Rubbish. Plenty of A League fans are watching on Foxtel. They are rating anywhere between 50-100k per game.

"Forget about the ratings! NBL is a minor sport for TV viewing. As long as the product is good, the commentators are positive and talk the league up, and crowds fill the arenas to make the TV coverage look as good as it can be, then those that do watch the sport will be happy."

Wow. I'm sure the Sponsors will be convinced by that way of thinking

Just to add, yes Kestelman is paying for production costs at the moment.

Will he continue to pay for production (which costs a lot per game mind you) costs for years to come? I sincerely doubt it.

He's happy to fund it at the moment but in future years he wants it to be worth something to sell (ie a broadcaster to pay for the rights).

This is where ratings really do count. If it doesn't rate well, it is worth nothing.

Kestelman is a businessman, not a charity.

Ratings bring in sponsorship, creating the majority of the revenue for the League.

Anyone who says that ratings aren't important, clearly has no idea about how professional sports work

"Does the a league have an app for $5.00 a month. Soccer to me is boring."

No it doesn't, which makes it look even worse for the NBL.

People are STILL tuning into Foxtel.

I find soccer boring too but it still ourates the NBL by a long way.

Zone defence is permitted in lawn bowls and it still rates through the roof, so ... back to the drawing board on that one I guess.

The Aussie market is such that Australians want to see the BEST of the best in the sport.
That is why NRL, AFL rate so high because the best players in the game are playing in this comp (obviously AFL is only payed professionally in Aus).
Super rugby doesnt rate that high compared to tests because the best players arent playing in that contest.

The same goes for A league and NBL. The public know the best players in the world play abroad and not here.

The public is fickle in this way, they only want to watch the best of the best.

"Before Kestleman came in the league was virtually dead anyway"

Thank you and why? Because there would not have been a renewed television broadcast partner. Why? Because it didn't rate, which destroyed a majority of the revenue. No revenue= no NBL (or any other business for that matter).

Larry has saved the League, no doubt about that and it has cost him millions.

I hope you are right, that he sticks around after the 3 year period is up.

Kerry Stokes stuck around for awhile after the Wildcats were losing ALOT of money.

He eventually got tired of losing money and sold the club to Vlahov and Longley for $1.00 and the had to clear the enormous debt.

I hope things do improve with time. They will need too

"The Aussie market is such that Australians want to see the BEST of the best in the sport.
That is why NRL, AFL rate so high because the best players in the game are playing in this comp (obviously AFL is only payed professionally in Aus).
Super rugby doesnt rate that high compared to tests because the best players arent playing in that contest.

The same goes for A league and NBL. The public know the best players in the world play abroad and not here.

The public is fickle in this way, they only want to watch the best of the best."

I understand what you are saying but that is still not strictly true.

The A League ratings aren't huge but they are enough for Foxtel to still pay for the rights.

IF we eventually get to their ratings figures, we will be ok

This league will be gone in a few years. You think Kestleman is going to continue to lose money on this?

This is a business venture for him. If he cant see he will make a profit, he will dump it and leave.

What's your point here exactly? Who cares that the NBL rates because it won't be here for long?

A lot of us care about how it rates precisely because we want the NBL to last!

Thank you KET

I'm not that worried about the ratings as Foxtel will play just about any sport it can get the rights, they won't cut the NBL.
But the product needs fixing to be watchable for the masses, I'm a cats fan but do try and watch the rest of the games when I can but I never last long before switching over.
1- the production is rubbish, from the score board not updating (sometimes for minutes at a time) to the 'what the hell' high corner camera angle for 3-4 trips up the floor. It drives me insane.
2- Ads and replays at critical times. With 1min to go in a tight game I get a replay of the last 30sec and miss the critical action.
3- and most of all. DWAYNE FUCKING RUSSEL!!!! Get rid of this flog!!!! Knows sweet fuck all about basketball. I swear Fox Footy overpaid him and are now trying to find other ways for him to contribute. The moment I hear him commentating I either flick over or mute and stream a radio broadcast.

You must remember though, even if Fox continue to broadcast the NBL, even with poor ratings, it means less sponsorship dollars, less revenue and ultimately, an unviable product

28K is a sizeable improvement on last year's ratings. And I am assuming your comparing lawn bowls on FTA with basketball on Foxtel?

Yes, but they don't get a full page in The New York Times like the 36ers (T.Ferguson)

"28K is a sizeable improvement on last year's ratings. And I am assuming your comparing lawn bowls on FTA with basketball on Foxtel?"

Nope, both on Foxtel ratings

Tempo if you don't like the NBL, maybe get something else in your life instead of constantly posting about how you don't rate it? Nobody cares.

Hmmm, lawn bowls was rating close to 200,000 viewers for the World Cup coverage on Saturday afternoons, back in 2011 (http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/08/abc-to-quit-lawn-bowls.html). So I'm not surprised it outrates NBL.

Lawn bowls appeals to a specific demographic that I doubt is interested in watching NBL. That's the same demographic (people aged 35+) that's increased sporting participation by around 150% over the last 20 years (see a recent thread about basketball participation in Australia over the last 25 years). That increase has been almost entirely in sports other than basketball. It's been in sports like lawn bowls, cycling, swimming etc.

I doubt NBL is winning new fans in the 35+ age group at all and it's unlikely ever to win them in large numbers. If someone hasn't become a fan of NBL by 35, then I think the game is too spasmodic and the rules too difficult to discern (from watching games) for most older watchers to get hooked.