Bonus basketball for Breakers
The Australian National Basketball League will stage its biggest event everwhenall ninenblteams hit Melbourne in February as part of a month-long basketball extravaganza.
THENBL and thevictorian Government have announced that 36 games will be played in a Melbourne hub startingon February 20.
The 36 games will count towards the 2020-21 Hungry Jack’snbl season and, in a first for the league, will also decide the winner of the inauguralnblcup with total prize moneyof $300,000 up for grabs.
Nblowner and executive chairman Larry Kestelman said: “I want to thank thevictorian Government for partnering with us to bring the Hungry Jack’snblto Melbourne for what will be the biggest ever eventwehave staged in one city.
“These games will form part of an expandednblseason and give fans a chance to watch all of the league’s stars in what will be a showcase of world class basketball featuring all ninenblteams.
“After such a tough year with so manyfamilies isolated, it will be great for fans to be entertained live and ontvby our amazing athletes and bringsome normality back to our lives.
“As permitted, attendances hopefully increaseup to 75 per cent in Victoria by early next year, this will be a great opportunity for tens of thousands of fans to enjoy a unique basketball event for Melbourne andaustralia.”
The 2020-21Nblseason will begin on January 10 with the first 39 games to be played over 37 days
These games will form part of an expanded NBL
season and give fans a chance to watch all of the league’s stars in what will
be a showcase of world class basketball featuring
all nine NBL teams.
in front of fans across Australia before all nine teamsmove to the Melbournehub to contest thenbl Cup.
The NBL’S intention, subject to Covid and scheduling issues, is for teams to host their customary 14 homegames during the regular season, over and above the games played in thenblmelbourne Hub.
The only planned exception will be the Sky Sportnewzealand Breakers, whowill start their season
in Australia and hopefully return to Nzas soon as borders allow for homeandawaygames.
All 36 games played in thenbl Melbournehubwill count towards the teams’ overall season record. In addition, teamswill compete for the NBLCUP, with three points awarded for awin and an extra point awarded for each quarterwonacross the 36 games held.
Every team will play each other once and the team with the most points at the end of the 36 games will be awarded thenblcupand $150,000 in prize money. If teams finish equal on points, then the team with the most wins will be declared the winner. The runner-up will receive $100,000 and third place $50,000.
At the completion of thenbl Melbourne hub, clubs will return to their respectivehomevenues and complete the remainder of thenbl homeandawayseason.
All games will be broadcast live on Sky Sport.
NBL owner Larry Kestelman