Championship Series, not Finals Series.

The new terminology is ridiculous.

Any chance the 2 Sunday games will be on 10 Peach or will the NBL surprise us and not show them on FTA.

Turd of a TV contract this is.

The NBL really missed a trick not having at least one of today's games on FTA, there was nothing else on TV today.

Isn't that why ESPN pays $$$?

ESPN pays to get every game during the season. They shouldn't also get exclusivity in the playoffs.

I believe the deal was 2 FTA games on 10 Peach on Sundays including the finals (although apparently that's not necessarily the case) The FTA component is part of the overall contract. If that's not the case then why schedule games on Sunday when it's on FTA and not Saturday night when it's on ESPN otherwise.

As I understand it the NBL never said playoff games would be on FTA which was a bone of contention on here at the time. The NBL obviously wanting to increase their profile have allowed some Sunday playoff games to be simulcast on 10 Peach like last weekend and some last season too, but not showing a game today was pretty ordinary.

I expect Game 2 of the Finals series will be simulcast on FTA like last season.

Last weekend wasn't the playoffs.

Don't be an idiot, who did the 36ers play last weekend then?

Only the two series from this weekend were playoffs. Nothing before that was playoffs. Sydney vs New Zealand is not playoffs.

It's an incredibly dumb system.

Irrespective of the terminology as to what is a playoff game, a play-in game, a finals series, a championship series - whatever you want to call it. Its the post season now and it's the business end where it all matters. Although apparently not enough to warrant a set-in-stone guarantee to show some of the series live on FTA.

Yeah I get it - $45 million is good money for the league. The post season has always sucked - either with shitty TV deals, or poor SF crowds or whatever. The NBL has not been able to nail this part of the season.

Only the two series from this weekend were playoffs. Nothing before that was playoffs.

I said the two series from this weekend, not the two games from this weekend.

WC95,

I'm with you on the broader point but some playoff games have already been shown on 10 Peach i.e. the Play-In game between Perth and Cairns followed by Game 1 of the SF series between NZ and Tassie last Sunday and likely Game 2 of the GF series next Sunday which we got last season.

Yes koberulz you fucked up again trying to look like a smart arse.

So what was on 10 Peach this morning? Even if the ESPN arrangement allows 10 to show the games, 10 could well have said no.

So let me get this straight the fig leaf you're clinging to is that Game 1 of the NZ vs Tassie series was not a playoff game but Game 3 of the same series was?

You and I both know you fucked up trying to play your usual Hoops Pedant role and because you steadfastly refuse to ever admit you made a mistake, just like last week, you're going to sit there and try and claim this nonsense.

Assuming you're not feigning ignorance like you usually do, it's more likely the NBL gave both of today's games to ESPN exclusively as a sop to the big money they're paying per year as opposed to Ten who are likely paying nothing. I'm sure Ten would've preferred two live sports games today rather than run repeats of Mom when there was nothing much else on FTA today.

Championship Series, not Finals Series.

The new terminology is ridiculous.

My post about what was on 10 Peach this morning was unrelated to this argument.

Game one of the NZ-Tassie series was part of the NZ-Tassie series, which was played this weekend, which is therefore one of "this weekend's series".

Confirmed Game 2 of the Finals will be on FTA (but not Game 4 if needed).

Game 2: Sunday 5 March
New Zealand Breakers v Sydney Kings, Spark Arena, 4:00pm AEDT
Live & free on ESPN via Kayo Freebies, 10 Peach & 10 play, live on SkySport (NZ)

Good point Zodiac re Ten. It's possible ESPN had exclusive rights to today's deciding games.

Whats frustrating is the complete lack of mentioning this from the NBL. This whole SF campaign hasn't been very well run and the NBL hasn't been viewed positively in my opinion. Think I might tune out from the GF series - or whatever it's called now. I dont think its worth following if there's no assurances of free coverage.

I know it's a dogs breakfast come playoff time just like last season was too. I saw on Twitter the NBL are advertising the GF series to be shown on ESPN & Kayo Freebies in their graphic with no mention whatsoever of 10 Peach. Obviously it's a plug to ESPN & Kayo who are paying for the rights but just sends mixed messages.

The NBL really need to sort themselves out with this constant trying to walk both sides of the street stuff.

Most uninteresting finals series since 2017 at least, who cares.

Bring on AFL in a month's time. A professional league with real history. Run by mostly competent administrators and with decent officiating.

I believe the deal was 2 FTA games on 10 Peach on Sundays including the finals (although apparently that's not necessarily the case)

Oh ok, I didn't know that. I assumed Sunday games were FTA games no matter what. And I think its fair to assume alot of fans didn't either going by the reaction on the NBL Facebook pages. It's not exactly common knowledge unless you read and remember all the articles. If anything good, a reminder by the NBL would have been nice to allow fans to go to a pub or meet up with friends who have ESPN to go and watch.

This is another thing I hate - G1 is covered but not G2 and 3. Just don't bother with G1 right? Why bother if the FTA coverage gets cut off mid-series. At least there's more transparency there and we all know what to expect.

I thought this thread was about the finals series, not tv rights??

Only one game 3 was on 10 Peach and that was the Breakers, Tassie game. It's confusing since Sydney game was meant to also be on 10 Peach.

The NBL said 3 March game on Friday night will be on 10 Peach, I doubt that.

"Think I might tune out from the GF series - or whatever it's called now. I dont think its worth following if there's no assurances of free coverage."

All the games are on Kayo Freebies. The league needs to be shouting that from the rooftops.

With no players from either side playing in the Asian qualifiers, why wait for the GF series to begin ?

The NBL is a FIBA sactioned league and therefore no games are able to be played during FIBA window.

Will the FIBA window games be streamed anywhere?

Courtside1891.basketball streams all FIBA games.

And yes this is a legit site.

The euro league and nba continue playing through the fiba break.

NBA isn't FIBA

And Euroleague isn't FIBA.

Just an observation, but there hasn't been much hype surrounding this so far. Even the NBLs own hype workers haven't been able to generate much enthusiasm. Did the FIBA break kill off all the momentum? Every year it's something that hurts the NBL finals.

Not much point hyping a series that was two weeks away, I bet once these FIBA qualifiers are out of the way they'll start hyping the GF series this week.