Maori Television Nets Nz Breakers’ Home Games

Maori Television Nets Nz Breakers’ Home Games

A spectacular season of top-notch basketball action will screen free-to-air on New Zealand’s national indigenous broadcaster for the third year in a row.

Maori Television has secured the broadcast rights to all home games of the NZ Breakers as they take on the might of the Australian National Basketball League in the 2009-2010 championship season, in BREAKERS NBL.

The channel will broadcast the Breakers’ Thursday night home games from the North Shore Events Centre from September 24.

For the first five weeks, Maori Television will broadcast games at 9.30 PM, until sports entertainment show HYUNDAI CODE finishes its season. The broadcast time moves to 8.30 PM from October 29.

In addition, the NZ Breakers games will play live on Te Reo, in POITUKOHU NBL, with tip-off at 7.00 PM.

Says Maori Television General Manager, Programming Haunui Royal: “We have built a strong viewer following with our coverage of the Australian NBL, and adding the live NZ Breakers games to the Te Reo schedule is a great step forward. Until now, we haven’t been able to accommodate viewers who prefer live coverage, as this would mean drastic changes to the regular schedule, at the expense of the viewing pleasure of other viewers. We believe live coverage on Te Reo will be good news for all viewers.”

Both Maori Television and the NZ Breakers management say they are pleased with how the partnership has progressed.

Says NZ Breakers General Manager Richard Clarke: “We are looking forward to continuing our successful relationship with Maori Television. We believe it is a great partnership for both parties, and the free-to-air coverage has increased both our viewing audience and the number of Kiwis who can access the coverage of our games.”

Haunui Royal says retaining the host broadcast rights over the basketball games is an excellent outcome for Maori Television.

“Screening top quality New Zealand sport free-to-air is a key objective of our channel, and we are delighted to have basketball as one of our signature sports for the third year in a row.

“Maori Television places a high value on our ongoing role as the broadcast partner for NZ Breakers, an exciting and skilful team playing in an international competition.

“We wish them all the very best for the games ahead.”

In the weeks where the NZ Breakers do not have home games, Maori Television will screen other games from the league, and NZ Breakers away games as a priority.

All games will be available through the on-demand service on the Maori Television website for up to one week after each game, as well as a ‘Play of the Day’ highlight.

Maori Television will also screen a full replay of each game on the Saturday following the Thursday night game.

The home game schedule is as follows:

NZ Breakers Broadcast Schedule 2009/10 Home Season
Television
Date Venue Visiting Team Maori Television Te Reo
24-Sep-09 NSEC CAIRNS 9.30pm 7pm
08-Oct-09 NSEC MELBOURNE 9.30pm 7pm
22-Oct-09 NSEC TOWNSVILLE 9.30pm 7pm
29-Oct-09 NSEC ADELAIDE 8.30pm 7pm
05-Nov-09 NSEC GOLD COAST 8.30pm 7pm
12-Nov-09 NSEC PERTH 8.30pm 7pm
26-Nov-09 NSEC CAIRNS 8.30pm 7pm
03-Dec-09 NSEC WOLLONGONG 8.30pm 7pm
10-Dec-09 NSEC PERTH 8.30pm 7pm
17-Dec-09 NSEC TOWNSVILLE 8.30pm 7pm
14-Jan-10 NSEC MELBOURNE 8.30pm 7pm
21-Jan-10 NSEC ADELAIDE 8.30pm 7pm
04-Feb-10 NSEC WOLLONGONG 8.30pm 7pm
11-Feb-10 NSEC GOLD COAST 8.30pm 7pm

Tune in to Maori Television for more of the best on court action from Thursday September 24 – POITUKOHU NBL at 7.00 PM on Te Reo, and BREAKERS NBL at 9.30 PM on Maori Television.

ENDS

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