Great idea! Get to it, NBL!!!

Did the MLB games actually have an effect on the ABL, though?

No. It was a complete novelty. Its done absolutely nothing for baseball in Australia, other than give it a bit of exposure.

It also has nothing to do with the ABL, which will continue to go on the way it has as an extremely minor sport.

MLB is one of the elite leagues in the world with a global reach. There will always be massive interest when a league of this calibre plays a game in a foreign country.

NBA plays some games in England, but does that do anything for their local english league? I'd doubt it.

I have to agree with Wildcat Fan. My brother went up to Sydney from Melbourne to take his son to the game. Neither is a baseball fan. Neither has been to an ABL game and neither is likely to in the future. They just did it because it was a novelty and they thought it would be a good couple of nights' entertainment.

These things are just big entertainment events, like going to see a stage show or a or a rock concert. You might go see the Rolling Stones because of who they are, but it won't start you going to live gigs at the Gov if you don't already like doing that.

I wanted to mention this before, but since a thread has been started about the MLB game, now is a good chance - How bad were the Sydney Kings/NBL for not getting "in" on the publicity in the lead up to this MLB game!? I saw the Swans, Sydney FC, and an NRL team (don't know what club as I don't follow league) all being represented in a photo shoot with the MLB players, which made the news.

Free publicity. Obviously these clubs want to cross promote at any chance they get whenever there's a big event on in their city. So why weren't the Kings involved? Playing an "American sport" themselves, I would have thought the Kings would be just as relevant as the other teams getting a plug.

Either the Kings didn't realise this, or they weren't invited. Given that Bob Turner was involved in the MLB game, surely he would have invited the Kings as well... Oh well its old news anyway. Just wanted to mention it!

WildCat Fan-- Perhaps Shane was invited, but he wasn't sure if he was coming or going?
Valid points though

nbl hall of famer sang the national anthem.. steve carfino

I thought exactly the same thing when I saw that pic, Wildcat Fan, having pretty much every other sporting code there but basketball was just a ball drop on behalf of the Kings... Although Turner didn't really depart on the best of terms with the management, so maybe that was an intentional oversight ;)

Newspapers in Australia have no respect for basketball. In my local paper if the 36ers made the finals it word barely get an article in the paper. Crows and Port would be a four page spread with front and back cover.

I had to pester the Advertiser to put up an article online about the 36ers after they "forget to do so".

I think it's time to start writing letters to local papers (and other news sources) and demand some actual coverage of the games.

We got a USA v Canada ice hockey game at Perth arena mid year wonder if we could cross promote that. Redage could teach them how to flop and they could teach Marty knight how to harden up