Tim Winn and Professional Basketball in WNY

[Friar]

Today's OTH had a nice article about Tim Winn playing for the local Buffalo professional basketball team. Tim is putting his marketing degree he earned at SBU to help promote the team.

[glow=red,2,300]My question is, do you think professional basketball will help or hurt the Big 4 - SBU, UB, Niagara and Canisus?[/glow] When the Buffalo Braves came to town, in my opinion, that really hurt local college basketball. In fact, I don't think the Little Three or the Big Four has ever recovered with the exception of SBU. I can recall traveling to Buffalo for the Little Three games and they sold the Aud out. When the Braves came in college basketball died.

Look at the average attendance at Niagara and Canisus. Really when you stop to think about it, it is really pathetic. I wish Tim all the best but not at the expense of the Big Four. Actually, I think professional basketball is about as boring as watching paint dry. College basketball is much better in my opinion!

As an aside to this issue the article stated the local professional basketball team will try to sign players who have a connection to WNY if possible. One possible player is none other than former Bonnie recruit Charles Perry. With all due respect if Charles is signed to play I say Barry Atkinson, Michael Hunt, Dan Putney, Sidney Shelton, Saulis dust off your sneakers and get ready to play!

[jh]

Pro Basketball did not kill college hoops in Buffalo. They were only there for 8 years and have been gone for 30 years. College hoops was killed in Buffalo when Canisius and Niagara missed the boat and did not get into a quality conference like the Big east or the A10.
College hoops is dead n Buffalo for 1 reason...Canisius plays too low a brand of basketball (MAAC). College hoops was popular in Buffalo when the Little 3 teams were all with national rankings - had these teams joined the Big East it would still be thriving even with the Buffalo Braves ! The Braves biggest marketing mistake was not doing whatever it takes (trading multiple 1's) for local heroes Bob Lanier and/or Calvin Murphy ! The sellouts would have been numerous and the team never would have been allowed to be hijacked away

[niagaragradbonadad]

Pro basketball in Buffalo did contribute to the downfall of college hoops - but it was not the only reason. The Braves playing in Buffalo coincided with the Canisius mess with Larry Fogle and others - which lasted for years. It totally turned off many locals who enjoyed college basketball, especially the Little Three. Let me also mention that both Niagara and Canisius were invited to play in the Big East when the league was forming around 1975. Due to budget restrictions, both schools opted out. There may have been other reasons, but funding was certainly in the picture. Niagara played in the student center, bleacher seating around 3,200, now currently 2,500 with seats with backs. Canisius played in the Koessler Center, which resembled something close to a high school gym.
College basketball is certainly not dead, but probably somewhere close to critical condition. I mention this because a small core following still exists - nothing like the Bona base of fans. I think over the years Buffalo believes it has migrated from basically a college sports town 40 years ago to a professional sports town (Bills and Sabres) with the college scene becoming secondary. These fans missed out on exceptional college basketball games.
Over the eight years my two kids attended Bona (1994-2002) I saw terrific basketball games at the Reilly Center. I told my son if you don't like college basketball after going to St. Bona, you will never like it. He couldn't get enough college hoops. And it totally rekindled my enthusiasm for college basketball - 6,000 roaring fans brought back memories of Calvin Murphy and Bob Lanier battles.

[FroMunga]

I highly doubt this team will pose any threat to the "Big 4" (who are they considered big to? Hilbert?). This team is far from the NBA, so any comparison to the Buffalo Braves is absurd. These are the caliber of teams you schedule for exhibitions. A select few players may still have the ability to reach the NBA but for the most part these players are still hanging on to a dream and having fun playing a game they love. Their best years are behind them. Heck, the local team's star was set to retire from basketball. If that isn't a hint as to the brand of play you will see then I don't know what is. I wish them luck but the answer to your question is that this team will in no way take away from the "Big 4."

[woof]

They're playing their home games in the 3,000-seat Flickinger Center, and starting their ticket prices at $10/game for the corners.
Rapids Season Ticket info
Something tells me they won't threaten the Little 3, much less the imaginary "Big 4".

To be honest, I'm looking forward to pro hoops in Buffalo, even if it is minor-league... and I could even see bringing the Rapids into the RC for a game or two per season. (Think some Bonnies fans would fork over a few bucks to see Winn play again?)

[hnk373431]

Saw Tim Winn at the Gus Macker in Bufalo oer the weekend promoting the Rapids. Look forward to seeing him suit up again and I think he will be a good ambassador and marketer for the team. We've been fortunate to have seen so many quality point guards over the past 30 years at Bonaventure - Bill Kalbaugh, Glen Hagan, Mark Jones, Shandue, Tim and Marques Green. Winn was the best of all of these defensively. Will never forget the game he had at Pittsburgh where he ate the Panther press was instrumental in an easy Bonnie win on the road. Pitt reneged on the return trip the following year. Hope the Rapids do well and are successful at the gate.