Anonymous
Years ago
Feels like there's a bit of a gap in the sports market right now. AFL finishing, no NBA, no a-league. Would've been a good opportunity to grab the sports limelight
proud
Years ago
Definitely because after Bathurst, then what is on?
koberulz
Years ago
Yeah, the NBL has missed a huge opportunity to spend millions of dollars on a hub setup so TV networks can spend zero dollars on the rights to air it.
KET
Years ago
A bit unfortunate in a way that NBL can't really take advantage of this gap between AFL and Cricket.
Do wonder if there could have been capacity for an "FA Cup Style" hub in Queensland over 2-3 weeks. Such an event would have to be around Cairns/Townsville, perhaps Brisbane, with local & state government support and with ESPN + an FTA (probably SBS) happy to broadcast.
You'd then look at it and go 1) do the numbers add up or is it just sinking money and 2) will it capture an audience or will it be ignored like a pre-season blitz
The positives would be more opportunity to add value/keep sponsors happy, a way to get more money for the players and to get them into competitive shape for the upcoming season.
There may be additional talent residing in Australia for the time being that may be interested in playing some competitive basketball for a few weeks as well.
It will cost to much money so the NBL hasn't missed an opportunity as it would have run games at a massive loss.
In the current climate TV isn't jumping with cash to get extra sport on the tv as Ad revenues are falling. Particularly a sport like NBL thats shown no one watches it.
In reality the NBL can't start until they have crowds and the WA government open up the border as WA quarantine arrangements will cause major issues
No one under the age of 35 watch tv, they stream everything. Yes it would have cost money but you can sell advertising direct. There would have been country centres very happy to hold a hub to start the season, so yes chance missed.
ME
Years ago
NBL has missed nothing. If you can't get fans in stadiums the league can't survive.
Tjamu
Years ago
To the guys above talking about selling advertising, I ask this genuinely, but its going to sound like im getting lippy.
How worth it is buying advertising space? I honestly can't remember (as a young male in the 18-25 bracket) myself in th last god knows how many eyars seeing an advert in the background of a sports game or on a wall at my local footy club/basketball stadium n going hmmmm i need a new drum of Shell Automotive Oil or yknow what would settle my upset stomach, a nice flame grilled whopper from Hungry Jacks, where the burgers are better.
I dunno if advertising potential is all that effective anymore.
The sell direct advertising thing doesn't work and ad revenue sharing clearly doesn't either as you actually need Significant numbers for it to work.
We need to understand the NBL is a niche sport and must act prudently before spending massive coin to host a Hub with the costs associated with it to create an even bigger loss making venture than the NBL already is.
The NBL won't run until things open up with crowds in Vic and removal of border restrictions in WA.
BeeGee
Years ago
"The NBL won't run until things open up with crowds in Vic and removal of border restrictions in WA."
If that's the hurdle for the NBL starting, realistically, will there even be a season this year/early next (i.e. 20/21 season)? I think there's a chance of the VIC crowds happening, but not really the WA borders opening up.
WA borders becomes a major issue for the Wildcats and lets not forget QLD might be shut to Vic's for a while yet.
This is all before we've even discussed NZ and the issues facing them playing.
NZ seems more likely to open their borders with SA, QLD and NSW than WA is.
Border Recap
WA - Closed to all
SA - Open to all except perhaps Vic
Tas - Open except Vic
QLD - Most likely open to all except Vic after the upcoming election
NZ - Talking travel bubble but won't include Vic
Vic - Lepers that no one wants to let in
WA isn't closed to all if you have an exemption like the AFL did.
AFL got around it because it is rich. NBL doesn't have millions to throw at the problem. Wildcats better get used to hubbing because WA rules are totally political and the WA election isn't until mid March.
Wildcats are WA's most successful sporting team. I'm sure they will be fine
Nbl got some very god sponsors, hungry jacks and Bunnings , chemist warehouse all doing very nicely. We are supposed to be the second best league in the world, been told to us punters continuously over past few seasons and how good it's all going, money everywhere. It looks like all BS and can’t even finance a short time bubble to get season started. Back to square one.
No one has ever said the NBL has got money everywhere.
Bubble will be the fall back position hence why they pushed the start of the season back
Flying teams to the US for preseason games and telling people how good it's all going and basically not having a salary cap shows wealth, obviously in hindsight it’s not that good.
koberulz
Years ago
AFL got around it because it is rich. NBL doesn't have millions to throw at the problem.The AFL got around it by falling under the essential business exemption and then having all their players quarantine as required.
Isaac
Years ago
There's a difference between having money for gambling on US ties vs throwing away money on a scenario here which is almost all risk. Far less upside on a successful hub.
AFL tv rights are worth a fortune so even though they had to spend big to make games happen it was still worth it. That does not compare to the NBL situation. NBL needs attendance.
Yes nbl needs attendance, but that is because TV audience isn't aware of them. This would have been an opportunity to create brand awareness
In direct competition with the WNBL Hub in FNQ. You do know the NBL run all of BA's commercial operations don’t you?
D2.0
Years ago
Yes, its unfortunate that as AFL finishes, the NBL will not be there to fill the gap as it usually does. I might have to start watching Cricket.
Or hopefully there will be good coverage of the WNBL hub?
As many others have pointed out, its combination of Covid presence in Melbourne, crows and travel restrictions elsewhere, and hard borders in some states and NZ.
In regards the AFL, it was able to work around it for the following reasons:
1) Until the WA hub was finished, the AFL kept up the pretence of considering Perth for the finals, thus ensuring cooperation. For the elimination final, they offered to allow it to be played in Perth, but only if quarantine could be navigated.
2) During the Perth Hub, and the earlier hubs, AFL was only played once a week, making it easier to work with quarantine periods. For the EF there was an extra weeks gap.
3) Teams were not coming from Melbourne or Sydney, so the risk of anyone actually having the virus was lower.
4) The AFL could afford to have people sitting in hotels for weeks.
5) If you look at how the Perth hub operated, visiting teams were only allowed to play the Eagles or Dockers at the end of their 2nd week in Perth.
6) The AFL has a stupendously lucrative TV deal, so there was massive incentive for them to get as many games as possible televised, even if that meant playing them in bufu FNQ.
The NBL generally loses money anyway, and the revenue it does get is mostly bums on seats. To get the season running under the current circumstances, they'd have to relocate, at a minimum, MU, SEM, NZ, and Perth (not sure about SA's borders?) So ok, you could start with those teams just playing a bunch of away games in QLD and NSW, but then what? If the restrictions aren't eased, you'd have to start playing "home" games away, and then games in "neutral" cities with only a handful of people watching.
It MAY still come down to that. But if it does it will need to be a very condensed season, just to try and contain the costs.
I think I speak for all of us when I say please start watching cricket D2.0
get right into it even if that means having to stop watching basketball
A league starting in December, yes they have missed a chance.
You don't speak for me, I think D.2 contributes are fine. You don’t have to read them.
Based on what the AFL did for the finals, teams traveling to Perth would have to quarantine over there for 7 days, then the Wildcats would have to quarantine for 14 days because they played a bunch of dirty non-Western Australians.
NSW borders are open to everyone except Victoria, including NZ. ACT is the same although I don't think they're allowed NZers.
NT is the same as NSW.
QLD borders are open to everyone except Victoria and NSW, NSW sports teams are allowed in though with the right permits. Might need to lease a plane to get in though.
SA borders are open to everyone except Victoria, probably will be open to NZ soon as well.
TAS borders are opening to everyone except Victoria and maybe NSW on Oct 26.
Technically Victoria's borders are open but you're not allowed in a group over 6.
WA borders are closed.
So probably have to move the Vic teams and Perth into some sort of hub.
The virus is a long way from over, having spectators at events is fanciful now or in near future unless a hub type set up done. The longer you wait the more unlikely it's happening. Pick a medium sized centre with a few basketball courts and get the show on the road or pull the season.
Bathurst has supposedly lost 50 million at this years race, accommodation and all businesses suffering. Nsw government sponsoring the race. Nice basketball stadium in Bathurst, would be nice place for a hub to help local businesses, get season started.
#217 you'd be a fun guy at a party. January is a long way away
Vic gov and WA gig effectively stuff the chance of an nbl and those team will bleed cash with no crowds If they stuck in a hub.
No crowds means no league as players won't play for free and a hub won’t work as league doesn’t have the cash to pay for it.
koberulz
Years ago
The WNBL is cheaper, barely running a proper season, and backed by the government.
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