Basketball is a sport played both indoors and outdoors in Australia. Basketball is the number two sport globally with over 200 countries participating and over 450 million players. According to research by Sweeney Sports, one in three Australians has an interest in basketball. Furthermore, basketball is played by approximately one million men, women, boys, and girls throughout Australia. According to Basketball Australia, as of March 2014, basketball is the second highest team participation sport in Australia.[1]
Basketball in Australia experienced a golden age in the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, during which the National Basketball League saw its halcyon days. However, its popularity, media attention, attendance, and corporate support deteriorated during the 2000s. Despite this, figures released by the Australian Sports Commission's Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey in 2010 showed that basketball was the most popular sport played in the state of Victoria.[2][3]
The first press reference to a game of basketball in Australia is from The Adelaide Advertiser. The paper reported on Wednesday 17 February 1897 that the following Tuesday at the opening of Our Boys Institute, said to be the largest gymnasium in the colonies, OBI would play YMCA in the first exhibition of basketball in South Australia. There is no evidence of any game being played earlier elsewhere, thus the first game of basketball was played in Australia on Tuesday 23 February 1897. The game occurred six years after the invention of the sport on 21 December 1891 by Canadian James Naismith, a physical education professor and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (YMCA) in Springfield, Massachusetts. OBI and the YMCA continued to be at the forefront of the development of Adelaide basketball. More than 120 years later, basketball is one of the most popular participation sports in the country.
National League
The National Basketball League (NBL), which began in 1979, is the top-level men's basketball competition in Australia. The sport experienced rapid growth in the 1980s with the influx of American players. National competition became popular in the major cities. By the late 1990s, basketball in Australia went into sharp decline. According to Adelaide 36ers championship coach Phil Smyth, Australian basketball administrators rested on their laurels during the 1990s. "They let the brand get damaged," Smyth said. "It's that old saying 'if you keep doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different result, you're a fool — and basketball was foolish."[4] During the 2000s, interest in the NBL dwindled, with many teams folding, audience attendance fluctuating, and the league's TV presence inconsistent.[4]
In 2015, a record number of Australians playing in the NBA led to a renewed popularity in the sport and showed Australians still loved basketball but were unsure about the national version.[4]
^"Basketball Australia: Key Facts". SportsTG.com. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
^Langmaid, Aaron (27 June 2010). "Basketball popularity exploding across Melbourne's fringe". HeraldSun.com.au. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
^Green, Bradley (1 July 2010). . GeelongAdvertiser.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 July 2010.
^ abcTurner, Matt (7 June 2015). "Aussies shine in the NBA, so why is the NBL struggling?". AdelaideNow.com.au. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
External links
Basketball Australia official website
NBL official website
WNBL official website
August 23, 2023
basketball, australia, confused, with, basketball, australia, basketball, sport, played, both, indoors, outdoors, australia, basketball, number, sport, globally, with, over, countries, participating, over, million, players, according, research, sweeney, sports. Not to be confused with Basketball Australia Basketball is a sport played both indoors and outdoors in Australia Basketball is the number two sport globally with over 200 countries participating and over 450 million players According to research by Sweeney Sports one in three Australians has an interest in basketball Furthermore basketball is played by approximately one million men women boys and girls throughout Australia According to Basketball Australia as of March 2014 basketball is the second highest team participation sport in Australia 1 Basketball in AustraliaTen time NBL champions the Perth WildcatsCountryAustraliaGoverning bodyBasketball AustraliaNational team s BasketballNickname s Boomers Men Opals Women First played23 February 1897 Adelaide South AustraliaClubs93 Men 90 Women 183 Total National competitionsList Summer Olympics FIBA Oceania Championship FIBA Oceania Championship for Women FIBA Basketball World Cup FIBA Women s Basketball World CupClub competitionsList Professional National Basketball League Women s National Basketball League Semi professional Big V NBL1 Central NBL1 North NBL1 South NBL1 West NBL1 EastAudience recordsSingle match17 514 2019 NBL Sydney Kings v Illawarra Hawks Qudos Bank Arena Season896 408 2019 20 NBL seasonBasketball in Australia experienced a golden age in the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s during which the National Basketball League saw its halcyon days However its popularity media attention attendance and corporate support deteriorated during the 2000s Despite this figures released by the Australian Sports Commission s Exercise Recreation and Sport Survey in 2010 showed that basketball was the most popular sport played in the state of Victoria 2 3 Contents 1 History 2 National League 3 National teams 4 League system 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditThe first press reference to a game of basketball in Australia is from The Adelaide Advertiser The paper reported on Wednesday 17 February 1897 that the following Tuesday at the opening of Our Boys Institute said to be the largest gymnasium in the colonies OBI would play YMCA in the first exhibition of basketball in South Australia There is no evidence of any game being played earlier elsewhere thus the first game of basketball was played in Australia on Tuesday 23 February 1897 The game occurred six years after the invention of the sport on 21 December 1891 by Canadian James Naismith a physical education professor and instructor at the International Young Men s Christian Association Training School YMCA in Springfield Massachusetts OBI and the YMCA continued to be at the forefront of the development of Adelaide basketball More than 120 years later basketball is one of the most popular participation sports in the country National League EditThe National Basketball League NBL which began in 1979 is the top level men s basketball competition in Australia The sport experienced rapid growth in the 1980s with the influx of American players National competition became popular in the major cities By the late 1990s basketball in Australia went into sharp decline According to Adelaide 36ers championship coach Phil Smyth Australian basketball administrators rested on their laurels during the 1990s They let the brand get damaged Smyth said It s that old saying if you keep doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different result you re a fool and basketball was foolish 4 During the 2000s interest in the NBL dwindled with many teams folding audience attendance fluctuating and the league s TV presence inconsistent 4 In 2015 a record number of Australians playing in the NBA led to a renewed popularity in the sport and showed Australians still loved basketball but were unsure about the national version 4 National teams EditThe Boomers are the men s basketball team which represents Australia in international competitions As of 2022 the Boomers have won 19 FIBA Oceania Championships no longer contested one FIBA Asia Cup one Commonwealth Games Gold Medal in 2006 and one Bronze Medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 Olympics But not World Cup Until winning the Bronze in Tokyo their best finish being fourth place at the Olympics in 1988 1996 2000 and 2016 and fourth at the 2019 World Cup The women s national team is the Opals They have won Olympic silver in 2000 2004 and 2008 Olympic bronze in 1996 and 2012 as well as gold at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and bronze at the 1998 2002 and 2014 World Cups League system EditMenLevel Leagues1 National Basketball League10 teams 1 from New Zealand 2 Big V8 teams NBL1 Central10 teams NBL1 East16 teams NBL1 North16 teams NBL1 South19 teams NBL1 West14 teams WomenLevel Leagues1 Women s National Basketball League8 teams2 Big V8 teams NBL1 Central10 teams NBL1 East16 teams NBL1 North16 teams NBL1 South19 teams NBL1 West13 teamsSee also Edit Australia portal Basketball portalReferences Edit Basketball Australia Key Facts SportsTG com Retrieved 11 June 2017 Langmaid Aaron 27 June 2010 Basketball popularity exploding across Melbourne s fringe HeraldSun com au Retrieved 11 June 2017 Green Bradley 1 July 2010 Basketball numbers are booming in Geelong GeelongAdvertiser com au Archived from the original on 3 July 2010 a b c Turner Matt 7 June 2015 Aussies shine in the NBA so why is the NBL struggling AdelaideNow com au Retrieved 11 June 2017 External links EditBasketball Australia official website NBL official website WNBL official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Basketball in Australia amp oldid 1161954257, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
