?

Stuck in the 1990's? These planes are not only not even being made they are all out of service.

Pete

[sully00]

Joyeuse

Have to ask have you ever wore Red Sox gear in the Bronx or Yankee in the Fens?

Been a Charger fan in Oakland, or a Charger fan in San Diego during a Raider game.

Gary Payton had a gun pointed at him inside the arena because he outplayed AI in PHI.

Random violence is what it is no matter what the accent.

[tombattor]

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Having lived in the UK a couple years, I have mixed feelings on that. Enthusiasm is good, but the attitudes of some European sports fans can be downright scary. They are often extremely drunk and belligerent, even in dedicated family sections (people bring their kids to games and then get drunk and cuss and just generally act like irresponsible jerks in front of them). There are soccer fans that travel with their teams in packs just looking to start brawls. In that case, there can be even more enthusiasm for random violence than for actual sports teams. In one of the games I went to, the crowd yelled and chanted religious slurs at each other (one team represented a Catholic fan base, the ohter, Protestant), and it's seen as just part of associating with a team. Even if we're not as enthusiastic in the US, I feel much safer and happier attending sporting events here than I did in Scotland. I don't really like the mob mentality I experienced there.

It's a lot less racist in London than it is in most of NBA cities. Cities like London and Paris are still very cosmopolitan cities, so people are a lot more tolerant and open minded. Places in most of midwest and south are far from that.

[threrf23]

For West coast teams instead of two trips to the East Coast it will be one to Europe. They can even stay 4 divisions and just restructure the divisions.[/sully00]

Again, this becomes a bit different in the playoffs

I would rather see my team fly in a plane for a couple of extra hours and have stadiums full of rabid fans than watching my team go to Memphis and ATL and play in front of family and friends.

Right but do you want to have to try and take off work to watch the game?

Oh and I am sure that players are going to hate living in London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, instead Memphis, Salt Lake, Sacramento, or Charlotte.

it gets more complicated than that when you factor players' families.

Plus, you get complaints about "unfair" since the "Euro" teams have to travel more than other teams, and since their players deal with different tax laws, and their teams deal with different salary caps when you factor in fluctuating currencies.

And there's little guarantee there's anymore interest than the NBA found in Vancouver.

The breadth of the idea might be the right line of thought, but IMO its ridiculous to me that anyone would view this as a viable option for the league's better interests. David Stern or one of his officials making such a statement reminds me of a politician making a ridiculously stupid proposal just to buy over gullible voters that might be won over by the general concept without paying attention to the specific proposal and its likely implications. Kinda like "universal" aka mandated health care (which is just as stupid as the Euro expansion idea IMO, even if more practical).

[MyInsatiableOne]

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What's wrong with you? That's a horrible thing to say...

And Celtics winning will not give him a heart attack. He wants the Celtics to win because we have a lot of fans and the NBA will make a lot of money. Please think before you post.

He always has *said* he wants the Celtics to succeed for the good of the league, yet his policies (and those of the league before him) always stuck it to the Celtics in ways other teams never got it. These have been discussed to death on this forum so I won't get into it unless some noob needs me to....

[tombattor]

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He always has *said* he wants the Celtics to succeed for the good of the league, yet his policies (and those of the league before him) always stuck it to the Celtics in ways other teams never got it. These have been discussed to death on this forum so I won't get into it unless some noob needs me to....

Quick quiz for you.

What does David Stern like more?

1) David Stern

2) Sticking it to the Celtics at the cost of his personal wealth and legacy

Maybe I'm crazy, but if you replace David Stern with my name and Celtics with anything in the world, I'm choosing #1.

Try using logic, your brain or both. I know it's not easy, but I know you can do it.