Isaac
Years ago

New NBL TV deal with Ten: live game, possible streaming

The crucial details:

One feature game will be broadcast live nationally every Sunday afternoon on TEN. During the months of October to the conclusion of February, the broadcast time will be live at 2:00PM nationally and live at 1:00PM nationally during March and April;

One game per week will be shown nationally on Friday evenings at the regular timeslot of 9:30PM on TEN's digital channel ONE;

All NBL Finals games will also be broadcast on both TEN and ONE under the new deal, with TEN maintaining access to rebroadcast coverage of New Zealand Breakers 14 home games into Australia.
Justin Milne said that a key component of the new agreement, which will still run the remainder of the original five-year term through until the end of the 2014/15 iiNet NBL Championship season, is the NBL reclaiming the rights to non-TEN produced games for subscription television, IPTV, on-line and mobile.
(My bold emphasis.)

A live game, a delayed Friday game (I have cried about Friday night TV ever since Burke's Backyard got canned...), plus an opportunity for the league to do other things with the remainder.

The questions for me are whether that Friday game could be one from Wednesday or Thursday, or a Breakers game? Will they show us those Breakers games? Even if they're late night? (If they don't, they're bastards!)

Will we see a Fetch TV deal? Will the NBL allow clubs to do what they wish with non-Ten games?

What do you all think?

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Avv  
Years ago

www.livenbl.tv has recently started but with geo-blocking in Australia and New Zealand. I can see this playing a large role next season.

Bigpond Sport on T-Box may also be interested in the IPTV space.

Reply #358810 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Fetch TV is iiNet's product and iiNet are a league sponsor so that might make sense.

Further quote from the press release:

"Just as importantly, we now have this terrific opportunity to talk to a range of potential suitors with an interest in broadcasting all remaining NBL games across multiple platforms. So much is changing in this space and this presents us with a very real opportunity to secure new partnerships that will see all NBL games broadcast on some form of platform, whether it be on TEN, pay television, IPTV, online or mobile."
Via YouTube like Coachella?

Reply #358812 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

A really good deal. Very happy with that. Having the rights to the rest of the games plus internet rights is huge.

Isaac, re: Friday night games. The original deal's number of games were games covered by Ten/ONE, not Sky NZ games, and the wording of the release suggests the same.

Agree re the showing of Breakers games!

Reply #358813 | Report this post


BJF  
Years ago

I note the use of the wording subscription television = fox

Opens gates to have more games shown on fox which would be what the owners of Ten would want to see happen.

IINet would of course want to go down the fetch tv path

Does this give opportunities for local coverage too? The 36ers use broadcast quality equipment at games so it wouldn't be that big of a stretch to get games shown.

The WIN network also covers a number of teams as well so may be that door is ajar as well.

does anyone know how it works in the NBA. I always thought that the games were potentially on various channels depending on the participants.

Reply #358815 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Oh get real Paul, Its huge if your a Ten shareholder and thats about it.

One game live at 1/2pm on Sunday, yeah that will gain huge coverage when most people who have a family are actually enjoying their summer days outside and not sitting in front of the TV.

One game delayed on a Friday night at 930pm, thats only 1 hour better than the crap they dished up this season and as Isaac said it could be any game they choose - whats the bet we see a heap of NZ games from Thursday night here?

And finals will all be shown - but only 1 a week live - again Im severely underwhelmed!

So Ten have gone from having to show 4 games a week next season and pay for all the production etc for each of them to paying for at most 2 games per week and they get to fill a dead timeslot of early arvo on Sunday. Its a huge win for Ten and again the NBL just bend over and take it!

Reply #358816 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

I suggest you check netball's ratings in the Sunday timeslot on Ten. They have gone from 15-20K on ONE to 70-100K on Ten.

Getting the NBL live on one of the main FTA channels plus another game at a reasonable timeslot on ONE is a good result.

Reply #358818 | Report this post


Jack Toft  
Years ago

Any telecast is great and Sunday afternoon is a tough timeslot.

I believe one of the issues with Friday night LIVE games is that the Sixers are the only team who controls their stadium. Others have to negotiate with operators of Entertainment Centres to ensure Miley Cyrus or One Dimension don't have a booking.

Reply #358819 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

I definitely hope now that Ten arent trying to either run the NBL out the door or back to the negotiating table that they show NZ games, even if late at night. That would allow 60+ games under this agreement. There are only 71 this season and all late at night.

Reply #358821 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

And therein lies the problem Paul, we all 'hope' they do the right thing and 'if' they do it will be fantastic.

Must be great to be able to sign off on a contract knowing full well that if you change your mind the other party involved wont do squat to try and make you honour your side of the bargain.

Wonder how it works the other way around? How fast do you think Ten will void this deal and 'renegotiate' if one of the existing teams puls out of the league?

Reply #358826 | Report this post


clarky  
Years ago

I am actually surprised with what the NBL was able to get out of this deal. Sure we all want the NBL to be live every game, or shown at a decent timeslot but at the end of the day, TEN didn't have to show any faith in the league when renegotiating and could have continued to show games after 10:30pm.

While this is a step in the right direction for the league, I think there are still some drawbacks to the new deal.
As Isaac pointed out, we don't know that the Friday night game will be the one scheduled for that week (I am not confident that it will be the scheduled game running on a 1.5-2 hour delay), it could be a game from earlier in the week or a Breakers game, but as fans we need to hope that TEN does the right thing and shows the scheduled game on delay.

There is also no guarantee that we will see the Breakers home games - which have no production costs for TEN, I think all done by SKY Sports - which would be disappointing if it happens.
Last season we were able to see Breakers games on Thursday afternoon/evening (a timeslot that currently shows: Beach Patrol, IFISH, Hogan's Heroes, M*A*S*H, Get Smart and Cops).
I would like to think that showing live or delayed coverage of a Breakers game here would rate better than these shows.

Another issue which I see with the wording from this press release is the same as what BJF pointed out. The NBL reclaimed the rights to non-TEN produced games, with subscription TV being listed as one of the options.
Working on the assumption that the NBL will have the right to sell off/distribute the broadcast rights to non-TEN games, does this mean we will see other games exclusively on Fox, given their ability to offer big money for the broadcast option?

There is so much potential for this deal, most of it comes from the NBL holding the rights to non-TEN broadcast games. This opens up so many opportunities for local broadcasting, IPTV and even an online streaming service (similar to NBA League Pass).
Given that iiNet is the major sponsor of the NBL, you would hope they will be looking at this as an opportunity to develop a streaming service online or through FetchTV to broadcast all NBL games. The ability to increase their customer base, as well as increase profits through subscription services is surely one they wouldn't turn down.

Reply #358827 | Report this post


Avv  
Years ago

Interesting sidenote that Ten/One have canned live coverage of the Formula One:

http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2012/04/fans-angry-as-one-bumps-formula-one-to-ten.html

Reply #358828 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Anon, I thought four games (even delayed) would've been nice too, but after this season where I barely watched delayed games (even when my brother was playing), I've changed my mind. I didn't record them and if I happened to be near a TV after having known the result, I still didn't bother watching.

With the live game (on Ten, not One), they'll get a bigger audience. But the crucial bit is the release of other games for the NBL to show in other ways. Might as well try to make the most of the deal rather than keep up a damaged deal that both sides would've disliked.

The other day in a TV thread, I said something about one live, one delayed, NZ games plus release of the rest for league/clubs to stream online or whatever else. I had heard nothing in advance and thought I would get shouted down by someone in the know for being far too optimistic. Quite surprised they managed to get anything in addition to the rights back for the rest.

As BJF says, the 36ers already film non-TV games to a very watchable standard.

Bring back Nino the commentator!

---

Edited after your later comment:

Must be great to be able to sign off on a contract knowing full well that if you change your mind the other party involved wont do squat to try and make you honour your side of the bargain.
They have all the power. As has been said before, the NBL's other options are to be overwhelmed in court, or deal with the farce we had late this season where games were being shown very late and the network was denying any fan complaints, etc.

(Excuse my attempt at a questionable analogy for entertainment purposes.)

Let's say your wife isn't quite into the relationship any more. Do you put up with a mandated, crappy 'release' four times a week where she grimaces and looks bored the whole time? Or do you go for a new deal with some dynamite break-up sex every Sundays, a little bit of something another day, plus an agreement that you can hook up with whoever you want the rest of the time?

(Of course, knowing that Ten/One is an untrustworthy cow, the risk is getting two days of grimaces, and a few nights at the pub looking lonely because times have changed and all the girls are swamping the AFL guys!)

Reply #358829 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Yeah, it is easy to start wishing for what we want rather than what's realistic. NRL and AFL struggle to get live games on main FTA channels outside their heartland, or even in their heartland until this year in the AFL's case.

Four games late at night wasnt going to help the NBL in the long run, and the subsequent ratings would ensure the NBL didnt get paid for its next TV contract.

At least now the NBL has three years to make it work so they are no longer seen as a ratings basketcase - which they have since 1995 - and expand their footprint in online broadcasting.

Reply #358831 | Report this post


thedoctor  
Years ago

An insight into the Forman household? :)

Reply #358833 | Report this post


HO  
Years ago

There are huge questions to be asked and answered about the online opportunities.

- cost of production (and standard)
- free / pay per view / season pass
- rights

NBA Pass is a huge play, but they have broadcast quality production at every game anyway. The NBL will need to provide this, or a rights holder will need to, and that is not cheap.

Ten reportedly paid 800k per year for the rights and then spent 30k per game on production. How do you cover those sort of costs, or even a quarter of them, based on subscription/pay per view or online advertising models? Are the players in the IPTV market, be that Bigpond or Fetch or whoever, desperate enough for this sort of content to stump up for it?

Great work it appears by the NBL in getting this deal done - live on Ten on Sunday is a massive win.

Reply #358834 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

A production company who did some work with an NBL club suggested a decent online product could be done for something like $5K per game, depending on the quality sought. Dont know if that costing still holds, it was a couple of years ago.

Reply #358835 | Report this post


skip  
Years ago

Will the Sunday game be live in Adelaide or just in the eastern states with us getting it 30 minutes delayed?

Reply #358836 | Report this post


Avv  
Years ago

According to this article, talks have started with Fox Sports:

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/basketball/basketball-boost-as-local-games-return-to-freetoair-tv-20120418-1x6rb.html

Reply #358841 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I hear this talk about wanting to stream all the games live etc but lets be honest. I have watched a fair amount of the delayed games this year and there a really only been a handful of games that were actually good to watch. Its no wonder the rating are low whenever the games are played. I think the league is the worst it has been since I have started watching it.

Reply #358845 | Report this post


Avv  
Years ago

I think the NBL needs to tell the referees to relax a little, not call absolutely everything and let things flow a bit more - that would translate into an easier product to watch.

The standard of players between here and Europe isn't that great but the free flowing style in Europe makes those games/leagues look that much better.

Reply #358847 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Paul, you last paragraph, that could have been cut and pasted from 2 years ago. What's changed exactly?

The league then had 5 years to make it work, until the other party involved in the contract changed their mind. Now we are all getting excited about having 3 years to make it work.

Sure IF the league can get a quality online option up and running that will be great.
IF Ten pick up the NZ games and show them at a resonable hour that will be great.
IF Tens profits dont continue to plummet forcing a change in drection that will be great.
IF playing a game live on a Sunday arvo doesnt kill crowd attendance at games that will be great

So many IFS, I sincerely hope it works and we can all see the NBL grow and prosper but at this stage you will have to excuse me if I dont share your seemigly blind optimism

Reply #358849 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Ten reportedly paid 800k per year for the rights and then spent 30k per game on production.


$600K a year, the deal was a five year deal for $3 million. Production costs were said to be as high as $50K per game too.

I think this is a good deal for the NBL. I'll be interested to see how much the NBL League Pass thing costs but you'd hope it's realistically priced I'd be hoping for $50 a season but assume it would be a bit more than that.

Reply #358852 | Report this post


Wildcat Fan  
Years ago

To everyone arguing against this deal - This is a good deal. We know One screwed us over with the original contract, so a compromise deal needed to be done. The result of the compromise is a good one.

Like it or not, Ten/One are a hell of a lot bigger than the NBL, so the NBL and its fans can complain as much as they want to (and fair enough too), but we were always going to lose - so to get 1 live game and one 9:30pm game next season is reasonable. Lets hope 10/One keep to this and dont alter the contract for worse over the next year or so.

Looking forward to seeing what the NBL can do with its reclaimed rights to Non Ten games.

Reply #358857 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

I do not live in Australia.

But maybe people need to remember that this is FREE TO AIR coverage thats been talked about.

There is so many sports which have a bigger following than Basketball in Australia:
Soccer, NRL, AFL, Rugby Union

This deal is very good and people need to think about it in context.

God help us, our FTA Coverage in NZ shows NO live sport, let alone NBL games. Luckily, I have Sky.

Reply #358858 | Report this post


MW  
Years ago

only in Australia is getting basketball games live a "WOW" factor that people get excited about. elsewhere in the world it's almost a given haha! oh well if that's what we have to deal with...

Reply #358860 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Macdub, You left out cricket too the NBL's main competitor for sports eyeballs over summer.

Reply #358862 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Can anyone explain what this is?

http://www.livenbl.tv/

Reply #358863 | Report this post


Julian  
Years ago

FIBA TV NBL-specific site for those who want to watch the games outside of Australia/NZ.

Reply #358864 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

On Ozhoops an interesting point was raised, the NBL may end up fixturing Perth to a lot of Friday Night games.

ONE could broadcast games 6:30 PM Perth Games and show it live at 9:30PM EDT, while SA would only get a 30 minute delay.

Reply #358868 | Report this post


stonne  
Years ago

why is this not on the nbl site?

Reply #358885 | Report this post


stonne  
Years ago

i stand corrected- it is!

Reply #358886 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

MW, not many leagues have live sport on free tv.

Reply #358892 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I dont see how anyone could be anything but optimistioc about the outcome.... since forever people were begging for the NBL on FTA... then they finally got it and started whinging about game times, they finally got some better game times and your whinging again. seriously.. thats ridiculous. Fact is, I love Basketball.. but Basketball will not rate in the same way that some of the other sports will.. and One HD and Ten have actually shown some faith in the league by giving them a deal at all... 1 live game on sunday and ya complain AGAIN "oh people will be out in the sun with there families"... well guess what, NBL/Basketball is NOT the kind of thing thats going to blow prime time ratings out of the water... your NOT going to get 7-9 pm prime time games on TV with the state the leagues in right now. Be thankful its even on TV, the talents level in the NBL is arguably at the lower end that it has ever been.. some of the teams are stacked with basicly old men and can be an eyesore to watch.. be thanful that its on live on sunday... thank your lucky stars, get on your knees and pray to whatever god you believe in... this is the best possible outcome and it would be completely foolish to think that One HD/Ten would play more then 1 live game a week...

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Anonymous  
Years ago

It's a great time for a deal like this on a major channel, not just a pissy digital channel. The league's the youngest it's been for a long long time with some really good young players starting to come into their prime. What better time to catch the imagination of basketball playing youngters around the country?

Reply #358895 | Report this post


MW  
Years ago

anon- not every country have such high rate for pay TV

Reply #358897 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Boti Nagy has suggested today in his column that Channel 7/9/SBS/Fox are all able to broadcast NBL games (not limited to paytv)

Reply #358942 | Report this post


PeterJohn  
Years ago

What do "live at 2:00PM nationally and live at 1:00PM nationally" mean. Does it mean 2pm/1pm in the time zone where the game is being played or 2pm/1pm AEDT?

That will affect which home teams get scheduled for these live games. If it's live at 2pm/1pm AEDT, then we wouldn't see any Perth home games on a Sunday.

Avv - are you serious about the refs relaxing and letting the play flow? More likely you'll just see the blood flow! The players do and will play the game to the refereeing. If the refs call even less of the contact that occurs than they currently do, players will just move to the new benchmark of permitted roughness. You will end up with just as many fouls called but many of them will be more severe. I can already watch WWE in a wrestling ring, I don't need to see it on a basketball court.

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paul  
Years ago

Avv, the game is reffed a lot more tightly in most if not all European competitions. Gill and Wilson have said the NBL allows the most contact of any comp they have played in, and between them you get NBA, Euroleague, Eurochallenge, Russia, VTB United, Germany and a couple more.

Reply #358995 | Report this post


Matt Ryan  
Years ago

To quote Daniel Bryan, YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!

Reply #359065 | Report this post




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