Will This Be A Gamechanger In Recruiting D1 Basketball Players?

[MU82]

If this model could be financially sustainable, I'd be in favor of even waving the "amateur" rule for players that play in such a league. Provided there is a firm age range/cap e.g. 16-18 or 16-19.

Give kids a chance to earn and save some money (if they want). Emphasize continued learning to keep them eligible/get an education. Might actually better prepare them for college, by getting them into an environment of like minded individuals.

If such a league prioritized education and skill development, this could be a great type of program.

Sure. All of the above.

I'm all for options and for opportunities. If a 16-year-old actor or dancer or violinist has potential to be great, I want her or him to have options and opportunities besides high school, too. And he or she does.

[TallTitan34]

What happens if the league lasts a year and folds?  These kids are just SOL?  Could have 17 year olds who have already blown their college eligibility. 

[The Lens]

My 12 year old son consumes a ton of Overtime content.  He thinks of them in the same vein as ESPN.   

[Galway Eagle]

My 12 year old son consumes a ton of Overtime content.  He thinks of them in the same vein as ESPN.

I could see this being profitable if it's geared towards kids. Essentially the Disney channel of pro sports. But thats about it. Even then unsure if there's enough interest to give them the ROI they'd be after to run a whole league 

[shoothoops]

When Dan Porter discusses the league, he talks about how younger fans are often more invested in individual players than teams. (Video games etc).

And, he also mentions that kids today grow up with smart phones, and, often watch highlights of games on their phones as opposed to entire games.

He has an interesting background, and, he understands what he is getting into here. We'll see.

https://proskillsbasketball.com/dan-porter-overtime-ceo-interview/

[StillAWarrior]

He has an interesting background, and, he understands what he is getting into here. We'll see.

I suspect the people to tried to put the XFL on the air (again) felt similarly.

History has shown that it's very difficult for new professional sports leagues to survive unless they are heavily subsidized by existing sports leagues.

[Galway Eagle]

When Dan Porter discusses the league, he talks about how younger fans are often more invested in individual players than teams. (Video games etc).

And, he also mentions that kids today grow up with smart phones, and, often watch highlights of games on their phones as opposed to entire games.

He has an interesting background, and, he understands what he is getting into here. We'll see.

https://proskillsbasketball.com/dan-porter-overtime-ceo-interview/

So is his thinking is he can treat a whole league as a Mikey Williams type influencer and then use that money to pay all the salaries and back office people?

[cheebs09]

I’m struggling to see the market for this. The G League has better players and covers the Minor League to the NBA aspect. They have teams in bigger towns that don’t have NBA teams (Fox Valley for the Bucks).

The TBT is a short tournament that is mainly for those that like to see the alumni teams.

Could this be as successful as I’ve Cubes 3 on 3 league? That at least his former NBA guys and some celebrities. I’m not even sure how successful it is.

It feels like this will go the way of the other basketball of football leagues that never really gained a footing.

[The Lens]

I think Overtime will have much different ways of serving and monetizing content vs. the XFL, etc. 

This league is as much a content play as it is a league.  They have a growing audience and need more content to deliver. 

[Billy Hoyle]

So if they play for 2 years, they pocket 200k and have more then enough money for college?

considering how little the average G League player makes ($35,000) outside of the "Ignite team, there's no way this league is going to be paying kids $100K a year.

[Galway Eagle]

considering how little the average G League player makes ($35,000) outside of the "Ignite team, there's no way this league is going to be paying kids $100K a year.

You sure that's still true? Thought they heavily upgraded the salaries after the rebrand and restructure

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

I’m struggling to see the market for this. The G League has better players and covers the Minor League to the NBA aspect. They have teams in bigger towns that don’t have NBA teams (Fox Valley for the Bucks).

The TBT is a short tournament that is mainly for those that like to see the alumni teams.

Could this be as successful as I’ve Cubes 3 on 3 league? That at least his former NBA guys and some celebrities. I’m not even sure how successful it is.

It feels like this will go the way of the other basketball of football leagues that never really gained a footing.

I've Cubes is one of the funnier typos/autocorrect I've seen.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

So this is basically an AAU league where kids get paid?  That level of basketball is atrocious to watch so I don't see it garnering much of an audience.  Does anyone watch high school games on ESPN?  That being said, KO's league seems to offer a much more stable environment than AAU in terms of development and coaching.  I'm for anything that increases the skill level of American players.  AAU has oft been mentioned as a setback in terms of skill development due to its nature of coaches being in it for money/notoriety rather than player development itself - Hence why European ball players tend to have better fundamentals than American players.   

If it's to work, then it needs to be played in summer to build an audience.  The only other way I can see kids getting paid is if shoe companies dole out the money to subsidize it.  16-18 year olds playing basketball just isn't that fun to watch unless you give it a "Team USA" aspect and play international teams.  Otherwise, who is going to identify with it? 

[Billy Hoyle]

You sure that's still true? Thought they heavily upgraded the salaries after the rebrand and restructure

that was the 19-20 average after the increase and does not include the "select" players on the Ignite team or "affiliate" or "assignment" players
whose rights are held by an NBA team.  Sad to think those were upgraded salaries.

[Herman Cain]

I am sure in the fine print, there will be a clause that allows this new entity to recoup the funds advanced to participants against  future NLI revenues .

[The Lens]

Overtime is a very well established brand.   They have something other leagues didn’t start with: eye balls, fans, followers

[WarriorFan]

If you operate on the assumption - as I do - that the "funds" coming into this league and ultimately reaching the players would have reached the players through other (less legitimate) means in a different environment, then this league is a boon for the sport because it theoretically reduces the under the table stuff and just overtly pays players.

In European football, kids as young as 14 start getting stipends from clubs and they sign contracts at 17.  That system would be far better than what the US has.

[D'Lo Brown]

Isn't this just a reshuffling of the same deck of cards, though? All you do is get kids on the "bird in the hand", take the money now, right? And then give up a non-negligible piece back if you make it in pro ball? I may be misinterpreting so happy to be corrected.

For kids that desperately need any amount of $ in their hands, I totally get that equation.

Also as a former CT resident & many Uconn alum family/friends, & part-time Uconn admirer myself. I really never got the impression that the players really connected with Kevin or liked him much. I hope he's learned from that experience. Obviously the name recognition alone is a big deal for 16 year olds.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

If you operate on the assumption - as I do - that the "funds" coming into this league and ultimately reaching the players would have reached the players through other (less legitimate) means in a different environment, then this league is a boon for the sport because it theoretically reduces the under the table stuff and just overtly pays players.

In European football, kids as young as 14 start getting stipends from clubs and they sign contracts at 17.  That system would be far better than what the US has.

Really outside of lack of NIL rights, our system is fine. I don’t think there is much interest in creating a European like system here because college sports is a meaningful part of the sporting experience here.