NBA D-League President Dan Reed said he believes "there will eventually be 30 teams," and "every NBA team will have their own exclusive D-League affiliate," according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY. Reed added, "I don't know exactly when. I can't give you specifics ... But expansion will occur in the relatively near future." The D-League "begins its 13th season Friday, and of those 17 teams, 14 have single-affiliate relationships with an NBA team." It has "turned into a valuable minor-league," as NBA teams have "witnessed the success of not only players, but coaches and executives, too, and understand the importance of developing talent on their watch and in their system." On NBA opening night last month, "an all-time high 102 players had D-League experience." In addition, more than 40 coaches "have gone to the NBA in the D-League's 12 years, and 10 former NBA players are coaching in the D-League this season" (USA TODAY, 11/22). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's John Lombardo writes the D-League "continues to serve as a laboratory for the NBA." The prime experiment this season "aims to shorten games to fit into two-hour television windows." Teams will "have seven instead of eight timeouts apiece, and the length of the timeouts will be cut to 30 seconds from 60 seconds, except for four mandatory two-minute TV timeouts." Reed said, "We think two hours is a good target. We feel we can retain and enhance the fan experience without hurting the integrity of the game" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/18 issue).
FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH: In Sioux Falls, Terry Vandrovec writes the Skyforce franchise "has become plenty familiar with change, be it different owners, leagues or rules," having survived "for a quarter of a century in the tumultuous minor-league sports scene." But the changes that will mark this 25th season "are different in being wholly welcomed" as Sioux Falls is moving into the new $19M Sanford Pentagon and serving as the exclusive affiliate of the Heat, the "result of signing a two-year hybrid agreement over the summer." That makes the season that starts Friday "as important as any in club history." Skyforce President Mike Heineman said, "We have all the neat, cool stuff going on for our franchise and we can’t blow it. We realize that we’ve been given a great opportunity and we’ve been working hard to make sure we capitalize on that." The Skyforce staff per the hybrid arrangement with the Heat is responsible for "selling tickets and sponsorships, handling the promotional parts of game night." Heineman is "pleased with the way things have gone on the sales side." The Force "have half the inventory they used to by moving from" the 6,500-seat Sioux Falls Arena to the 3,250-seat Pentagon. The new premium amenities "are selling well, too." All of the sideline suites "have been sold for the season" (Sioux Falls ARGUS LEADER, 11/22).
DOWN BY THE BAY: The ERIE TIMES-NEWS notes the BayHawks' lease agreement with the Erie County Convention Center Authority "will take the franchise through at least" the '15-16 season at Erie Insurance Arena, which underwent a $47M makeover. Team officials "hope the arena upgrade will help the BayHawks build on their average attendance of more than 3,200 per game" in '12-13 (ERIE TIMES-NEWS, 11/22).
