Basketball and sportswashing II: Can the NBL keep up with global sportswashing?

The NBL and their clubs need to secure their future in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Today’s article is an extension of our earlier discussion about global inflation hitting the sports industry.

Professional sports in Australia are facing increased economic challenges and competition from global sports. While basketball remains popular, the NBL needs financial elevation to survive. Examples from golf and soccer demonstrate how wealthy entities can disrupt international sports. The NBA is also at an inflection point, with soaring valuations attracting foreign investments, potentially from middle eastern sovereign wealth funds. The financial motives could lead to major changes in NBA ownership, as global elites seek to capitalise on sports opportunities. As with everything basketball related, the NBA is a trend setter and its actions will reverberate around global basketball,

So, where does that leave Australian basketball?