Basketball fans can look forward to a feast of live NBL action … from the New Zealand Breakers. The NBL on Tuesday trumpeted their broadcast schedule with pay TV’s Fox Sports for the streamlined new competition starting next month.
But due to a deal with Maori TV in New Zealand, the Breakers – a team that have made the finals just twice since their 2003-04 debut – dominate the program.
Admittedly the Breakers have recruited well in recent seasons, now boasting a quality roster featuring the likes of Boomers guard CJ Bruton, NBL great Tony Ronaldson and Kiwi internationals Kirk Penney and Paul Henare.
And NBL fans will get to know them well if they tune in this season with the Breakers featuring in 17 live games – including all 14 of their home matches.
That’s almost half of the 42 regular season matches broadcast by Fox Sports.
Not a bad representation in just an eight-team competition.
In contrast, Townsville – featuring one of the NBL’s biggest showman, Corey “Homicide” Williams – will be spotted just seven times in the regular season.
Gold Coast Blaze – boasting Boomers James Harvey and Adam Gibson – also lucked out with Wollongong, jagging just eight TV games each.
And despite boasting the NBL’s biggest names – Chris Anstey, Sam Mackinnon and Mark Worthington – Melbourne will only feature in 10 regular season TV games.
Of the others, Adelaide were a distant second behind New Zealand in TV games with 12 while Cairns and Perth both got 11.
But basketball fans may simply be happy that there is an NBL to be broadcast after the competition hung in the balance following the demise of the likes of the South Dragons, Brisbane Bullets, Sydney Kings, Singapore Slingers and Sydney Spirit – formerly the West Sydney Razorbacks.
Up to nine finals games will be shown live.
“That means that up to 51 games will be shown during the course of the season, which is fantastic exposure for the sport of basketball,” Basketball Australia CEO Larry Sengstock said on Tuesday.
“This also provides amazing national visibility to the brands of our sponsors and provides a real foundation stone to the aspirations of the NBL and the sport.
“We’re confident this significantly increased broadcast presence will provide an attractive incentive to the corporate world to back the NBL.”
Sengstock is hoping the likes of South Dragons, the Bullets and other clubs put their hand up for an even bigger NBL competition next season.
The Fox Sports coverage includes the September 24 season tip-off between the Cairns Taipans and, you guessed it, the New Zealand Breakers.
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