Hahaha well played.

Seriousry?

The number of people on Facebook asking why there are no FTA games in Australia, and why we can't get all games broadcast here, doesn't say much for the NBL's marketing.

Or perhaps it doesn't say much for those people.

koberulz complaining i dont believe it!!!

Yes there are many confused idiots on the NBL Facebook, but those people would be idiots no matter how well you try to inform them.

Perhaps, but it wouldn't hurt to keep mentioning SBS, NBL TV, and Fox Sports in all their broadcast-related articles.

And are they doing any marketing at all outside of people who are currently interested? Boti Nagy had an article on that subject a week or two ago. SBS and NBL TV in particular aren't really going to attract viewers who don't already know about the league.

Games are on 503 from the get-go this year, so you'll pick up some who just browse the sports channels.

Why would Chinese people want to watch our league though? The only way to get real interest is to have NBL clubs competing against Chinese clubs in a Champions League style setting.

This will be about as successful as the Singapore Slingers were - the people of Singapore said why do we want to watch a bunch of Australian basketballers for?

Because its heaps better than the CBA

I like the ambition and idea although it is a valid question to raise... why would the Chinese watch it?

How many Australians watch Euroleague (a stronger league than NBL)?

If it wasn't on Foxtel, how many Aussies would still watch Euroleague by actively finding streaming?

I think Chinese would watch CBA because of the local aspect and NBA (like us Aussies) because it's the big show. Given that, i'd be interested as to how many tune in for the NBL - and if it's not on TV, how many would go to the effort to find streams.

With that said, there's plenty of Chinese in Australia who like basketball and they would be a nice market in itself. Hopefully the cost of Chinese commentary and graphics pays for itself - and it might, I mean we've seen CPA come on board for the NBL stars China tour and the ABC involving two Chinese sides.

If the carrier's involved market it well, especially through the use of highlights, then it could get interest from basketball lovers in China, of which there are plenty.

We will see. The fact the CBA teams here for the ABC got thumped helps, sending a message that this is a very good comp. I think it's a promising move, but the proof will be in the numbers.

Re Euroleague, the NBL is generally more entertaining basketball for casuals as it is more offensive minded and free-flowing.

Hey Benno I hear the Spanish league is much better than the NBL but I have no interest in watching it. Nba is what I watch as the best in the league in the world and NBL is the other because of the local attachment. I reckon most fans are in the same boat

I don't think Euroleague being boring is what stops Australians en masse watching it though (...I mean soccer can be pretty boring and look how many love it! ;) )

CBA and NBA would take a massive chunk of the market and consumption, even with such a big population and bball fanaticism. Being a 'good product' in itself probably doesn't cut it - I mean there's also Euroleague and NCAA with NBA prospects and an epic tournament which are competing quality products.

The big benefit the NBL has is our proximity and ability to exert influence as a nation generally. Chinese may well be fairly knowledgeable and connected to Australian culture - that helps when pushing any product, including the NBL.

Slobodon is making my point, and I'd imagine the vast vast vast majority of even serious bball fanatics are in the same boat.

There's a huge population of Chinese nationals who have lived here to study, and subsequently been exposed to the NBL. So there will be some kind of marketable interest there. Regardless, it's going there and it's got a chance to succeed. If they can get interested in AFL, Rugby and V8 super cars then I'd say it's a good chance the NBL will be of interest too

Oh yeah, let's not forget the Chinese love to gamble big time. So that'll help too

The comparison to Euroleague in Australia is a poor one because Euroleague is in a bad timeslot, you have to pay to watch it and there isn't a big base of basketball supporters in Australia as there is in China.

If these Chinese broadcasters put some effort into exposing the NBL to basketball fans, it is a free product in a pretty good timeslot and only needs to get a fraction of Chinese hoops fans watching to have a benefit to the NBL.

Perhaps the biggest benefit could just be Chinese fans watching highlights on their version of youtube, which is one of the broadcasters.

If those numbers are OK it could open up some sponsorship opportunities and help the NBL's push to have a team in China.

As Paul is saying, watching highlights is realistic at least.

Like many others here I don't watch many full Euroleague games but I do find myself checking out basketball of our nearest neighbours. I keep track of the ASEAN league that Slingers are now in, the NZNBL and even much smaller leagues like the Vietnamese league (which do some quick good highlight packages on a small budget).

Maybe I am a freak though.

I think you are!

But given population size, if the same proportion of Chinese basketball fans pay attention to the NBL as Australian hoop fans who pay attention to the Euroleague, then the NBL's fan base will multiply many times!