Hope The AFL takes notice of what happened to the NBL when less games are played on FTA - more money is not always the best thing!

true but their product is so much bigger that they can take a small hit. The NBL take a small hit and the crowds are almost cut in half.

Nah, 5 minute rule is great. Players dont know how much time is left, why should we? In fact I reckon they should just show how much time has elasped instead of counting backwards. Just like at the ground. (go the bombers by the way)

Wow. That's a huge blow to Nine. Welcome to the job Jamie! I work just across from Channel 7's national HQ. I'll be looking for the champagne corks flying off Stokes' verandah this afternoon...

It is, believe it or not, actually a good sign for basketball. There are very good reasons why the cost of the AFL has gone up sharply (and the NRL has as well, just not to that degree or total figure).

Television itself, and our viewing habits, are changing and will only change moreso in the coming future. Live TV and 'Event' TV (think reality tv finals etc) are where it's at for the networks. For anything else, we are getting more and more choice in regards to what we watch and when we watch it, and are steering away from the networks. Give it a few years and, for example, episodes of US drama series that we love, we'll just watch them on our own time and steam, even if we pay a small amount for that. In the US, ABC and NBC have already opened up their catalogue of programming for downloading via iTunes. Add to that the way the Tivo technology is used their, and it has taken the advertising dollar right out of anything along those lines. Only really sport and event tv is where they are still making their cash. They CAN pin a time down and say, at this time this show will be watched by this many people and they will see your ad.

As this trend continues, the FTA networks will invest more and more in sport and events and less in big cost US dramas and sitcoms and certainly not on films.

Basketball stands it's best FTA chance in the coming years. Nine now has a lot of time to fill. The NBL has it's hands tied with Fox, but who owns Fox? Well a quarter of it is owned by Nine parent PBL... Perhaps they'd like to start with a magazine/highlight show???

But 9 has, and always will have, cricket over summer. So where does Hoops fit in to their plans? I wouldn't hold my breath for any FTA on 9 anytime soon.

Had we stayed with a winter season, then maybe. Would still have been unlikely IMO, but more likely than over summer!

I personally think of all the stations, 9 would be the least likely to show basketball.

That's true - Nine winning would have been better for basketball, and even then, there is still the fact that basketball is well on the nose, but hey, a bit of optimism can't hurt!

Nine also recently won the Rugby television rights which may not seem big to us, but its huge on the eastern seaboard. They've still got winter and summer sports coverage with that and cricket.

Unfortunately I can't see why they'd want to bid anything for NBL rights when PBL already have exposure through Foxtel.

FTA NBL - not likely IMO with the increasing popularity of soccer leading up to the world cup, but it is needed to resurrect the game in Oz.

Interestingly both Seven and Ten's share prices have fallen since the announcement. There's a general feeling that they've paid too much and that Nine were only baiting them cos they know they'd pay almost anything to get footy back.

Damn 9 was the best bye bye eddie!!!
most of The 10 commentators suck!
As bruce would say
"That's Special!!!"

It might just be me, but does basketball suffer as a potential FTA TV product in this country because of dilution?

Basketball, to the outsider, is on all the time. It's Wednesday, and NZ are playing Hunter. Or is it Perth playing Wollongong? In two days time they'll playing someone else. Teams are playing four or five games in less than two weeks.

Footy (and soccer), on the other hand, is played only on weekends. It allows for a week of buildup, then the release of the game, and the cycle begins again.

My only real memory of when basketball was on FTA in the late 80s/early 90s was those big Sunday lunchtime games - they were billed as bigger than Ben Hur. It was on at a set time, promoted heavily beforehand and got a good audience.

I realise there's a whole lot more to the FTA situation than that, but I don't think dilution helps.

Anon #64159: (God I wish people would use names on here)

Channels Seven and Ten have not yet won the television rights - they have only matched what Channel 9 has offered. The deal also includes coverage contracts, which is important for the AFL especially in the northern States.

The AFL has yet to respond to Seven and Ten's offer.

okay, NOW it has been announced!

The Australian Football League today announced that the Channel Seven and Channel Ten Networks have exercised their rights under the first and last rights agreement to match the offer made to the AFL by PBL on December 23, 2005 to broadcast all 8 games per week on Free to Air TV for 5 years commencing in 2007.

The AFL intends to hold discussions with Networks Seven and Ten over the coming weeks to finalise the programming schedule for the broadcast rights period. Full details of the coverage schedule will be publicly announced when those discussions have been completed.

In making the announcement, AFL CEO Mr. Andrew Demetriou said," The AFL congratulates the Seven and Ten Networks on acquiring the rights to broadcast AFL games from 2007 to 2011. Network Ten has been a great partner since 2001, and we have no doubt that this already successful partnership will continue to flourish in coming years."

Whatever.

I'm pretty sure that's the first "Whatever"-alone comeback in Hoops SA history.

No more arguing.

Yeah - or you'll both be sent to your rooms with no supper!

Bo : I tend to agree. With the footy, supporters always know there team will play on the weekend, and for interstate teams, will play at home every 2nd week (with a few exceptions). With the NBL, it's a bit all over the place. Especially with cramming stacks of games in short periods (EG Brisbane playing Wed, Fri, Sat) and then spacing games out (EG 7 games in 7 weeks for the 6ers). Fans like routine. Footy is on FTA TV at the same times every week.

Between cricket in summer, and NRL in winter, I don't see 9 having any room for NBL, nor the audience to demand it being broadcast.

Goodbye Eddie, Hello Bruce
Goodbye Dermie, Hello Sandy

Just sad that we won't be able to hear the doyen of AFL commentary: Dennis Commetti.

Here's what we'll be missing out on:
"Scotty Cummings is alone in the square, jumping up and down and waving his arms like they're playing My Sharona."

"A couple of big touches from Clive Waterhouse, who was battling up until about five minutes ago, in danger of becoming Clive Waterboy."

"The Magpies ought to be kicking themselves right now, but with their luck, they'd probably miss."

"Farmer may have an injury to his calf ... hmmm, a farmer with a calf problem ..."

"Spider had both his legs taken out from under him - leaving only the other six to balance on ..."

"Barlow to Bateman. The Hawks are attacking alphabetically."

"Centimetre Perfect"

Considering the Dennis was originally with Seven, I think it would be fair to assume that he will continue to commentate with one of the Stations as he only does Football and cant really be offered anything to stay at nine for.

I think Dennis did the ING Cup once (correct me if I'm wrong).
He sort of did this -
'That's a nice shot on the back foot there by the batsmen but he locates the fielder out on the boundary who picks it up cleanly and returns it to the keeper who is right over the stumps it's a nice throw and because of this great fielding the batsmen have been kept to two runs which puts the total up to two wickets for 93 runs..breathe..three balls now remain in this over....'
Obviously that's not exact, but for the cricket's sake, I hope he does go back to 7.

I'd prefer he went to 10 and gave their commentry a little more depth.

Why doesn't Channel 10 let the Before the Game crew commentate one game a week? It would add some life to it. Wouldn't we all enjoy Dave Hughes on the boundary reporting what was said in the huddle.
And I think it would be hilarious if they interviewed the losing coac?.

That's COACH

Might be a silly question, but does the NBL actually get much money from Foxtel for televising their games?

i can't beleive this post (#64224) went un-noticed.

Congratulations to Hoop Addict on his 450th post!

Over a period of 18 months HA, a veteran of this Forum, has contributed 450 posts, and to put this feat into perspective, Bizzy went from 0-450 in 7 short months!

HA joins an elite 16 member club (17 if you count Isaac, but really 4,000 comments, you'd think that guy owend the site!)

Here's to hoping we can enjoy more of HA's basketball insight over the coming months.

Now if we could all raise our glasses....

sorry got a bit carried away there.

Well done mate anyway mate.

I don't believe Kerry Packer wanted the rights to AFL, but put in that bid (knowing 7 and 10 would match it)to hurt them financially.

Hey Dunk,

I think my posts have become a lot more informed and less of them over recent months =].

Errr... Thanks Dr. D?

I agree with Hoop Addict (#64224) Australians like their sport on the weekend. I think the NBL needs to think less like the NBA and more like the AFL. Lets have the games on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday
Also lets go for a final 6 not 8 with 11 or 12 teams.
The cricket is generally on during the week with the day/night matches so Channel 9 could do a Saturday night game each week. Theoretically with the basketball being played at the Commonwealth Games this would be a great time to promote the game.