Hoops

Heal: NBL should play on Christmas day

Personally if there was a game of NBL on TV Xmas night or day (later in arvo maybe), I would love to watch it. Attending however would not be as easy, but I have no problems with this concept...

Boxing Day is obviously competing with cricket, but at night also no issue, would be great IMO.

Stupid idea. You already have a struggling sport, with limited interest, few teams and small crowds - to even think of suggesting putting a game on what is, for most people, the busiest day of the year, is insane. Are we deliberately trying to put barriers in the way of people attending/being interested?

There are damn good reasons why none of the rich mainstream sports would play on Christmas Day. It would be ratings/attendance suicide. For a small sport? Might as well play at 3:30am Wednesday mornings in the hope you get lots of viewers watching during prime time in Europe.

Just trying to think o/s the box. Take the punt that: Smaller venue, less staff, less overhead + in return for playing perhaps clubs get some incentive $ from the NBL.

As it proves popular pay days come as networks, sponsors etc get on board.

Building wider community appeal - imagine in 2022 the 10th annual Sixers v Wildcats Xmas Day Battle drawing a max crowd PLUS a HUGE tv audience.

There is potential to be huge cause it monopolizes the day. NBL abandoned winter to escape football grip. Now it's time to make a stand!

I've said many times this is great product but someone has to put it on show outside the basketball fraternity.

This is a great window but keeping the curtains drawn never let's the sunshine in!

I think Heal's point wasn't big crowds but BIG TV AUDIENCE.

I agree it wouldn't be great for those who (volunteer) to put it on!

But perhaps using a smaller regional arena (as crowd would be low, but passionate).

In turn reducing staff and set up time would give it a great TV feel. Perhaps a post game function for everyone to compensate being away!

The idea of a double (Melbourne v Sydney; Perth v Adelaide) would garner plenty of interest on a sport starved day!!

This is the thinking we need to promote a game that is dying for a greater audience!!

christmas eve yes, boxing day yes.....christmas day i dont think so. players have families too that they want to spend time with. then to have the stadiums open thats more people that would need to give up their christmas day to put on a game. personally not a fan of the idea, and can understand if alot of players feel the same.

^ SKUD, The NBL have had great crowds on the NYE games, a couple of years ago they had record crowd numbers for any round that year on the NYE weekend.

Xmas day (Night) games would need a lot of marketing but over the next few years they could get to be a good thing... I definitely would go if there was a game here @ Perth Arena & I know a lot of other people who would also go but as Perth is so far away it would be unlikely to host any xmas games.

be better than watching the crap movies they put on tv