From what I can tell, it doesn't appear that there is any NBA on today.

No the only games for the next week are on saturday and sunday. From memory it is as follows...
Sat- Phoenix v SA Game 3
Sun- Boston v Atlanta Game 4

poor.

It is a joke... But after checking... here is what ESPN is showing:

3 May: Game 6 (if necessary)

10 May: Conf Semi's Game 3
11 May: Conf Semi's Game 3
17 May: "Double Header" Conf Semi's Game 6 (if necessary)

21 May: Conf Finals Game 1
23 May: Conf Finals Game 2
25 May: Conf Finals Game 3
27 May: Conf Finals Game 4
29 May: Conf Finals Game 5
31 May: Conf Finals Game 6
2 June: Conf Finals Game 7

6 June: NBA Finals Game 1
9 June: NBA Finals Game 2
11 June: NBA Finals Game 3
13 June: NBA Finals Game 4
16 June: NBA Finals Game 5
18 June: NBA Finals Game 6
20 June: NBA Finals Game 7

how did you manage to find all that?
i did a search on foxtel and the furthest it lets you go on the website is the next 7 days!

Hmm...whether to take some annual leave during the finals...*ponders*

Take annual leave or rec leave during the NBA Finals baby. It's all worth it.

Not if its Spurs Vs Detroit
or Spurs Vs Cavs

I thought it was common knowledge... but I guess not...

I got it from "espn international"

You can search sports individually for months in advance.

just google "espn international"... then click on "listings by sport" i think it is.

Here is the link:

http://intltv.espn.com/schedules/sport/sport.jsp

I sent an e-mail to Henry Abbott, who runs the TrueHoop blog on espn.com. I explained to him the crappy coverage we get and he said the problem most likely lies with the amount of money ESPN Australia pays the NBA for the coverage. the more money, the more games they can show.

One thing I find incredible is that I can't find a phone number for ESPN Australia. It's not listed in the white pages and the only way to contact them on the website is by e-mail, which they rarely reply to.

I've e-mailed Foxtel asking them for some contact details but have yet to receive a reply.

Sorry, I forgot to fill out my details, so here's a re-post that's automatically displayed...


Allow me to repeat the sentiments of just about every Australian NBA-follower I've encountered either online or in the flesh - the coverage in this country sucks! With that off my chest...

Just expounding on the above list of NBA games (which are straight off the ESPN International page and are subject to change):

Unfortunately, circumstances dictate that we will have the reverse of the 2007 Playoffs, whereby ESPN(/abc) had exclusive rights to broadcast only the Western Conference Finals. This year, as the greatest ever Western Conference battle in terms of parity - with its multitude of potential champions - rages, we will get the Eastern Conference Finals exclusively. That is, those games not shown by the abc in the USA (likely a game that falls on a Monday here).

I mean, like any true NBA fan I'll really enjoy the imminent Celtics-Pistons series with impartiality. However, I support a Western contender, and they'll have to make it to the NBA Finals for me to see them play more than two games these playoffs, provided they get through the first round as expected. I'm lucky I've already seen them once.

But what about the poor Hornets fans? If their team fails to beat Dallas then we are looking at a scenario in which the NBA's fourth best regular season club has just one live game broadcast the entire season! What a joke!

The real questions are:

1. Why has Fox Sports dropped the ball ie. showing two games per week during the regular season and then carrying on like the competition is already finished during the money season?

2. Is it a matter of the games numerically restricted by contract rights? If so - who wouldn't trade off one regular season game per week (eg. Wednesday's) for the equal number of Playoffs games broadcast in their place?

I sent this to ESPN International the other day with response .. unfortunately its too late for this season

It truly is a pthetic situation here


ESPN /Foxtel

It goes without saying that your NBA Playoff coverage in Australia is totally substandard, inadequate and pathetic.

The way this coverage is going you are starting to make NBA fans go "underground" with this selfish "rights" to the NBA playoffs. Is there any point in having such rights at all if your not going to cover the NBA playoffs properly?

FOXTEL, the cable provider, you aren't all clear on this matter. We shouldn't have to be treated like 2nd rate viewers, in this time of economic hardships we are trying to do the right thing and subscribe to the official cable channels but don't feel we are getting value for money whilst we continue to pay a premium amount for the service.

Will it be possible to show some TNT, ABC coverage during the NBA playoffs , following the NBA throughout the long the regular season really is meaningless if the playoffs aren't even covered adequately.

Drop EXPN (the poker/cheerleader/darts/dog hunting 2nd rate sports channel) and go with TNT, HBO or better still NBA TV. Fans will gladly pay for it and you'll get more satisfied customers.

If this situation doesn't improve in the near future, after many years paying for your service you will soon be receiving my letter of cancellation. Maybe I'll be better off spending the money saved on cable with shipping cost of DVDs of the NBA playoffs from the US

Since you aren't proving the service we expect at a premium price, perhaps direct us to someone who can? A list of alternative providers would be adequate. Thanks.

This has been going on for years now and we don't feel as if anyone is really listening to our demands. Please let me know if we are all wasting our time over this matter and if you will continue to go with ESPN then we know this is really not going to get any better

-------------


Thank you for writing.

This year in Australia, we will have 4 1st round games, 4 2nd round games, the Eastern Conference Finals & the NBA Finals. We will also be showing the NBA Draft in June.
Next year, our package will increase. For more schedule information, please visit the following link: http://intltv.espn.com/schedules/calendar.jsp.

Sincerely,

ESPN Viewer Response

Good work, speedy.

E-mails from disgruntled NBA fans in AUS/NZ must arrive at ESPN/Foxtel at a rather steady rate, particularly at this time of year. I've sent quite a few (to ESPN International) since I subscribed to Foxtel in 2003, admonishing here and threatening there, all to no avail.

I eagerly await any actuation of plans to expand the coverage next season, as suggested by your feedback. Thanks for the update.

I'm interested to find out what they mean when they say their package will increase next year. Is that regular season or playoffs? I can live with four games a week on ESPN/Fox Sports during the regular season (of course, I'd prefer more) but if the playoff coverage stays the same it'll be a complete joke.

It's just crap. I cancelled my subscirption and now watch for free on the Internet. Suggest you guys and do the same...I now save hundreds of dollars each year!

That's all well good if you don't have to work and can watch NBA games on the internet. I tape all the games and watch them later.

What really stings is the fact that they are not showing the western conference finals. We're going to miss out on a great series whether it be the Spurs vs the Lakers or someone else. Very dissapointing.

Foxtel = Crap

I don't understand why I should be satisfied watching the games on a 30cm PC monitor instead of on a television. Can someone explain that to me?

Even worse: according to the email 'speedy' received and a word-for-word replica I received from ESPN yesterday they are showing '4 1st round games'. Not true! It looks like we're only getting three. So they're liars as well.