Haz
Years ago
Fair bit of discussion about rise of NBL v A-League
Google NBL news and a few articles appear about the improving growth of the NBL and comparisons are being made to the A-league about eventually overtaking it. Its been largely and to a point rightfully dismissed by people involved in the A-League, calling it a beat up and unfair that some people im the media are bringing the A-League down just because the NBL had a record breaking crowd in Sydney (along with consistent growth over the last few years)
Commentators, experts and fans are saying that the two codes are uncomparable. The demographics are completely different along with other metrics used to dismiss the two leagues as comparable.
My take on this is that I agree to a point that the two leagues are apples and oranges. But as far as competing for a piece of the summer sporting market, they are very much in competition with each other. When it comes to getting on the news, sometimes its a choice between either the A-leqgue or the NBL. Once the cricket and tennis have been covered. So there is competition there in that sense.
Its just that now the NBL is growing and the A-league is having its issues of stagnation, quality etc, there is a much more level playing field and the NBL is finally starting to get noticed as a genuine summer sporting option.
Sydney FC and Sydney Kings have joined forces to cross promote and allow members access to attend both teams games. This is great and what should be happening, rather than fighting each other for fans. Its just ironic that its taken one Kings game to out draw one Sydney FC game (played at the same time) for the NBL to finally get some attention.
I mean, Perth Wildcats have been regularly out drawing the Glory for years but lets not worry about that. It only matters when it happens in Sydney that the A-league is now finally looking at the NBL.
For the record, I think more teams in both the a-league and NBL should cross promote and help each other out. You know, since there is no actual comparisons between the two sports, there should be no competition either. Except, there kind of is...
