NBL delays new season, won't start until mid-January

by

The NBL has delayed its season until 2021, with tip-off now expected in mid-January.

The league usually starts in October but had previously decided to start this season in December.

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.169%2C$multiply_2.1164%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/7f7b60e88dc168d9ba9b8f7f30cff91db2f05371
The NBL season has been delayed again, with tip-off now expected in mid-January.Getty Images

NBL owner Larry Kestelman said the decision was based on the desire to play as many games as possible in front of fans as teams draw much of their income from home games.

But the league is also in talks with multiple states about playing part of its season in a hub should crowds still be restricted or banned in various states due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is also hope access to New Zealand may improve in the new year. Under present regulations the New Zealand Breakers would likely have to relocate to Australia due to quarantine requirements for both nations.

Victoria's second wave added difficulty to the NBL's planning as two of its nine teams are based in Melbourne.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday it was too soon to give any indication as to when indoor sports crowds could return, although his government is working with major sports events and codes on when and how crowds can come back.

If the season does start in January, Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix will likely be unable to use their home court. Melbourne Arena is used for the Australian Open so those sides will likely start on the road.

Kestelman said in a statement the NBL's return to competition taskforce, along with the nine clubs and Australian Basketball Players' Association, all agreed it was better to wait until January.

"The main reason for pushing the start of the season back to the new year is to give the clubs the best opportunity to play in front of as many fans as possible," Kestelman said.

"We will remain flexible about the exact start date and this will depend on a number of factors including travel and border restrictions, community transmission numbers and availability at venues across Australia and New Zealand.

"We intend to play a full season and, if needed, we will play in one or more hubs to achieve this. We are currently having positive discussions with a number of interested states about potential locations.

"As always, the health and safety of our players, staff and fans will be our number one priority. But we also remain focused on playing in front of fans as they are the lifeblood of the league."

NBL chief executive Jeremy Loeliger said the league would continue to keep supporters informed of its plans.

"We need to adopt appropriate health and safety protocols to ensure we can schedule a season that we can deliver in its entirety and does not unnecessarily impact financially on our clubs," Loeliger said.

"We will continue to provide regular updates over the coming weeks and months including an announcement about an exact start date and schedule of games as we get closer to the season."