Foxtel, ESPN sign 3 year deal with NBL.

Foxtel has announced a new 3 year agreement with the National Basketball League and ESPN.

Every game of the NBL season and finals will be Live on ESPN broadcast on Foxtel and streamed on Kayo from October until the end of the 2023/24 season -including 2 games every round on Kayo Freebies.

All 140 NBL regular season games will now be available on ESPN for the first time.

ESPN will air all but two games each round exclusively, and also have all key matches throughout the NBL Finals series exclusively.

Game Two and Three of each Semi Final series and Game Three onwards in the Grand Final series will be Live and exclusive to ESPN.

The deal also incorporates News Corp, to drive new audiences, with more content, analysis, engagement and coverage.

Patrick Delany, Foxtel Group Chief Executive Officer said, “We have a long and rich history with the NBL and over the years have seen the players, coaches, clubs and national participation in the sport go from strength to strength. Our partnership with ESPN allows us to use the growing scale of our Foxtel and Kayo sports platform to significantly build audience engagement.

“With 2.4 million households now watching sport on Foxtel and streaming Kayo, the Foxtel Group provides the largest audience of sports fans in the country. As a key broadcast partner of ESPN in Australia, we are pleased to be bringing all NBL games of this world-class competition to fans live and on demand this season.

“And to take reach of the NBL even further, we will be streaming two games from every round on Kayo Freebies. With almost 90% of Australian households with internet access, this will unlock even more opportunities to grow basketball in Australia.”

Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company Australia & New Zealand and Head of ESPN / National Geographic, APAC, said the landmark deal represents the network’s desire to share in the growth of the competition and solidify a renewed long-term partnership with the NBL.

“The National Basketball League has become a feature of ESPN programming and we are thrilled to extend the partnership with an expanded rights package for a further three seasons,” Watson-Wheeler said.

“Our audience’s appetite for the National Basketball League continues to grow with every season, and this new agreement delivers on that demand from our audience. The 2021-22 NBL season is set to be one of the most exciting on record, and basketball fans can now witness every game Live on ESPN.”

“The agreement also ensures that ESPN remains the undisputed home for basketball fans in Australia, and the only place to see every game of the NBL.”

Larry Kestelman, NBL owner and executive chairman, said, “I want to thank ESPN and Foxtel Group for their continued support, and for having the belief and confidence in us as a competition and organisation.

“With more than 1.1 million people playing basketball nationally each year, our sport is exploding in popularity and we cannot wait to work together to attract and entertain a legion of new members, fans and supporters, and show them what our league has to offer.

“This media deal is a game changer in every sense and shows we are a league that continues to rise in stature, reputation and popularity. Our fans are at the heart of everything we do and there is something for everyone in this exciting new deal and it serves as a huge vote of confidence in our clubs, players and the path we’re on together.”