Paul Blake – Newcastle Eagles Managing Director – Hoopsfix Podcast #19
Newcastle Eagles’ Managing Director Paul Blake has long been a figurehead for British basketball. The former BBL Chairman has been at the helm of Newcastle Eagles, the most successful club in British Basketball League history, since 1999 and seen/experienced everything British basketball has to offer over the past two decades.
In this episode, hear Paul’s thoughts on:
- Newcastle Eagles’ recent planning permission approval for their own facility
- What the facility will mean for the Eagles and what its key features are
- Why the facilities issue is such a big piece of the puzzle for British basketball
- Competing in Europe – why no BBL team has done it yet, and how close we are to seeing it
- Why he believes building a joint database from every basketball organisation in the country is a key to driving the sport forward
- Where he sits on the balance between quality and quantity regarding BBL franchises
- Why he thinks the Eagles haven’t produced more junior talent in recent years
- The importance of a wide participation base to grow the sport
- The amount of money Newcastle Eagles are turning over and the role the Foundation has to play
- Why he’s drawn a line through the Foundation and the Club to separate their finances and roles
- The need to educate British basketball fans
- The current period of change the sport is going through
- The importance of patience to get things right
- The growth of basketball in the Tyne and Wear region since his takeover of the Eagles
- His knowledge of other sports and how that translates/compares to basketball
- And much, much more!
For context, you can also find an in depth interview Blake did in 2012 here.
As always, I’d love to get your feedback, come back after you’ve listened and lets get some discussion going in the comments.
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