It's unavoidable to have a clash with NRL/AFL. It's either the start or the end of NBL season.

I guess NBL would like to push the season forward to avoid the NBL finals series clashing with the start of NRL season. However, it doesn't work due to Olympics, Summer League and summer holiday. Hence they starts the season in late September.

I honestly don't see the issue. Hoopsfest is in Perth - financially driven by the WA State Government, no football in that city during the period so target audience is available. A Throwdown on a Thursday night before a public holiday in that city - good marketing sense. Same week Friday night games in Illawarra and Perth - neither city has a football code remaining alive in respective seasons. AFL grand final Saturday games in Cairns and Tassie - neither city has a team and aside from slight overlap with the start of Cairns game those spectator markets are open - Taipans fans will still pack the place as will JackJumpers. NRL grand final Sunday afternoon games featuring United, Cairns, Tassie and Perth - Melbourne the only city with an NRL team, United game finished by 4.30pm which is well before the big dance.

It's not like they have scheduled a 2.30pm United vs Wildcats game at John Cain Arena on AFL grand final day or a 4.30pm Kings vs Hawks game at Qudos Bank Arena on NRL grand final day.

Here's a post I made about the Grand Final 6 months ago

https://www.hoops.com.au/forum/51876-nbl-grand-final-series-2023E2809324/

"Game 1 clashes with the first full round of AFL, with 9 of the 10 Victorian teams playing in Victoria this weekend (although thankfully only one Sunday game, earlier at 1pm), Games 2 and 3 clash with Grand Prix weekend and Games 4 and 5 at Easter time. NBL should move the season forward."

Now, Easter won't be that early every year, but the main point is you're bound to clash with AFL/NRL somewhere. It's just a matter of when. Unless you shorten the season.

I think I'm OK with starting next week.

My team (St Kilda) didnt even qualify for finals, and there's only 3 AFL games left (when NBL starts) - two prelims and the GF. If you had to choose, clashing with the long-awaited round 1 at the other end is worse. Because everyone's been waiting 6 months to attend the footy again and lets be honest, its most people's number one sport.

And yeah NRL is one week behind AFL but doesn't change the point that much.

Nailed it LV. A complete non-issue starting the season in the midst of footy finals when the vast majority of NBL games will be played in cities that won't host games for either footy code.

Yeah we had this discussion last year and at first was sceptical and then felt like it was fine if not good timing to have the Throwdown on the Thursday night before the GF public holiday.

A bit off topic but giants home finals game tonight is half empty. Over a season the kings probably got bigger crowds.

Yeah but Giants are only 12 years old.

Sydney Swans averaged about 40,000 a game at the SCG this year

Sydney is a notoriously tough nut to crack, half the NRL games are played in empty stadiums too.

The giants had so much hope in Sydney, then they moved to inner west Sydney and then people realised they were just a Melbourne franchise, supporters then walked away. Most of there supporters are from football state's,living in Sydney, original locals gave it the flick after a couple seasons.

"then people realised they were just a Melbourne franchise"

What do you mean?

Totally run by Melbourne puppets starting with Sheedy and then not handing over to chocko as was agreed. All senior management from vic. Slvagni got so many first round picks wrong and then took some to Carlton and they didn't improve. Imo chocko probably would’ve won them a premiership by now. Even yesterday the place wasn’t full and 1/3 crowd were Brisbane. When big interstate clubs play there it like home game to them as they have more support. It just seems soulless imo, not to many sides give up a 44 point lead on their home deck. The crowd would get you over the line imo. Again I don’t like the lions so maybe I have a slanted view due to losing but I don’t think so.