Australian National Basketball League
 |
|
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1979 |
| Inaugural season | 1979 |
| CEO | Jeremy Loeliger |
| Director | Larry Kestelman |
| President | Graeme Wade |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Countries |
 Australia (7 teams) New Zealand (1 team) |
| Continent | FIBA Oceania (Oceania) |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Perth Wildcats (8th title) |
| Most titles | Perth Wildcats (8 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | Australia: New Zealand: Online: |
| Sponsor(s) | Chemist Warehouse |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Related competitions |
Australian Basketball Association New Zealand National Basketball League State Basketball League (WA) |
| Official website | NBL.com.au |
The National Basketball League (NBL) is the pre-eminent professional men's basketball league in Australia and New Zealand. The league was founded in 1979 and is currently contested by eight teams; seven from Australia and one from New Zealand.
In August 1979, the inaugural season of the NBL commenced, playing in the winter season (April–September) which it did so until the completion of the 1998 season, the league's twentieth season. The 1998–99 season, which began only months later, was the first to be played during the summer season (October–April). The shift, which is currently used by the league, was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various winter season football codes.
The NBL experienced its golden age in the 1990s, but its popularity, media attention, attendance and corporate support deteriorated and plateaued in the decade afterward. Australian NBA player Andrew Bogut suggested the NBL try to adopt a model similar to the Australian Football League (AFL) whereby there are the same 10 or 15 teams over a 10-year period.
At the start of the 2004–05 season, the league struck a new television deal with Fox Sports in Australia and a multi-year naming-rights sponsorship deal with electronics manufacturer Philips. Though in 2007, Philips announced they would not continuing their naming rights sponsorship in response to the NBL wishing to increase the sponsorship deal. On 18 September 2007, the NBL announced Hummer as their naming rights sponsor for the 2007–08 season.
A second Melbourne club, the South Dragons, entered the league in the 2006–07 season, but was short lived, soon folding 3 years later after the 2008–09 season in which they were premiers. In the 2006–07 season, the NBL became the first Australasian sporting league to field a team from Asia with the Singapore Slingers playing. The Gold Coast Blaze also joined the competition in the 2007–08 season.
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