Quote:
Originally Posted by GernB
Not unhappy that the NBL is expanding, but TBH I'd rather see those fans attending AUS games than a third rate semi-pro league. Highlanders is a great name for a team though.
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There's enough basketball interest in the Maritimes to support both. The AUS conference finals attract more than the other 3 Canadian university conference finals put together. Nova Scotians don't care that the NBL is 2nd or 3rd rate. They want their own pro teams and those are the teams they have. They will support both the NBL and their 5 AUS teams.
What I always find astonishing is that I can watch 100's of NCAA basketball games on tv but ones from my own country are next to impossible. Right now I'm watching Virginia - Louisville but I'd rather be watching SMU - St. FX (then Dal - Acadia tonight). I can't because Canadian university ball doesn't matter to Toronto where our media is based. When I tell Torontonians that I support the Dal Tigers they look at me like I'm from Mars. Who are the Dal Tigers and why would you do that is their usual response. Um... because I went there and I'm from Canada and living in Canada???
If Toronto is such a great basketball city, Ryerson, the U of T, and York would be playing before 15,000 fans. They get around 100 if they're lucky. There's great support for the Raptors but no other basketball gets any attention... not even our national teams (although that's finally changing). A Canada - France game a few years back at the ACC drew ~ 1000 fans. It was embarrasing.