Change on the way

Some two months into the season, there's no arguing that the ESB Superleague remains on course for its most open title race in recent years. Half a dozen clubs are still in with a genuine chance of emerging as champions and any one of them would be deserving of the title.

Yet all is not rosy within the league. Average attendances continue to slide compared with previous years and there are still certain clubs who can't see beyond their own interests. While some clubs work hard to promote their league status, others seem to take it for granted.

These are just some of the problems the Irish Basketball Association are addressing. Debbie Massey, the IBA's new chief executive, has made it clear she is not afraid to tackle the issues, even if that means making some enemies.

Massey's plan to shake up the league is likely to start with a reduction in the number of Superleague clubs. As it is, the 14 clubs end up having too many meaningless games, whereas a more elite 10-club league - with promotion and relegation - would be sure to create a more meaningful title.

The days of sell-out crowds, even in Cork, are now over but Massey is also confident that if the product is refined the crowds will come back. Part of the issue there is club identity, which has also suffered in recent years.

The clubs can't operate without sponsorship but the IBA must exert more control on it influences club identity. Take Killarney, for example, one of the success stories this season. They've been called Killarney Lakers, Gleneagle Lakers, Gleneagle Killarney, and St Paul's. Other clubs cause similar confusion with their names.

Broader issues of the underage-to-senior crossover and international identity are also on Massey's mind. Like many sporting federations, the IBA is at a crossroads at the moment in its efforts to compete with the major sports. Massey was also behind the recent vote from minor sporting federations that the Campus Ireland project is essential to their well-being, and that epitomises the scale of vision she has brought to the IBA.

In a busy weekend of league fixtures, meanwhile, top of the bill is the meeting between Waterford and UCD Marian - two of the clubs currently leading the pace at the top of the table.