Socceroos’ success to boost Basketball
National Basketball League (NBL) Commissioner Rick Burton has welcomed the success of the Australian Socceroos
at the World Cup in Germany and says their achievements on the international stage may have potential benefits
for basketball.
“I think anything that challenges the traditional hierarchy of sports in Australia can have substantial
benefits for basketball and the Philips Championship,” Burton said.
“The Australian public are having their eyes opened to just how truly global sports other than cricket,
AFL, rugby league and union are. Soccer and basketball are consistently by far the two most played sports
around the world. Anything that gets the Australian public and media to embrace a ‘non-traditional’ code and
challenges the established hierarchy of sport in this country is something which we will welcome.”
“I think we’ll start to see a shift in the Australian sporting landscape over the next few years as a
direct result of the Socceroos’ efforts and I believe we are set to reap some of the benefits from that
seismic change. Not just fans but also potential broadcast partners and sponsors will start to see the power
of truly global sports such as soccer and basketball. To the credit of our naming rights partner Philips, who
are also a partner of the World Cup, they have already recognised our true potential.”
Burton said that the pieces were already in place to capitalise on the Australian public’s burgeoning
interest in global sports.
“With Australian Andrew Bogut starring in the NBA in America and dozens of Australians playing in
professional leagues all over the world, I think it’s safe to say that the public will start to realise that
basketball has plenty of players who are the equivalent of your Harry Kewells and your Mark Vidukas in
soccer.
We have many players who are household names in Europe and America and our own Philips Championship has
some of the true stars of international basketball such as Chris Anstey and Shane Heal.”
“We join the rest of Australia in wishing the Socceroos all the luck in the world in the round of 16.”
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