National Basketball League (New Zealand)

The National Basketball League (NBL) is a men's semi-professional basketball league in New Zealand.

In 1981, a group of club and provincial teams came together to create a men's national basketball league. The following year, the league was brought under the management of the New Zealand Basketball Federation. The league quickly grew in size and popularity due to the influx of sponsors and American import players. The early 1990s held dwindling fortunes for New Zealand basketball, with reduced TV coverage, sponsorships, and crowd numbers. The sport's popularity increased in the 2000s with the success of the Tall Blacks and the introduction of the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL.

In the early days, Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington were the benchmark teams of the league. During the 1990s, Auckland and Nelson were the teams to beat, before Waikato joined Auckland as the dominant sides during the 2000s. During the 2010s, Wellington and Southland became the league's premier teams.

History

The 1980s ushered in a period of exceptional growth and popularity for basketball in New Zealand. Late in 1981, six men's teams – a mixture of club and provincial representative sides – went out alone and created an inaugural national league. It was enough of a success to come under the control of the New Zealand Basketball Federation the following year, when it grew in size and secured a naming sponsor. An allowance of two imported players (invariably Americans with college basketball experience) per team, and the fact that games were played in the evening indoors, helped turn the league into a new family entertainment option. Spectators filled gymnasiums and media coverage reached unprecedented levels. The early 1990s held dwindling fortunes for New Zealand basketball and many teams in the NBL, with reduced TV coverage, sponsorships, and crowd numbers. With the success of the Tall Blacks at the 2002 FIBA World Championship and the introduction of the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL in 2003, basketball in New Zealand rose in popularity again.

The number of teams each season has constantly changed since the league's inception, with many promotions and relegations between the first division and second division during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as many withdrawals due to financial reasons. The league began with 8 teams in 1982, then peaked at 13 teams in 1995, before dropping to a low of 7 in 2016. In 2019, the Southern Huskies from Tasmania became the first ever Australian team to join a New Zealand competition. The league returned to 7 teams in 2020 following a revised small-scale format due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, the league was hailed for reaching competitive balance after years of unbalanced competition, with evenly spread talent and resources across the ten teams.

Current teams

Expansion teams

Former and defunct teams

* Auckland Pirates (2011–2012)
* Auckland Stars (1982–2009)
* Centrals (1982–1985)
* Christchurch Cougars (2009–2010)
* Harbour Heat (1986–2010, 2012)
* Hutt Valley Lakers (1990–1996)
* Northland Suns (1995–1998)
* Ponsonby (1984–1988)
* Porirua (1982–1983)
* Super City Rangers (1990–1995, 2013–2019)
* Waikato Pistons (1982, 1984–2011, 2013–2014)
* Waitemata Dolphins (1982–1983, 1988–1989)

League eligibility rules

There are two categories of players in the NBL:
*Non-Restricted Player – players eligible to play for New Zealand in FIBA competitions
*Restricted Player – a player who is not eligible to play for New Zealand

Broadcasting details

In 2016 and 2017, the NBL began to more freely livestream and broadcast their games. In 2020, the league had all 75 games broadcast by Sky Sport, marking the first time in the league's four-decade history that every game would be made available to viewers across the nation. That same year, the league secured a deal to broadcast live in the United States through ESPN.

In 2022, the NBL and Sky Sport signed a five-year commercial deal estimated to be worth $7.5 million for the teams.New Zealand's soaring National Basketball League proving ratings hit for partners
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Honours

List of Champions

Awards

;Current
*Most Valuable Player
* Finals MVP
* Most Outstanding Guard
* Most Outstanding NZ Guard
* Most Outstanding Forward
* Most Outstanding NZ Forward/Centre
* Scoring Champion
* Rebounding Champion
* Assist Champion
* Most Improved Player
*Defensive Player of the Year
* Youth Player of the Year
* Coach of the Year
* All-Star Five
* Best Team Free Throws

;Past
* NZ Most Valuable Player

See also

* Conference Basketball League
* List of National Basketball League (New Zealand) awards
* National Basketball League (Australia)
* New Zealand men's national basketball team
* Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa

References

External links

New Zealand NBL official website

New Zealand NBL 2003 to 2006







Basketball New Zealand Results Archive

Basketball: Several changes on the agenda for NZ NBL

State of the NBL: National Basketball League at critical juncture

Basketball: Tasmania's Southern Huskies set to join New Zealand National Basketball League

Tasmanian franchise eyeing place in New Zealand's National Basketball League

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Basketball leagues in New Zealand
1982 establishments in New Zealand
Sports leagues established in 1982
Professional sports leagues in New Zealand