2020 is a write off really.

WA, SA , Tas, NT, Canberra are better placed for having crowds early than Vic and NSW, Qld.

Cricket it will be interesting what happens.

Australian Open - they may want to push back a bit. TDU is less problematic being so open spaced.

NBL should aim for mid Jan start, front load in WA, SA, NT, Canberra, Tas, NZ. Look to have crowds in vic and nsw and qld around Feb

WA Premier just said in his presser that sporting crowds would be apart of stage 4 which would BEGIN review in July/August and not implemented until later. So it's still not clear.

Because we can restrict international travel easier than other places being an island, we don't need global eradication, just need majority elimination in Australia/NZ.

Until that occurs, can't have crowds inside stadiums or even things like public transport where everyone is packed in like sardines - otherwise we will escalate American style l.

Those active numbers are worth tracking - for sporting crowds to return Governments will likely require virtually no active plus no new cases for a period of over 3 weeks.

Straight away Victoria is unlikely to achieve that before October. SA looks pretty good odds at getting there by July/August.

Fingers crossed

Bat soup has really fucked the world, hasn't it? lol

I think it's unlikely any sport will be played with crowds this year. Doesn't mean sport can't happen, though.

"I think it's unlikely any sport will be played with crowds this year. Doesn't mean sport can't happen, though."

The NBL cant run without crowds.

The issue with a team like the Wildcats is they already have around 10k of their members paid up and expecting seats for the game.

If you go to a smaller venue, not everyone will be able to get seats and if they stay at RAC with distancing their will still be people missing out.

Suddenly you have are large portion demanding refunds and you are no longer a rich club.

Hawks have the option of re locating to Newcastle
arr yeah

NBL will be watching those active case numbers. That's going to dictate how viable having crowds is and at what point. I don’t think the NBL will be overly concerned, Australia is in a good position that a Jan 2021 Season start would be viable.

First step is all active cases contained (not quite there yet with latest vic outbreak but almost)

second step is no active cases

third step is prolonged period period of no active cases to flush out asymptomatic hidden cases and avoid outbreaks

We won’t see crowds allowed until Australia has eliminated it. It won’t be eradicated on a global scale, however Australia can always keep borders either closed or heavily restricted with forced quarantine for arrivals.

Luckily the transtasman bubble looks likely to occur sooner rather than later

By July SA, ACT, WA, Qld, NT could be at no active cases.

Vic and NSW have a fight on there hands, they are at such high risk of outbreaks.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/rugby/tv-rights-optus-fox-sports-switch-off-interest-in-rugby-as-code-faces-insolvency/news-story/3e29e0d13a8cdcf60ef7c52b2f3adc15

Fox Sports applied the squeeze to Rugby Union, RU said no, Fox Sports walked away. Interesting aspect is RU don't have much leverage, they're a struggling sport with few members and in major debt, while we have known for over a year now that Fox Sports were cutting smaller sports, saving money and trying to focus on AFL/NRL/Cricket.

That's part of the reason the NBL got "cut" from the FS coverage.

Other interesting aspect is Nine squeezing the NRL - albeit that's leveraging the situation to get a broadcast rights extension. Seven is doing the same is a friendlier mutual way with the AFL, that will likely result in an extension as well.

AFL, NRL, Cricket, Tennis (Australian Open), Racing are the only big money sports these days.

Even the Olympics have had drawn out negotiations about costs in the past between IOC and broadcasters.

Other sports need a way to survive without big TV money. Crowd + As much coverage as possible + Sponsors is the NBL way. More coverage makes it easier to reach more people to get them both into the sport but also viewing so that the NBL can offer their sponsors greater market reach for their dollaroos.


Yes we have Kayo - but how long until we see sport live on Stan, Netflix?

NBL should try to push hard to get onto one of those platforms, would be *huge*.

I'd love the Kings to play out of Perth for the season .....imagine the joy of having your second favourite team playing each week (i.e. whoever is playing Sydney)