Yay or Nay? Breaking down the WNBL's Potential New Rules
The league is innovating, trialling three new rules at the Townsville Tip-Off. Are any of the proposed changes actually worthwhile?
Photo credit: Dan Cowley / Images by Dan
The business of basketball in Australia is booming, and it’s largely thanks to two factors: An unprecedented uptick in talent, coinciding with a series of bold moves in the boardroom. We all know Larry Kestelman’s stewardship saved the once ailing NBL, and positioned it alongside the nation’s best professional sporting codes. The WNBL is now following a similar blueprint, acting ambitiously in a bid to become bigger and better than ever.
So far, the returns are promising! Last year’s championship was an instant classic, this season will introduce an exciting expansion team, while a host of marquee signings continue coming down under. The league isn’t resting on its laurels either, having recently considered six potential changes to trial at the Townsville Tip-Off, and this morning confirming three new rules for the pre-season tournament.
The proposed changes varied from minor tweaks to major modifications, with some that seemed logical, and some laughable. From the six changes the league considered, they ultimately landed on three: Player only timeouts, maximum points for free throws, and immediate inbounds in the backcourt.
It’s an exciting twist to pre-season, and helps the tournament serve a higher purpose. After all, the legaue is in the business of growing the game into the best possible product, and won’t know without some trial and error.
But, has the league landed on the right rules? And which changes could actually be worth implementing?
