I hope he isnt trying to get too much out of the deal, with the league in the state its in. Get a short term deal done ASAP and then in the next couple years look for something more long term when the league is in better shape.

Source Bra - did u get your info from a tweet or article?

Where according to Boti?

Here we go:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/nbl-facelift-to-include-huge-overhaul-of-websites-and-live-streaming-says-executive-director-larry-kestelman/story-fnii09gt-1227452792510

While I understand the thoughts on NBL fans and existing die-hards who love to read and watch anything basketball related online or on supporting networks like the up and comming 'Netfilix', it is only possible to expand our sports popularity among the broader community by providing decent air time-slots on FTA TV...

I read this article from Boti and thought I have already read this article. Almost the same thing published in Sydney Morning Herald a week ago.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/larry-kestelman-looks-to-expanded-digital-services-for-newlook-nbl-20150717-gif0gq.html

ACtually with the huge amount of people taking up Netflix in Australia, would be crazy to ignore this as a service to people. Its uptake has been far quicker than Foxtel ever way

(and the icing on the cake here is that IInet and one other provider whose name currently escape me do not include Netflix towards their cap)

I hope he's underplaying his chances as I think people would've been hoping for a higher number. That said, I think he has as good a chance as anyone.

It has its risks, but one advantage of the moneyed figurehead coming from an existing club is that he'd have reasonable knowledge and expectations of what basketball could achieve. If the $6m man had been someone like Spenceley coming in cold, I think that'd be a huge risk.

Really hoping Kestelman can pull it all off.

Has he tried the ABC. Even the WNBL and Aboriginal comp seem to get more coverage.

When someone comes in and says "this is my priority" you sort of get your hopes up that that person can achieve that goal they've set...

I've been pretty glass half full with LK coming on board and pretty hopeful that he knows what he's doing, but if he doesn't get at least SOMETHING in place, I'm leaning towards agreeing with the OP in that it would be the first big failure... I think more so because he's been involved in the NBL and would have been aware of the struggle to get it on the tv before now...

If LK takes over and we can't even get what we had with Ch 10 previously, the knives will be out, even if the live streaming option is of a higher standard, as above posts have been right, there's no growing the league if it's not on some form of channels... FTA needs a much better partner than Ch 10, but Foxtel also limits who can view it (eg. I'd have to get Foxtel installed in our new place as with netflix & existing Optus fetch, it was redundant), so I certainly hope he hasn't underestimated the effort involved...

Free to Air isn't everything. It certainly did little for the league in the last few seasons. It needs to be accessible, and on some form of TV platform, but it doesn't have to be free to air necessarily. A league grew for a long time without it.

We might have to be happy with it on Foxtel for a few seasons until it builds momentum. LK may have a vision, but it might take a bit of convincing for FTA channels to buy in. Basketball hasn't been a ratings winner since the 90s.

people do realise that netflix would have no impact right. it isn't actually a tv station. it is no different to the NBL having a stand alone website to stream it's games from, only difference being they don't get all the money from subscriptions and you would need to search for it on netflix, where people go to watch movies, tv shows and docos.

Free to Air does provide a lot for a league if it is promoted properly. Channel 10 did not promote the league at all and provided delayed coverage which is not going to attract audiences

For FTA TV we need a sponsor that will guarantee the network "$x" of advertising revenue or do what netball do and pay to have the games televised, at least for next year.

The level of basketball with the imports coming through is going to be good so hopefully with the right advertising the viewer base for the future will grow.

Channel 10 had no interest in showing the NBL the moment they got rid of ONEHD as a sports channel, we knew this. They've been waiting for about 3 years to get rid of the NBL.


Surely between GEMHD/GO and 7mate/SevenTwo or even SBS/SBS2/SBSHD there's FTA potential

Maybe even get Eddie McGuire's media company to do it, I think his company does SANFL and the Netball ANZ Championship

"I'd love for it to be back on Foxtel - their coverage was so much better than One/Ten."

Thats like saying that terminal cancer is much better than AIDS.

Not a fan of B.T.

Sorry, but if he has anything to do with NBL commentary I am switching off, completely!

Has Kestelman actually made the 60:40 comment?

I love the game too, but that doesn't mean that I should be commentating... At least I wouldn't be talking footy for half the broadcast though...