Anonymous
Years ago

NBL Booming: AFR

Overall a positive article about the NBL's progress in the AFR.

"Two months into the 2017-18 season, just about every metric is trending positively.

Crowds are up 5 per cent after record attendances last season, and the Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United regularly sell out home games. Perth has almost 12,000 members, an NBL record, and cumulative audience on television has increased 37 per cent while page views on the NBL website are up 98 per cent on last season. Average engagement on Facebook is up 65 per cent and average engagement on Twitter has risen 43 per cent."

However, some indications that progress is slower than anticipated, especially with regards to TV ratings:

"While the league's free-to-air presence has increased with two matches on SBS each weekend and a late-night game on SBS, ratings for each match telecast on pay-TV network Fox Sports have remained stubbornly at about the same level as last season.

"We need to look at what is the right mix for our television coverage. Television is still the biggest platform out there, and we respect that, but we but need to look at how people engage with us, what over-the-top services there can be and so on.""

Note in the first quote it talks about cumulative TV audience, so that number might be up just because more games are being broadcast on SBS? On an average basis it seems to be stagnant. I maintain that people in Sydney or Melbourne aren't particularly interested in watching Perth or Cairns, they want to watch their own team.

Read more: http://www.afr.com/business/sport/how-larry-kestelmans-nbl-is-booming-20171206-gzzzyb#ixzz50xgHAR3d


Topic #42354 | Report this topic


Anonymous  
Years ago

Also, you get the impression that most of the positive figures are driven by Perth and Melbourne. Are they effectively "carrying" the league?

Reply #661347 | Report this post


Haz  
Years ago

Read the article this morning and is similar to previous articles spruiking the league and LK. Hey its better than hearing about how dead basketball is right? So thats a good sign.

Still, Its a bit too Perth and Melbourne focussed (as usual). Love what Melbourne basketball is becoming now. A casual 8200 on a Monday night against the bottom team. Things are going well in Melbourne it seems, and Adelaide Cairns and NZ have solid programs.

But still a long way to go yet. Brisbane and Illawarra have a lot of work to do to get crowds and interest up as does Sydney to get to Melbourne's level of interest (winning would help), and then eventally Perth's level. A positive article yes, but a lot of work is still needed.

Reply #661350 | Report this post


Dome Rat  
Years ago

Signage low TV viewership is the elephant in the room. There will be no money until that changes

Reply #661355 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

In any league you'll see big clubs and smaller clubs with the big clubs often carrying the small clubs - this happens because the big clubs have the resources and/or markets to succeed while the others don't but at the end of the day you NEED clubs to play against. Every game can't be Perth v Melbourne.

The class divide always exists - the hard part is ensuring two things:

1) The smaller clubs are still sustainable; and 2) the smaller clubs can be just as competitive and likely to win the championship

The AFL is reasonable at #1 save for a few clubs requiring debt demolition strategies. AFL comes to its own strength with #2 where history shows anyone can get themselves to the big show and win it all. I think Adelaide and Richmond were the two clubs with the biggest Grand Final droughts - given they're two huge clubs, that emphasizes the point!

Reply #661366 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Back in the mid-2000's I spoke to someone aware of the Fox Sports internal pros and cons around broadcasting the NBL. One thing they were aware of that there seemed to be absolutely no support or interest in 'the league', only your local team. i.e. they could tell that people from Brisbane only watched Brisbane games, Perth only Perth and so on. There was absolutely no interest beyond that, be that just a great matchup, or important game (even that might directly impact your teams position), or playoff games aside from your teams or after your team has been knocked out, right up to and including the grand final series. They said that away-from-home-team viewership registered at effectively zero, and that of course was something they simply did not see across other sports.

Reply #661369 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

How does the ratings on the Internet work, I watch every game through my computer, is that counted? There has been some great games and no so good but you get that in every sport.

Reply #661373 | Report this post


NBL Lover  
Years ago

Well, does this include NBL.tv figures?

That's the future, NBL.tv, watch it anywhere at anytime, maybe they need to incorporate ads into NBL.tv rather than shooting out to the game static screen everytime foxtel goes for their ads.

Ads brings revenue, if you can get NBL.tv to be watched around the world on any device (including TV) then you are all set.

Reply #661374 | Report this post


LV  
Years ago

Lots of spin but no financial figures mentioned.

Reply #661375 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Still can't get the ladder right though

Reply #661383 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I'd like to think, that in 2017 more fans are watching other team games, simply because it's more accessible.

I know I watch more games now because the league is more interesting, the players are of a higher quality and Homicide is a great commentator. The match ups have story lines and mean something. Even last night you had the train wreck that is a disappointing Melbourne VS the ultimate underdogs in Sydney. Both teams desperate for a win. Even though both teams suck right now, it was still interesting given the stakes.

Perth is carrying the league though, with the biggest fan base and passionate fans you've probably got Perth fans watching most non-perth games, simply because WA and Perth have produced some top quality talent.

- Prather @ Melbourne
- Jervis @ Brisbane
- Jawai, Weigh, Loughton, Gliddon (WA boy) @ Cairns
- Lisch, Garlepp @ Sydney
- Bevo @ Illawarra
- DJ (WA Boy) @ Adelaide
- NZ the only other team up to Perth's standards.

Reply #661388 | Report this post


Dome Rat  
Years ago

wow

Perth fans claiming to have developed Jawai.

was that before or after he played in the NBA I wonder

THIS is why Perth fans are hated around the country lol

Reply #661393 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Jawai won his first and only championship with Perth. Was a big part of the reason they won and had a great season. He was a character and an attraction.

They developed a fan favourite so to speak.




Reply #661394 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If you can't tell the blantant trolling of that post then you are the reason why Perth fans love rubbing salt in the wounds of butt hurt non-perth fans.

Reply #661395 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

*blatant

Reply #661396 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"THIS is why Perth fans are hated around the country lol"

No, its because they support a team that wins all the time. If you're precious enough to "hate" an entire fan base for a silly internet comment, stop following sports.

Reply #661398 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Not being on a mainstream 7/9/10 (or even one of their secondary channels) really hurts the number of viewers . Less people in particular new or casual fans will check/know about SBS broadcasts. You'll also pick up some more random fans coming across the game when not much is on and they're flicking through. They'd also get some more advertising on one of those channels and exposure.

Reply #661403 | Report this post


Dome Rat  
Years ago

UMM no is because you boo refs for making correct calls and claim to have developed players who played in the NBA before putting a Wildcats uniform on. Simpletons.

Reply #661408 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"UMM no is because you boo refs for making correct calls"

No fans are immune from doing that.

Reply #661411 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If a ref get's booed in Perth he should pat himself on the back because generally he will be correct.

Reply #661412 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If a ref makes a call against the Wildcats in Perth the other 2 refs are usually pretty quick to put him back on the right track.

Reply #661413 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Yes, yes, yes, okay we all know about Perth and its fans and how everyone loves to hate them, bla bla bla, now let's get back on track here...

I see the NBL as hitting close to its peek for now, especially with the current group of teams and scheduling. There isn't much more room to rocket forward, except maybe introducing NBA teams playing downunder to spark additional fan interest.

The next surge in the NBL will likely come when we add maybe an additional Victorian team and another team somewhere, which will excite fans and create more potential rivalry games.

It's going according to plan, now we consolidate and make plans for the next phase, no need to get too complex over things and worry about ratings, they appear to be going in the right direction for now.

Reply #661416 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Anon is absolutely right.

If we see on a Friday night Hawks v Geelong we would watch it. If there are two top teams we'd watch it. If saints were playing against a top team and managed to be close and we spotted it on tv we’d keep viewing hoping for a fascinating upset.

NBL if it’s not our team we don’t care.

Question is, how do we change that?

Reply #661454 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Re: not being on a mainstream channel - again absolutely correct.

The big bash registered sub 200k on Fox Sports but gets over a million on Channel Ten.

On one it was just another cricket league on Paytv while on ten it's this entertainment product on a summer where people can’t help but tune in and those who aren’t interested are dragged into watching and get immersed.

NBLs next big moves are expansion, cross town rivalry in Victoria and getting shown on Nine Seven or Ten in prime time. Obviously Ten has big bash so that’s a no go plus Ten hates NBL and NBL hates Ten. Nine has prime time covered by international cricket. Seven save for the Tennis period is ideal.

Reply #661455 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I think the whole 'not watching unless its your team' thing and 'mainstream broadcasts' are definitely connected.

Now I know games are on SBS i tune in most Saturdays and Sundays regardless of who is playing to watch. However for games that aren't being broadcast on SBS, unless its my team, i'll rarely be bothered to get up a stream and tune in. I think being easily accessible on a mainstream channel will help get more people show interest in the comp as a whole and viewer numbers would increase a lot.

heck, I even watched a little of the women's big bash on the weekend (which i pretty much never do) because it was the only sports thing on free to air TV.

Reply #661458 | Report this post


Perth Wilburs  
Years ago

Hello, i watch every single game there is. I schedule my whole weekend so it doesn't clash with the NBL.

NBL is alive and kicking where I am.

If i do miss an odd game i watch the highlights (because NBL.tv doesn't have replays, Heal's 3 pt shooting contests, Bloopers, Post Match Interviews replays etc).

Reply #661473 | Report this post


AngusH  
Years ago

I don't plan my weekend around games outside of the Kings, but if I'm home (and with a newborn, that's often the case), then it's on, even if its in the background. I also have NBA League Pass but the last 3 years or so I'm much more likely to watch a Hawks-Taipans game than I am just about NBA matchup unless there is something particularly noteworthy about it.

I've noticed some of the guys I play ball with have attempted to get into the league a little, especially the last two seasons with names like Randle/Tyler and (unfortunately) Blake last year, but the overall experience with NBL.tv has not been a good one and has turned a few of them off it altogether if they don't have foxtel.

Reply #661485 | Report this post


Fool  
Years ago

@AngusH

You say you often have a newborn when it comes to your weekend planning. That seems like alot of newborn children

I dont see how you have any time for NBL with all the baby making your doing

Reply #661496 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Rather than worry about getting someone from Brisbane interested in watching Illawarra games, why not start by broadcasting Brisbane games on FTA in Brisbane? And so on and so forth...

Reply #661502 | Report this post




You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.



Close ads
Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.
Serio: Tourism photography and videography

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Recent Posts



.


An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 8:13 pm, Thu 28 Mar 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754