Future of BPL - Proposal from a Distance

Over at the BPL Blog is a discussion about recruiting, retaining and growing the BPL.  We were going to comment, but heck, we've got our own blog to fill up!

Upstairs here at the stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion, we haven't been able to play BPL for some time, but we still love it dearly.  Plus, well, we've seen a lot of change in Ultimate leagues over a decade of playing here and there, and given it a lot of thought over the years, and maybe there's some benefit in offering thoughts 'from a distance', so here's our suggestion.

For those thinking about this issue, two thoughts first.

1) There's a point of view that most players in the BPL are comfortable. They get good games against a reasonable diversity of teams each week. So why change? Those who want change need to articulate clearly why.

2) After that, there needs to be a vision or a description of where to go to, which helps you to work out what changes (particularly sacrifices) may need to be made to get there.

Here's our answer to these points.

I think the case for change is "If you want Open Ultimate in Brisbane to be better, if you want the sport and competition to be respected within the sport and in the wider community, then BPL must grow."  If the League stays the same size, top players will continue to gravitate towards winning teams, making BPL dull and predictable.  Firestorm will not win Nationals while the base of elite Open Ultimate in Brisbane is the size it is.  There will not be strong teams from Brisbane going to tournaments worldwide until there is growth.  And frankly, a six or seven team league playing at the same venue every night looks like a social touch football competition.

The Vision I think needs to be "two divisions".  Two divisions allows BPL to cater to its two goals - enabling elite Ultimate and providing a place for guys to play Ultimate against each other in Brisbane.  Two divisions provides space and a pathway for new players and teams to enter, and then progress (and possibly for elite players to step down a division, and therefore be retained rather than retired).

The sacrifice to get there would be that next season have a Division 1 of only four teams with limited rosters. The remaining teams and players form Division 2.  There is certainly plenty of enthusiasm for recruitment within BPL - we all love to bring more people to our great sport - this structural measure provides the space needed for growth.

As a result, in the space July-November, there would be two short seasons.  A short season also allows for a lower season fee (yes, its about the same price per week, but the entry cost is half - much easier for a new player to give it a go).  2013 may also plan for three seasons, depending on how growth is going.

Keen players will beg/borrow/steal to get onto those four Div 1 teams, and keen Div 1 Captains will want the best and know they can pick and choose a bit.  Two seasons allow this to happen twice.  There's some tight and firm deadlines involved in sorting rosters relatively early.

The quality and quantity of play in Div 2 is directly up to the recruitment and enthusiasm of the players who aren't picked for Div 1.  There is a roster minimum of say eight, but no maximum.  New players can join rosters at any time.  If Div 2 starts with a three team League, or some teams routinely field five or six players, so be it - this is how BPL started and eventually prospered, after all.

Its more likely you'll see four teams anyway.  With the more rigid and self-interested 'elite Clubs' out of the way and up in Div 1, the players of Div 2 will be more flexible in recruiting new players and taking care of them in a less intense environment, and moving amongst teams to maximise their enjoyment (and for some, chances of moving into a Div 1 team next season).

The second half of the year is the time to do this, with the momentum of a completed season rather than a Christmas break, and without the distraction of Firestorm and Nationals campaigns.  Attempting radical change in the BPL at the start of a year is far less practical.

Two divisions, starting next season, sets things up for Div 2 to grow organically (individual player by individual player).  Top players in Div 1 are also motivated to keep recruiting people - but to the League rather than to their Club (at the moment, a lot of potential recruitment of "mates" is hamstrung by not being able to offer them a place on a full and competitive team).  Div 1 meanwhile grows structurally over time - as Div 2 gets to a certain size, an extra team may be added to Div 1, made up mostly of 'the best players of Div 2', rather than a Div 2 team being promoted.
 
Thanks for reading this 2c.  Be brave!