NBL agrees new media deal

May 11, 2024

The National Basketball League (NBL) will be accessible to more sports fans with the competition having extended its partnership with ESPN, secured a new free-to-air broadcast deal with Network 10 - with games to be played on its main channel - in high definition, and renewed its deal with News Corp Australia to deliver deeper basketball coverage throughout the 2024/25 season.

With widely regarded as the home of the NBL it will remain the only place to watch every game live including finals.

ESPN’s NBL programming will also be available via Foxtel, Kayo Sports and Fetch TV.

The marquee 2:30pm Sunday afternoon game will also be shown on Network 10’s main channel, and marks the first time the NBL has been on a main channel in a decade.

Commenting on the deal, NBL Chief Executive, David Stevenson stated “this broadcast and media deal with ESPN, Network 10, and News Corp Australia is a major endorsement of the League’s rapid growth and growing stature on the sporting landscape.

“ESPN has been a fabulous partner of the NBL for the past three years, and we are thrilled to continue our close relationship. ESPN is undoubtedly the largest and best-known sports media network globally, and has played an integral role in growing the NBL and basketball in Australia.”

With the League’s broadcast audience increasing by 26% this season, off the back of a similar rise last season, the NBL has come off a landmark year for attendances with 40 sell-outs across the campaign, more than a million attendees at games for the first time in League history, and crowds increasing by 11%.

Expecting that audience number to keep growing off the back of this new deal, Stevenson advised “we are thrilled to partner with organisations that share a strong passion for the NBL and basketball, and we have that with ESPN, Network 10 and News Corp Australia.

“Combined with ESPN’s extensive coverage, returning the NBL to a main free-to-air channel in HD on 10 is a huge step forward and means we will be seen by even more sports fans around the country.

“We want to thank Network 10 for having the confidence in the NBL and helping solidify our standing as a major player on the sporting landscape.

“News Corp Australia’s platform is the biggest news organisation in the country and provides the NBL with incredible coverage and we look forward to more stories being shared about the League, our clubs and players.”

NBL Chief Strategic Partnerships and Investment Officer, Brad Joyner, said maintaining momentum was important when constructing a new deal between the parties.

Joyner added “we have had great growth and success over the last three years, and being able to continue that relationship will be vital in maintaining our growth trajectories and hitting our targets.”

Under the League’s new broadcast deal, all games will be available on ESPN, available on Foxtel, Kayo Sports and Fetch TV.

NBL
The NBL was founded in 1979 and is the world’s best basketball league outside of the NBA in the USA.

Currently composed of 10 teams (nine in Australia and one in New Zealand), game attendances, TV viewership, digital traffic and fan engagement have skyrocketed following new ownership in 2015. NBL teams are located in Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Cairns, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong.

Uncertainty over A-League's future broadcasts
Meanwhile, uncertainty surround the future of A-League men’s and women’s matches after the collapse of broadcast partner Global Advance.

Since signing a broadcast agreement with Network 10 and Paramount three years ago, the APL has paid Global Advance for the production of its games, with the deal reportedly worth nearly $12 million per season.

However, Global Advance having entered administration last month, the future broadcasting of A-League games is uncertain. In addition, the A-League is facing a significant loss of income.

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