D-League writers

[Stitch]

Just trying to find out how many papers actually staff D-League games and what you think of it. I fill in for the regular at the shop I string for. I find the games interesting, but it's organized chaos as for the behind-the-scenes show.

 

[sportschick]

We staff all home and playoff games.

 

[Pencil Dick]

Why would you NOT staff a home game? It's a professional basketball team. Would you not cover the local minor league baseball team at home?

But I was writing about the D-League before it ever came into existence, so my view's a little skewed.

 

[Blitz]

I covered about a third of the home games for the old Mobile Revelers.
They featured now-NBA hed coach Sam Vincent and had now-Globetrotter Eugene Edgerson from Ariz. fame.
Hated to see that team leave Mobile. Got some good stories.
Now the arena football team from Mobile - that's a different story.
Sorta glad to see them fold.

 

[JLawson]

We just got a D League team here in Reno, Nev., and I was wondering what to expect. How is the typical media availability? Is the D League starting to catch on more in other cities?
Also, if I got this beat how would that help me land a bigger job?

 

[Screwball]

Why would you NOT staff a home game? It's a professional basketball team. Would you not cover the local minor league baseball team at home?

What if the NBA puts a D-League team into a major market and no one goes, or cares?

There is no coverage of the LA and Anaheim teams.

 

[Boom_70]

The NBA is very commited to the D-league. It is now being run out of New York with a new staff. They realize it will take some time to develop it but they have a good plan. They see no reason why with focus that they can't have same type of business model the NHL has for their minor league teams.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Running it out of New York, but isn't the eastern-most franchise in Iowa?

 

[BillyT]

Why would you NOT staff a home game? It's a professional basketball team. Would you not cover the local minor league baseball team at home?

But I was writing about the D-League before it ever came into existence, so my view's a little skewed.

I don't know what the attendance is like.

That would be a deciding point for me. Same for its connection to the community.

 

[sportsnut]

I have never seen any coverage of the LA Defenders and the Anaheim team get any coverage from the Times and the Daily News. I think it could be good to cover a few games. Don't they play before the pro teams play? Also anyone in a big market know if you cover a D-League team do you have to leave when the big boys game starts?

 

[Stitch]

Why would you NOT staff a home game? It's a professional basketball team. Would you not cover the local minor league baseball team at home?

But I was writing about the D-League before it ever came into existence, so my view's a little skewed.

I don't know what the attendance is like.

That would be a deciding point for me. Same for its connection to the community.

You can't base attendance on the announced crowds. I say the actual attendance is about 50-75 percent of the announced number.

There are some good feature opportunities, especially with the NBA players who get sent down. The basketball isn't very good though.

 

[BillyT]

Why would you NOT staff a home game? It's a professional basketball team. Would you not cover the local minor league baseball team at home?

But I was writing about the D-League before it ever came into existence, so my view's a little skewed.

I don't know what the attendance is like.

That would be a deciding point for me. Same for its connection to the community.

You can't base attendance on the announced crowds. I say the actual attendance is about 50-75 percent of the announced number.

There are some good feature opportunities, especially with the NBA players who get sent down. The basketball isn't very good though.

I wouldn't count on announced crowds.

I would go to a game.

If the players and staff outnumbered the fans, I would have to wonder.

I honestly do not know anything about the D-League. Just asking.

 

[Stitch]

I cover some games and it's something to cover in a town with no other pro sports. But for the Anaheim and LA teams, there's not a point in covering those teams.

 

[sportsnut]

I cover some games and it's something to cover in a town with no other pro sports. But for the Anaheim and LA teams, there's not a point in covering those teams.

Why? I know we got the Lakers but covering the D-League got to be worth something.

 

[Screwball]

I cover some games and it's something to cover in a town with no other pro sports. But for the Anaheim and LA teams, there's not a point in covering those teams.

Why? I know we got the Lakers but covering the D-League got to be worth something.

Why? It's the JV game -- who comes to Staples Center four hours before the Lakers game to check it out?

If there's a good feature, sure. But even the Lakers aren't pretending they care ... and they own the team.

 

[the_lorax]

Our GA guy and a stringer (mostly the stringer) cover the D-League team here, a place with no major pro sports. What's interesting is that the minor-league hockey team gets two to three times as much coverage as either the D-Leaguers or the baseball team.

 

[wickedwritah]

Running it out of New York, but isn't the eastern-most franchise in Iowa?

Stern's made some noise about putting a D-League team in Harlem (Rhoden had a column on this a couple months ago), and they're talking about expansion into the Northeast (Manchester, N.H., also is on the radar, apparently).

 

[slowcenter]

Why would you NOT staff a home game? It's a professional basketball team. Would you not cover the local minor league baseball team at home?

But I was writing about the D-League before it ever came into existence, so my view's a little skewed.

I don't know what the attendance is like.

That would be a deciding point for me. Same for its connection to the community.

You can't base attendance on the announced crowds. I say the actual attendance is about 50-75 percent of the announced number.

There are some good feature opportunities, especially with the NBA players who get sent down. The basketball isn't very good though.

I would say the quality of play in the D League is on the upswing. Every year, more NBA teams are sending more players down to get some playing time. Like any minor league, though, there is going to be little continuity with the best players down for a week or two and then back up to the NBA. Morris Almond of Utah was averaging something like 25 ppg in the D League. When he gets called up to the Jazz, you are losing a third of your points per game. There is no replacing that.

This NBA draft is going to have more underclassmen than ever, and many of those guys are talented but not-ready-for-the-NBA players. So they will be in the D League next season and the league should be pretty good.

 

[wickedwritah]

Does the D League still have the rule about only playing in the league a couple years? Last I recalled, there was an experience cap.

 

[zebracoy]

Any paper worth its salt will prioritize coverage. If South Dakota wants to go D-League happy with its two teams, it should. Los Angeles? There are many things more worthy of gracing the pages of the sports section than the D-Fenders.