It's smashing the NBL

They had 42,000 in Adelaide last night. That's almost an AFL-sized crowd. It's absolutely killing the NBL.

Actually that 42,000 is also twice the size of what the Port crowd will be when they start losing again and all their bandwagon supporters jump off :)

Try again: BBL roughly a million, NBL 50k varies game to game.Leagues apart...

Family of 4 can sit outside in the fresh air for 4 hours for $40 and catch the tram or train straight in and straight home again in Adelaide.

Absolutely destroying the NBL sadly. Rating through the roof and getting great crowds. Scheduling is great with games on every night to keep the interest up.

Why would we even contemplate comparing crowd sizes when one sport plays in a 70k - 90k capacity outdoor arena while another plays inside with only 10k -15k crowd capacity?

This is dumb!

BBL is the gem in Cricket Australia's crown at the moment.

Test Match cricket attendances have been down and the ODI have run their race. T20 appeals to the people. Quick, exciting and vibrant. Last season average attendances were 18,778 and this season is 23,166.

The A League will always have a strong following as soccer is so big internationally. The average attendance in 2014/15 for A League so far is 14,295 with Adelaide United averaging 10,813 over the last few seasons.

Not much of a competition sadly. Games in prime time and live.

Correct Isaac. FTA telecasts in prime time are gold.

We went to BBL the other night, as a family. we've never been to NBL as a family. I've taken the kids a couple of times, but that's all.

My kids love the BBL. None of them were interested in cricket before seeing BBL and none play. Even my partner wanted to go. She has no interest in NBL nor basketball generally.

As per above post, price point is good - similar to 36ers' cheap seats for my family to sit in the Silver section at Adelaide Oval. It was easy to get to and from via public transport. NBL is easy to get to and from via car, so that wasn't a differentiator.

I've found the big differentiator for my family is the ease of understanding what's going on. As above, my kids and my partner don't play either game. Only one of my kids has played cricket - Kanga cricket only. None have played basketball. One son did a clinic as a youngster and didn't like it. When they watch NBL with me, they need a lot of explanation about what's happening. With BBL, they haven't needed that.

I watch NFL as well and find they have the same reaction to NFL as NBL. They find it less accessible without guidance and aren't prepared to make the effort to sit down, watch games, listen to commentators and work it out for themselves.

For me the BBL is oversaturated and I'm just not interested. It's in the same ballpark as COPS on One and Big Bang Theory on 9.

I'm like you Wilson, I've got Big Bash fatigue.

I don't know what the ratings are, but the T20 must rate pretty well, considering that Ten shows the games 2~3 times each. Live on 1, then later on 10, and if there is no game the following day they repeat again.
Cricket IS our national sport, we are (over time) the best in the world, so it keeps its popularity high, and T20 is the flavour of the moment.

Whilst it is highly entertaining, personally I think its the equivalent to the "Slam Dunk" displays we have at half-time. It's colourful, theatrical, and highly entertaining, but I don't get emotionally involved or connected to a team.

Whilst the support for Cricket and NBL is miles apart, it does raise an interesting point. Since its inception, the BBL has been heavily hyped, marketed, and promoted. Presumably this has done a lot to win back cricket fans, get new ones, and get them to the games.

Also makes me wonder if the NBL needs to do a TV deal with another network? Maybe 9, since 7 has the Tennis.

Dazz raises a good point but I differ slightly on where he goes with it.

"Whilst it is highly entertaining, personally I think its the equivalent to the "Slam Dunk" displays we have at half-time. It's colourful, theatrical, and highly entertaining, but I don't get emotionally involved or connected to a team."

Ive actually noticed something different locally in Perth. The Perth Scorchers are starting to get a larger actual membership number. These members are also not neccesarily a WACA member or Western Warriors member etc. They are just scorchers members. Ive no doubt they are being bombarded with email requests from the WACA now for Sheffiled Shield etc games and memberships but the WACA wisely decided not to go dirty and sign people up to anything more than just a Scorchers membership.

People are also weaing Scorchers merchandise around the place. I have been to a few games myself but with only 4 home games Ive also noticed that the actual membership price isnt too bad either.

What also made me sad is that the WACA is now the only ground in Aus used solely for Cricket.. all the other grounds around Australia are now multipurpose.

Thats not to say the WACA dosnt need to be put down though. It does.

Anon#773, when you can arrange to fit 40,000 people into a stadium with only 10,000 seating capacity please let me know, in the mean time I stand by my original post...

Imagine if channel 10 promoted NBL as strongly as they did the BBL ...

Sadly the NBL is dead.

I used to love watching our bball league.

A couple of factors have contributed to this death.

1.Mismanagement of the league by all concerened.

2.Teams Folding.

3."Attainable" status of being able to play in the NBA for our elite players.

4.Access to League Pass and Euro Leage games.

5.Level of contracts in other over seas leagues, Euro League and China.

NBL as we knew it is dead.

pregame or halftime game , allow baskettending, 2 balls on the court,mo freethrows or timeouts,sub inplay, 5 or 6 points from halfway 3points for dunks

Why does Tim Gossage say this in regard to sporting events -
@Saxyboy17 no mate we will be covering more in the years to come with some exciting prospects.

Tim Gossage via twitter -
@7Scott77 @Jesse_Hogan @paulcochrane can't see any other network jumping out of trees to grab NBL. Take it or leave it champ

Tim Gossage via Twitter -
@landsboroughcc not referring to Big Bash. I suggest it will be staying on Ten for some years to come. Enjoy it.

"Plus regarding name change, my son was invited to watch United vs Adelaide this Saturday, we are a Basketball family and non of us actually thought basketball game,we were sending him to a soccer game"
And that's the problem right there. A "Basketball Family" but don't follow the NBL or their City's team?
Sadly, I suspect this is a familiar story.

The NBL's biggest problem is the crap coverage... Channel 10 agreement does nothing to promote the game and NBL TV - well that is just a waste of money - the quality is terrible for what you pay - most of the time it is so distorted you cant watch it....

Give it back to FOXTEL to show ALL games OR do what netball have done and have SBS cover it! they have done a fantastic job - and look how it has brought netball back....if its not covered well on TV - who knows about it - unless you are a basketball fan!

Ha, thanks for the laugh anon, I will just put my pipe down for a minute here and contemplate your attempt at trolling me, cheers...

That is unless you actually have no idea of what I am trying to say, either way I will leave you to your opinions and questionable IQ...

@Shells - netball isn't on SBS at the moment as there is no TV deal in place for the ANZ Champs and Netball Test Series. The SBS and Foxtel deal was only 2 years which expired last year. However, Ten and Foxtel have the rights to the Netball World Cup this year.

There is talk that sports like WNBL, W League and Shute Shield will end up on commercial FTA (maybe 10)