The NBL will once again find a home on Free-to-Air TV, with the announcement of a partnership between the government funded network SBS and the NBL for the 2016/17 season.
The deal will include one LIVE broadcast each Sunday, beginning on the 9th of October with Melbourne United taking on the Adelaide 36ers.
SBS has been instrumental in bringing niche Australian sports to the forefront, most notably with the A League, which underwent a similar transformation to the NBL over a decade ago on the back of a strong showing by the Socceroos in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
After a fourth placed finish from the Boomers at the Rio Olympics, it is hoped that the SBS deal could help the NBL emulate the success of the A League, which has made soccer one of the nation’s most followed team sports after years of dwindling interest.
The NBL will be the most accessible it has ever been to fans this season, with all games being shown on FOXTEL, NBL TV and now the weekly offering on SBS and SBS HD.
The 2016/17 NBL season begins on October 6th.
New Melbourne United recruit and Australian basketball legend David Anderson
Jarrad Hurley's professional basketball aspirations led him to the dizzying heights of the Adelaide social league circuit. After an epiphany that his hoop dreams would go unrealised, he put the ball down and picked up a pen. Jarrad lives vicariously through the successes of Australian basketball, is a mad 36ers fanatic, and might just cry if the Boomers ever medal.
