Yep - the Ten network still has the baskertball rights and a deal to show an increasing number of games on FTA TV, many live. Whether the games will be spread over One HD, 11 or 10 is yet to be seen...

I really hope so.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/ten-scraps-sports-format-as-ratings-profit-tumble-20110407-1d5ck.html


A drop in profits from $55 million to $49 million with a stable share price while trying to back local sport is enough for that spoiled little brat to pull the plug.

Couple of points:


- Parker and Murdoch wanted One gone so as not to compete with Fox Sports
- Gina R likes the right wing loony bolt and wants the country to follow his ideological world view....this is a bloke who with a straight face can say that taxing mining companies is inhumane but is pro cutting off welfare benefits to disabled individuals
- Murdoch wants to be known to be successful on his own

A lot of crap this is. Old man packer as much of a bastard he was did like to back sports trying to get a head-start. These two polo playing nancy boys would be nowhere without their inheritance and are killing a lot of people's enjoyment for the glorification of their massive egos.

I know you guys keep saying there is a contract about live games, but no one has seen any evidence of that.

Once again, the AFL has only been able to get a guarantee of live games into its next contract negotiations, I doubt the NBL had the clout to achieve anything like that sort of commitment as a cap-in-hand sport in the past.

They have delayed games this season - seemingly at their whim.

No one disputes the contract and its lifetime, the "live" part would surprise many I would think. TV stations do not give this lightly.

Nothing much new from the article the other day. From today's piece:

One will now broaden its focus on engaging and entertaining males 25-54 and the schedule will centre on targeted drama, HD movies and documentaries, and premium sport.

It will be interesting to see just what premium means isaac. Given the ratings I cannot see that being NBL.

HO, I am not disagreeing with your overall point, but the AFL got live games from Ten some time ago. Whether they did with Nine and Seven is moot in this particular discussion.

From where I sit, the NBL have a contract, and they now have to work hard with Ten to improve the general appeal of the product to make sure they dont get bought out of that contract. Hopefully that decision isnt made before the NBL gets the chance to do that.

LOL @ entertaining males from 25 - 54, that cant be that hard. there is a sure way to do that but parents may need to use the child lock out system

What happens to NBA? ONEHD did a much better job with broadcasting NBA then ESPN ever did..this is a sad day for basketball :(

Optimistically speaking, I think the NBL will be part of the re-launch. The ratings are up compared to Foxtel but also you have a fairly good market penetration - Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and the north Queensland towns.

I know little about how these type of things are decided but I would hazard a guess that having people in all major cities excluding Brisbane, and a number of regional places like Cairns, Wollongong etc, looks appealing to people with advertising dollars (media buyers).

Add to that, I hardly think that the NBL's TV rights would be that expensive.

Australias population doesn't lend itself to running lots of fat channels, especially since the Internet is heavily used nowadays. Il say it again: allow Asians to play as non imports and it will be watched heavily in Asia.

I hope they keep the NBA. I don't want to have to go back to internet viewing, although that would be the preference over the ripoff that is Foxtel.

I'd rather invest in NBA LeaguePass....

Anon, i am going to help you out a little bit.

here is a link to an article by Caroline Wilson from this week's age:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afls-1bn-rights-deal-20110404-1cyqz.html

The clear implication, look at para number 3, is that it is seven who is about to come to the party and start providing live games. The AFL have been seeking live games for some time. They have berated channel seven over the last couple of years (and even this week) when it looked like "blockbusters" have not been about to be shown live. So, to be clear, the AFL want live games in as many markets as possible and have for some time.

My point, (and yes you are disagreeing with it Paul!) is that the AFL have been wanting live games for some time but been unable to get it guranteed, even given their massive power and control. In that context, little 'ol NBL being able to secure guarantees of live games (even consistent live games) in their negotiations would have been remarkable - but, and I'll say it openly, if they did, good on em.

But... there have already been a number of games shifted on One this year and delayed - surely we would have heard a hue and cry about that from the NBL at the time?

As for ratings ANON, here is another article for you.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/ten-sports-supremo-sam-heard-heads-for-exit/story-e6frg996-1226016762413?from=public_rss

Note the para where it talks about a game in Sydney drawing fewer viewers in Sydney (THE most important market) than were at the game. That is not massive ratings, its not great ratings, its not good ratings, that is simply apalling. This forum established long ago that the ratings, while starting encouragingly, tailed very badly as the season progressed.

Have a look at this thread. I made the point here that ratings started well but started to drag badly. Paul himself, who always has his finger on the pulse, came back eventually and agreed with me and acknowledged that the decline in ratings were a worrying sign.

http://www.hoops.com.au/forum/24519-one-hd-nbl-ratings/#p299744

Anon, whether ratings were up on fox is not at issue, the ratings for NBL on One HD were still poor. Poor compared to other live sports, poor compared to what other digital channels were pulling for reruns of Hogans heroes and woefully poor had it been on regular FTA.

The sport has never, repeat never, rated well on TV in this country. It would be a miracle for the NBL to be considered "premium sport content".

I am not being doom and gloom. I hope they can make it stick. I am a very pragmatic bastard however, and I was around when TEN once before shifted games to late night slots because the ratings did not work.

Cut Carfino and the NBL broadcasting will be headed in a very good direction trust me!

Where's 'sick of fizzle' when you need him?

Get Sam Keckovich and Joaquin Phoenix as commentators......whatever it takes.

Re the $600,000 being paid to the NBL by ONE HD, as mentioned above, let me say this.

Netball also has a contract with ONE HD and ONE HD paid that sum, whatever it is, to Netball Australia (or whatever it is).

Then Netball Australia paid back the FULL AMOUNT to ONE HD to cover production costs.

Make of that what you will.

ineedmore. My mail on that story is slightly different, which is that ANZ Championship is quite simply paying for its coverage not getting a rights fee and then refunding it.

I have heard the same HO, for whatever that is worth.

BTW, an interesting comment from an 'NBL spokesman' re ONE in Boti Nagy's article: "Sport is not being abandoned altogether," an NBL spokesman said. "We will be on their channel."

If they stick on ONE and it becomes a signigicantly higher rating channel it will mean a lot more exposure for the NBL. Of course, with that comes proof one way or the other. The NBL's ratings now are pretty consistent with ONE's overall ratings I believe. If the channel picks up more viewers but the NBL doesnt that will spell trouble. If it does then that could secure a long term future on FTA TV.

If the contract is tight and Ten are still keen this could actually be a very good thing for the NBL, providing there is interest. At least we would find out.

very true Paul. lead ins and lead outs are often critical to ratings.

Sorry anon, you called me out - can't help it if you don't like it when your call is answered.

And show me once where I was negative. Does because you do not like facts put in front of you, does not make me negative.