Why subscribe?
Luc Longley supports The Pick and Roll!
Like you, we’re all about Aussie hoops: commentary, analysis, interviews and more. The work we’ve shared since 2013 has been free to read, but it's never been free to produce. That's always it. It's expected to be free, but the cost of doing this the right way is heavy, because none of us do this full-time.
The Pick and Roll has built its reputation as an independent, unbiased voice, and we do not shift our narratives to suit big brand shareholders (it’s owned by two basketball fans holding day jobs).
We’ve celebrated success with the team spreading their roots in basketball media:
Steve Chalmers (ex Big V, Basketball Victoria)
Grant Richardson (ex Basketball Australia)
Olgun Uluc (ex Fox Sports Australia, currently ESPN AU/NZ)
Luke Sicari (currently NBL Media)
Hayley Wildes (ex Melbourne United media)
Warren Yiu (ex ESPN AU/NZ)
Kane Pitman (currently ESPN)
Subscribe to ensure the independent platform we’ve created to nurture talented journalists and writers, continues to flourish.
Good writing is hard, and it takes time. From interviews to transcriptions to writing and editing, it’s never quick or easy. There’s unseen hours of work, late into the night. Feedback and brainstorming, organising interviews. The work that goes into planning and recording podcasts. The long, painstaking process of creating a cohesive brand, making digital art and cutting video. Everything we produce has been the collective fruit of our passion.
Hosting, images, filing taxes, and the countless hours of effort: none of it is free. We’ve done it for many years, and have never taken a cent. And we’ve never been funded by anyone but ourselves. Everything was built from the ground up. But all of this comes at a cost of burning ourselves out. It’s getting harder every year.
Your subscription will make sure our creators are paid to continue their work around Australian basketball and our talented athletes - those same authentic voices you’re so familiar with, coupled with editorial integrity.
Basketball isn’t receiving enough coverage in Australia, and we will do our part to grow the landscape, like what we’ve done all these years. We’re reliant on your subscriptions to make things work. But that’s fine, because we know you’re there: we’re all in this together.
Join us, and let’s make Aussie hoops better.
About us
Just like the offensive play it was named after, The Pick and Roll aims to be simple, yet effective. We’re about the wildly passionate fans. The ones who bleed green and gold. The folks who live, eat and sleep Australian basketball. Those who have nightmares about that foul in Rio, and cried tears of joy as Tokyo yielded a historical bronze, and are cheering for the next. The ones who fly the flag proudly, the ones that cheer for our boys and girls, our men and women all over the world.
We’re all about you.
The Pick and Roll was founded in 2013.
Co-founders, editors: Kein Chua, Damian Arsenis
Team: Regular writers
Branding: Tony McLachlan
Affiliated photographers: Jacob Crook, Michelle Couling, May Bailey, Daniel Bennett, Dan Cowley
We are credentialed across various basketball leagues and organisations, including the NBA/WNBA, FIBA, NBL, WNBL, NBL1, and have relationships with agencies and brands in the industry.
Our vision
To be the most trusted source for all things Australian basketball and a leader in nurturing the sport across all levels.
Our mission
We are committed to providing accurate, relevant and timely coverage of Australian basketball to help promote and educate the public. We do this through providing a platform for everyone.
Since 2013, The Pick and Roll has been the springboard for budding writers to develop their talent and find opportunities.
FAQ
How much does it cost to subscribe?
It’s A$10 a month, and A$100 for the year.
What do I get as a subscriber?
One free story per week to folks on our public list.
For the amazing people who are paying subscribers: three subscriber-only stories (at least!) every week.
(You also get a ton of good karma for keeping our writers doing what they love.)
I’m concerned about credit card security: how safe is this?
The Pick and Roll now runs on Substack, which uses Stripe as a payments provider.
Stripe has been audited by a PCI-certified auditor and is certified to PCI Service Provider Level 1, which is the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. They also have an entire section of their documentation dedicated to security, if you are keen on finding out more.
I’m not in the right place to subscribe just yet. Can I just buy you guys a coffee or something?
Sounds good, we appreciate the positive vibes. Our Buy Me a Coffee link is here. Thank you!
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Please feel free to share our free content as often as you like. Occasionally forwarding our subscriber-only stories is fine too.
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