Hoopsfix Podcast - Retiring a great, Dan Clarke and Sam Neter chop it up

Can’t advocate enough for this latest Hoopsfix pod from the people’s champion Sam Neter 🎙 , and nations GOAT Daniel Clark 🏀

If you love basketball, British or otherwise, or if you love Sport and what goes in to building a better product, give it a listen. 🎧

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄...

When discussing the state of the British game it is pointed out and seen at every level that playing talent is not an issue, we have incredible athletes. But Dan raises a good question on coaching talent, which whilst we are also lucky to have some greats, the general game IQ and style of play keeps us behind Europe.

At one point Dan says "𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆." - How true, how true.

Sam shared his internal debate on focusing on the base of the pyramid, on participation or the elite game - do you need to build the talent pool or the aspirational target? More lately he has signed up to thinking about the top to attract talent and investment.

I see so many parallels with other sports, and no-one has quite cracked the chicken or egg question - the answer is of course both but it needs patience.

Dan suggests “𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗕𝗟”.
Of course, how else will you create a platform for growth and investment from beyond your doorstep?

The gap in minimum operating resources, player welfare and fan engagement between the UK and Europe is not a gap as much as it is a chasm.

The scary thing is that whilst this is a brilliant account of the opportunity that needs solving in Basketball, just think how many other sports are in the same position - or on the brink of this, or worse still, are further down the road and not far from a point of no return.

Dan shares for him "𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁." We need to ask where are the brands with the trust and patience to take the same approach and build for the long term?

Sports investment should not be seen as a sports bet; where you put some money down, back a winner and take your money home. It’s about seeing that you plus them makes everyone better off - and that can be financially better off if that’s your motivation, no shame in that.

It is going to take smart and creative people to make real change, “𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝘁” as the saying goes.

Find the full episode here - https://www.hoopsfix.com/2022/10/retiring-as-a-gb-all-time-great-with-dan-clark-ep-110/