With a solitary victory to show for their efforts in European competition this season, London Towers have undoubtedly fallen short of the expectations of their owners, management, coach and most importantly, their rapidly expanding fan base. The limitations of domestic competition mean that teams are likely to play their rivals at least four times as season and for a club such as Towers, a complete absence of silverware in their trophy cabinet at the end of the season is as unlikely as....well, as the Duke of Edinburgh running off with Fergie. For a coach as driven as Kevin Cadle, the lure of European competition has long been a force for success at home, one leading to the other. With numerous league titles, cup medals and trophies from every corner of the country, only success on a bigger stage can hope to satisfy the personal ambition of the man.
Reaching the quarter finals of the European Cup during his reign at Guildford wetted the appetite, but with more money and ambition at the higher end of British hoops than ever before, international recognition is the key to unlocking the door to greater riches for all the teams. In the eighties, other sides such as Kingston, Livingston and Ireland's Neptune entered the Korac Cup, blazing a trail for basketball here.
However, the costs of failure are high, so high that Leopards passed on the chance to shoot for the European Cup this year, rationally deciding that it would be too much, too soon for a still immature club. Despite the presence of owners who are thinking big, Leopards are looking long term and should be applauded for their self-control. Towers on the other hand should also be applauded for trying, but dignified failure has long been a perceived characteristic of the British on the sporting field. Basketball however has not yet been tainted by this disease, owing to its North American face, and its comparative youth among the throng of popular sports in the UK. A balance must be struck between improvement through new experiences, and being out of one's depth. European competition has exposed the weaknesses of not only the Towers team, but the domestic competition in which they are arguably the premier organisation, on and off court.
Are there any lessons to be taken from this season ? On the marketing side, Towers campaign has exposed a real lack of knowledge and popularity of the European game within the general hoops-loving public . With Channel 5' s new deal with ESPN, we will shortly get regular coverage of NCAA college hoops (albeit at night), as well as Channel 4's (part-time) NBA coverage. Eurosport is the sole outlet for top class European basketball in this country, competition which in this era, does not fall far short of its American cousin. Teams such as the Greek duo of current Euro Champs Olympiakos (pictured left) and 96 winners Panathanaikos, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, familiar names, the wealthy Italians and Germans, and the fallen powers of the Balkans, all play a style of basketball more akin to Chester than Chicago. Where is the coverage of this in our mass media, which ritually celebrates the greatness of the NBA at the expense of our own version of the game?
On the business side, there is little or no profit to be had from glorious defeat in Europe, a factor which will preclude any British or Irish side from entering European competition without serious financial resources in place. There is little argument that London's side is better than the statistic books will suggest, but next time will they jump in so fast ? Let's hope that whoever signs up next time round gets the rewards their bravery merits on and off court. Everyone will reap the benefits if they succeed.