NBL Cup: 18 days of NBL double-headers and 36 games across two city venues
All nine NBL teams will converge on Melbourne from February 20, with 18 days of double-headers as part of the first NBL Cup.
A basketball frenzy will hit Melbourne from February 20, with 18 days of NBL double-headers and 36 games across two city venues as part of the first NBL Cup.
Played as a competition within the regular season, the maiden NBL Cup will provide plenty of incentive for the players with $300,000 prize money up for grabs and all games counting towards the 2020-21 NBL title.
League officials remained positive on Thursday that a positive hotel quarantine test, which sparked tighter restrictions in Victoria, won’t stop the state from welcoming all nine NBL teams to Melbourne for the games at John Cain Arena and the State Basketball Centre.
With crowds returning to live sport, supporters will be able to watch two games of world-class basketball for the price of one.
Ticket prices will start at just $17, with a blockbuster double-header of Melbourne United versus Perth Wildcats and Cairns Taipans versus The Hawks to open the NBL Cup at John Cain Arena on Saturday, February 20.
Star United big man Jock Landale can’t wait to put on a show at the NBL Cup in front of what he described as Australia’s best basketball fans.
“Anytime you get to play in front of your home fans and have people from Melbourne come out and support a sport they love, I think that is a great opportunity,” Landale said.
“I think the NBL Cup concept is fantastic. As an athlete and basketball player, you want to play as many games as possible.
“You see other leagues around the world trying to replicate this type of Cup format, and it is always really successful.
“For us as players to be able to come to the heart of basketball, which is Melbourne, and play in front of these fans is a great honour for us, and I think it will be a great experience for them.”
NBL owner and executive chairman Larry Kestelman couldn’t be prouder to launch the NBL Cup in Melbourne – an event he believes is truly unique for Australian sport.
“The NBL Cup will showcase one of the best basketball leagues and provide great live entertainment between the Australian Open tennis and start of the AFL season,” Kestelman said.
“Most importantly, it will provide great value for all sports fans, particularly families, who can watch the biggest stars of the league in double-headers for the price of one game.”
The NBL Cup winner will determined by the team that wins the most games, and quarters, across the 36 games.
Every team will play each other once, and the team with the most points at the end of the 36 games will win $150,000 in prize money. The runner-up will receive $100,000 and third place $50,000.
Tickets for the NBL Cup will go on sale to NBL club members next Monday, February 8 and the general public from Tuesday, February 9 via NBLCupcom.au.
NBL CUP DRAW:
ROUND 6:
Cairns vs Hawks, Sat Feb 20 at 3pm (John Cain Arena)
Melbourne United vs Perth, Sat Feb 20 at 5.30pm (John Cain Arena)
SEM Phoenix vs Brisbane, Sun Feb 21 at 3pm (John Cain Arena)
Sydney Kings vs Adelaide, Sun Feb 21 at 5.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Hawks vs Breakers, Mon Feb 22 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
Melbourne United vs Cairns, Mon Feb 22 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Sydney Kings vs Perth, Tue Feb 23 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
Adelaide vs SEM Phoenix, Tue Feb 23 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
ROUND 7:
Sydney Kings vs Breakers, Thu Feb 25 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
Adelaide vs Melbourne United, Thu Feb 25 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Brisbane vs Hawks, Fri Feb 26 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
Cairns vs Perth, Fri Feb 26 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Adelaide vs Breakers, Sat Feb 27 at 5.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Melbourne United vs Sydney Kings, Sat Feb 27 at 8pm (John Cain Arena)
SEM Phoenix vs Hawks, Sun Feb 28 at 2pm (John Cain Arena)
Brisbane vs Cairns, Sun Feb 28 at 4.30pm (John Cain Arena)
ROUND 8:
Breakers vs Brisbane, Wed Mar 3 at 5pm (State Basketball Centre)
Perth vs SEM Phoenix, Wed Mar 3 at 7.30pm (State Basketball Centre)
Cairns vs Sydney Kings, Thur Mar 4 at 5pm (State Basketball Centre)
Hawks vs Adelaide, Thur Mar 4 at 7.30pm (State Basketball Centre)
Perth vs Brisbane, Fri Mar 5 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
Breakers vs Melbourne United, Fri Mar 5 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Adelaide vs Cairns, Sat Mar 6 at 5.30pm (John Cain Arena)
SEM Phoenix vs Sydney Kings, Sat Mar 6 at 8pm (John Cain Arena)
Melbourne United vs Brisbane, Sun Mar 7 at 2pm (John Cain Arena)
Hawks vs Perth, Sun Mar 7 at 4.30pm (John Cain Arena)
ROUND 9:
Breakers vs Cairns, Wed Mar 10 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
SEM Phoenix, Wed Mar 10 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Brisbane vs Adelaide, Thur Mar 11 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
Sydney Kings vs Hawks, Thur Mar 11 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Perth vs Breakers, Fri Mar 12 at 5pm (John Cain Arena)
Cairns vs SEM Phoenix, Fri Mar 12 at 7.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Brisbane vs Sydney Kings, Sat Mar 13 at 5.30pm (John Cain Arena)
Hawks vs Melbourne United, Sat Mar 13 at 8pm (John Cain Arena)
Breakers vs SEM Phoenix, Sun Mar 14 at 2pm (John Cain Arena)
Perth vs Adelaide, Sun Mar 14 at 4.30pm (John Cain Arena)
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