The NBL has finally secured television coverage for its upcoming season, although basketball fans may have to wait nearly a month into the competition to watch games live on Fox Sports.
With the struggling national competition to tip off on September 13, the NBL today said they had reached agreement on a one-year deal with the pay-TV broadcaster to cover at least one live game a week starting in October, as well as all games of the 2009 finals series.
Fox Sports has telecast NBL games for 15 years.
But with the league falling on hard times following the demise of three teams – the Sydney Kings, Brisbane Bullets and Singapore Slingers – and uncertainty around the continued involvement of naming rights sponsor Hummer, Fox and the NBL had taken some time to agree on a short-term deal to replace the five-year contract that expired at the end of last season.
The agreement, though, will no doubt come as great relief to the NBL after fears the league may struggle to keep the broadcaster.
And with the game’s television future secured, both parties were confident the one-year extension would lead to a longer-term agreement with the NBL set to undergo a major revamp for the 2009-10 season.
“We have entered into a one-year deal, which is by mutual agreement given the blueprint for the new NBL in season 2009-10 and beyond remains to be finalised,” said Scott Derwin, the interim chief executive officer of the recently merged bodies of Basketball Australia and the NBL.
“Both Fox Sports and the league see this agreement as a stepping stone to a longer-term deal and we are grateful for Fox Sports continued support of basketball while we undertake the major restructure of the NBL.
“Given the fact that we are currently undergoing a major review of our entire sport that is expected to see the face of the NBL change considerably in season 2009-10, this is a vote of confidence by Fox Sports in the future of our sport.”
Financial details of the new deal were not disclosed.
“Basketball as a sport has made the difficult choice of undergoing some short-term pain for the long-term benefit of the sport as part of their commercial review, and we’re excited about the future direction that has been mapped out,” Fox Sports CEO David Malone said.
“With a tighter 10-team competition this season, the NBL promises to be a thrilling spectacle in 2008-09 and we’re pleased to be the official broadcaster of the sport once again.”
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