C’mon, Who Doesn’t Love Lobsters?

On the surface, the numbers might not look all that impressive. D-League president Dan Reed said that league attendance averaged 2,800 fans per game last season.

But the more relevant number was 2.25 million. That’s the amount, in dollars, that Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett paid to buy the rights to a D-League team in Tulsa last year.

That confirmed, Reed said, that the league franchise values have just about quadrupled in the last couple years. Given the growth we’ve seen in minor league baseball, coupled with the focus on value in this economy, it wouldn’t be surprising if the D-League becomes the next hot property for both the fans in the communities in which they play and investors.

via NBA D-League On The Rise – Sports Biz with Darren Rovell – CNBC.com.

Rovell’s usual brilliant reporting on the D-League and the Red Claws’ inaugural season. If they can survive till the Celtics have some young prospects, I’d expect this one to be a premier D-League team.

This article highlights a central component that’s going to be huge over the next few years. Many minor leagues struggle with trying to do one particular thing well. Sell tickets. Expand market. Get exposure. Not be the current ABA. But the D-League does a number of things well, but no one thing great. And that’s largely on account of the CBA.  If, and it’s a big IF, the CBA can get reworked to allow rehab stints and cap-exempt roster spots, the league is going to be able to feature top-level talent, which will drive attendance, which will make more fans for the A, which will help revenue…

It’s a beautiful circle. IN MY HEAD.

Oster-Tags: d-league, dleaguefun, dleagueoramarama, NBA D-League