The NBL scores new broadcast deal with Nine
Channel Nine has given new life to the upcoming NBL season in Australia, signing a three-year deal to become the competition’s official broadcast partner.
Two games per round will be broadcast free to air from October 11 on Nine’s multichannel, 9Go.
The deal also covers broadcast video on demand (BVOD) platform 9Now, to cover each game live and offer seven day catch up for all matches, regardless of the network the match has aired on.
In a very similar deal Nine did with Netball Australia in 2016, the NBL partnership is a revenue sharing agreement which will see Nine handle sponsorship and advertising spots during the games, but will share the revenue.
Nine’s Director of Sport Tom Malone said it was the perfect time to help the NBL go to the next level.
“We are thrilled to have Basketball back on Nine and part of the Wide World of Sports family.”
“Larry and the team at NBL have done a terrific job re-building basketball in Australia, and securing some big name for the coming season – it will be great to see Andrew Bogut make his debut for the Sydney Kings,” Malone said.
“Moreover, this signals yet another innovation in sports rights, where the value of Nine’s spectrum has been recognised in lieu of a rights fee and production costs, while Nine has secured exclusive rights to commercialise the broadcast and sponsorship opportunities within and around the game day production, for distribution on Nine, Fox Sports and NBL.”
“We have also structured a commercial partnership beyond the broadcast, to build a business relationship between the NBL and Nine to achieve maximum return for both sporting body and broadcaster in the years ahead.”
NBL owner and Executive Director Larry Kestelman said: “This is a very exciting announcement for the NBL and Australian basketball.
“To have a major free to air commercial partner in Nine will help take the NBL to a new level and confirm our status as the best league in the world outside of the NBA.”
“We are delighted that more fans than ever before will be able to watch live basketball on Nine’s free to air channels and enjoy what is a golden period for the game in Australia including two huge games between the Boomers and Team USA next year,” he said.
“To be part of one of Australia’ leading media companies will take basketball to a bigger audience than ever before and we can’t wait for the season to start on October 11.”
