No commentary, no scoreboard, missing replays and a jumbotron feed left London Lions fans feeling “cheated” after their loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The London Lions became the first ever British Basketball team to play an NBA side, after a 119-66 loss.
October 12 was the day that British basketball arrived on the international stage but there was no broadcasting package – which, according to a Trail Blazers Reddit community, has become normal for pre-season games in Portland.
It has been over six months since the new Trail Blazers owner, Tom Dundon, finalised his purchase of the franchise and his time has been controversial, following significant media team cuts that were made this summer.
When the game tipped off and comments were made on social media about the broadcast, Josh Sexton – a 31-year-old editor of The Athletic’s Daily NBA podcast and presenter for Liverpool Basketball – said he knew it had come from the Portland side.
He said: “Portland are in a really interesting moment right now, in a bad way.
“Dundon has come over and from minute one he’s been cost-cutting all over the place.
“What you got in the end was a glorified scrimmage game. There were no fancy camera cuts, no one presenting it, no commentary.
“The British side felt that it was cheapened and I thought it wasn’t cheapened through malice on the British side but through cost-cutting measures on the Portland side.”
Dundon was given the nickname ‘El Cheapo’ by fans, coined by prominent American sports pundit Bill Simmons, when Portland fans became upset after cuts and rumoured attempts of relocating the franchise.
A Trail Blazers dedicated Reddit community with 65,000 weekly visitors told international fans that it has become normal for their pre-season games against overseas teams to be a minimalised jumbotron broadcast.
UK Basketball fans expressed their frustration after anticipation had built for many weeks and that commentary appeared at the end of the third quarter, showing that it was possible.
Patrick Holgate, 64, has been supporting the London franchise since it was based in Hemel Hempstead – then known as the Hemel Royals – in 1995 and witnessed its moves from Watford to its current home at the Copper Box Arena in Stratford.
He said: “The stream was dreadful and up until the last quarter it was just what they’d put on the jumbotron in the arena.
“I remember we scored a three and we had no way of knowing who scored it. That spoiled the game.
“I’d say I feel cheated and I think that they didn’t take us seriously.
“This was the first British club playing there and I know people who paid an NBA league pass for the month just to watch it and they were treated to that.”
Despite this, Holgate still took the positives from the occasion.
He said: “I know we didn’t do very well but it’s about the process from where we started to where we got to.
“That’s what people in the basketball community who don’t like the lions don’t get – it helps all the clubs.
“Some like to stay in their own little fiefdoms but the Lions are looking outwards.
“The achievement of actually being asked and playing the game, it’s a miracle really.”
The team formed in 1977 as the Hemel Hempstead Lakers and played a season next to a swimming pool at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in 2012, so playing an NBA side is significant progression and it is likely this won’t be the last time.
President of London Lions, Lenz Balan, has confirmed that they have been approached by other NBA teams about playing more pre-season games in the future and hopes they’ll be easier viewing.
He said: “We’re very grateful to the NBA and Portland, who were great hosts, for allowing us to play this game.
“There are lessons that we have learned and the leagues are particular about their IP but I would’ve loved for it to be available on Youtube.
“It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t do it but I understand the reasons why.
“Some other NBA teams have reached out about doing some more pre-season games and if we do it again we will try to get the best viewing experience for people here.”
The Portland Trail Blazers were contacted for comment but are yet to respond.
Featured image credit: London Lions.
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