Women's basketball will slide further behind rival sporting codes if a deal is not done to broadcast WNBL games live on television, Canberra Capitals coach Paul Goriss believes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Netball and Australian football continue to be booming markets for women's sport and both will have new leagues televised in 2017, while the Women's Big Bash League has lifted the profile and income capabilities of cricket.
Sevens rugby could also threaten the market share of basketball on the back of Australia's gold medal win at the Rio Olympic Games and bosses are currently in talks to create their own domestic league.
The Australian and New Zealand netball championship was able to reach a broadcast agreement through major sponsor ANZ in 2008 and Goriss said it was time the WNBL did something similar.
"I'm sure everyone is trying to get it done but sooner or later something has got to happen because it is a good product and the league is quality in terms of the closeness of the games week-in and week-out," Goriss said.
"The quality is there from the players and the quality of the game is there, it's just about being able to get it out to the people and get it on TV."
The Capitals' game against Perth Saturday night had a crowd attendance of 1400, but fans not able to get to Western Australia were forced to watch on YouTube.
"It's great that they live stream the game but it's up to each club to do their own thing with streaming games," Goriss said.
"We're trying to as well but it's a challenge for basketball and Basketball Australia to have a major sponsor and get it on TV."
Female athletes are increasingly swapping codes and the AFL Women's inaugural season will feature a number of players from rival sports.
The skills and attributes of basketball players are commonly viewed as transferable by football scouts.
The income stream from a broadcast arrangement has also allowed netball and cricket to increase wages for their athletes.
Earlier this month Cricket NSW set a minimum wage for its women's players of $35,000 and last month the inaugural National Netball League's collective bargaining agreement established a minimum wage of $27,375.
Meanwhile, the Capitals were forced to leave four injured and ill players at home for their trip to Perth this weekend and lost 65-59.
Centre Marianna Tolo was again prolific, scoring 22 points and completing her third straight double-double, collecting 13 rebounds.
"Our defensive pressure and our scoring ability in the first quarter put them on the back foot but they settled into a bit more of a rhythm in the second quarter," Goriss said.
"The character of the group playing without the four shone through, they dug their heels in and at the end we just ran out of legs. I couldn't be prouder and happier with the girls' effort levels."
WNBL ROUND 3
Perth Lynx 65 (S Whitcomb 23 points) bt Canberra Capitals 59 (M Tolo 23 points, 13 rebounds).
