I don't really mind what they do with the channel as long as they keep showing hoops (NBA & NBL) on FTA. Last thing I want to see is them canning the hoops and sending it back to ripoff(Foxtel).

In a way, I'm with Romerio.

Whilst I love the idea of a 100% FTA dedicated sports channel, filling it up with cheap and nasty content that includes bull riding for example just doesn't do it for me.

The NBL has a 5 year deal, and the netball has a multi-year deal as well (not sure how long), so I would not expect them to disappear from our FTA screens any time soon.

I would be happy if they continued to broadcast the NBL AND (yes in caps) the NBA, then I would be very happy. I have actually missed the broadcast of the NCAA tournament this year (they showed it the last 2).

Some of the none-sports stuff they're running with looks pretty cheap and nasty to me.

I'm vague on the details, and it's kind of comparing apples to oranges, but didn't ESPN start out with a heap of cheap and nasty stuff before building up to getting rights for all its good stuff?

(Note to self: is starting out your argument with 'I'm vague on the details' priming others to see things from your point of view?)

Its a shame that the only new commercial channel that tried to be bold and offer something different has been so quickly squashed. Regression to the mean I guess. The pursuit of the almighty dollar does have a way of making everything taste, look and feel the same over time.

Thankfully, the NBL does have a contract with ONE, so I hope that will be honoured and we continue to see 3 games shown live or near live every week. I don't watch much of the NBA on ONE, because I just watch the games I want on League Pass, but I hope they continue to show a couple of games each week, because it helps attract new basketball fans.

but anon, and others, they can likely do so at their discretion. I've predicted here before that a likely outcome will be lots of games late at night on replay - shades of Channel 10 in the late 90's perhaps?

And if the NBL buck, they could pull back on production and promotion.

the 5 year deal, heralded as an FTA savour for the league, might well end up being a noose around their necks. better to have live to air on Fox than late night replays on FTA i would have thought.

theres already 7mate which is geared towards young men and most other new channels epitomise cheap and nasty as does half of foxtel. id rather watch bullriding than self indulgent reality tv.

also youd think if onehd were to scrap sport in favour of repeats of 'married with children' then im guessing bullriding and nascar would be scrapped over nba and possibly nbl.

... and if you hear vague traces , I wouldn't pay them any mind.. for Ten will have a go at cricket rights and other good stuff.

They are going for the young male market. Number one in that market is sport.

Who knows exactly what it means for the NBL, but I dont think Ten are ready to buy out the contract just yet, and I think being on a station that attracts higher ratings than ONE currently does could only be a good thing if the NBL remains in decent timeslots, which I also heard was in the contract but have no way of knowing for sure.

I'd be staggered if the NBL were able to get a commitment from TEN to live games when they signed their contract. The AFL is now only at the stage of securing that for the coming season, and if you read and believe today's article by Caroline Wilson, its coming at the cost of a delayed start time for Friday night games (7:40 back to 7:50).

The NBL got a reasonable cash deal from Ten, but they were still very much cap in hand, I simply do not believe that Ten would have written themselves into a position where they were forced to cover games live, especially when they have already delayed games a number of times this season.

AFL games have been live on Ten/ONE for a while. It would definitely have been a good get if the NBL got that written into the contract though.

Of course, even if that were the case, if Ten came to the NBL and said unless we can show some of your games at a later time we will just buy out the contract, the NBL might have to relent if there isnt a lot of interest from other stations.

The NBL doesnt hold the power in this relationship, but it does have a contract and it certainly isnt the worse performing product on ONE so lets hope it stays on FTA and in a decent time slot.

Product development is definitely needed though. What was on ONE this year wont attract new viewers.

Sorry Paul, to clarify... I realise AFL has been live on FTA in many cases for quite some time. However, some games have not been live (particularly friday nights in melbourne and delayed telecasts in other markets) and in this latest negotiated deal, it appears the AFL is going to get what it wants, contracted live games on friday nights. I am not sure it will get live into Sydney though !

That's right, Seven and Nine werent showing games live, but Ten/ONE have, that was the differentiation I was trying to make.

ONE was marketing itself as the home of live sport, so that is where it is possible that was in the contract. I agree with you though, that would have been a great get by BA/NBL to get that actually written into the contract.

And yeah, I think the AFL would have to sacrifice their asking price for the rights to get live coverage in Sydney on the mainstream channels.