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asketball Australia (BA) has today announced a landmark broadcast deal with Foxtel and the ABC for the 2020 Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season.
The agreement will see all 60 games of the 2020 WNBL season broadcast live across Australia, along with expert commentary and multi-camera vision.
Basketball Australia chief executive, Jerril Rechter, said the agreement with ABC and Fox Sports was immensely significant.
“This broadcast agreement with Fox Sports, Kayo and the ABC will provide the Chemist Warehouse WNBL with more exposure than ever before,” Rechter said.
“Having all 60 games of the 2020 season shown live across Australia will provide a platform to showcase one of world’s leading basketball leagues featuring Australia’s best established and emerging athletes.
“This high-profile visibility across Australia will help build upon the popularity and growth of women’s basketball and inspire a whole new generation,” he said.
Fox Sports chief executive director, Steve Crawley, said he is excited to bring the WNBL live to audiences and hopes to see record broadcast figures.
“We are stoked to be the home of the WNBL in 2020 bringing every game of the season live to a record number of sports fans watching on Foxtel and Kayo,” Crawley said.
Never before has a broadcast agreement which covers all games been so important, with BA announcing earlier this month that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Chemist Warehouse WNBL season would be played exclusively out of a North Queensland hub.
ABC director of ABC regional and local, Judith Whelan, said she is delighted to work with the WNBL for the upcoming 2020 season.
“We’re thrilled to welcome back the WNBL to the ABC – the natural home of women’s sport in Australia,” Whelan said.
“We are also delighted that one of this country’s most experienced and passionate basketball commentators, the ABC’s Corbin Middlemas, will be part of this season’s on-air WNBL commentary team,” she said.
The season will begin on November 11 and run until December 20.