NBL bets on Ladbrokes extension

The Australian National Basketball League club competition has extended its partnership with bookmaker Ladbrokes.

The new two-year deal covers the 2016-17 and 2017-18 NBL seasons. Under the agreement, Ladbrokes will continue to serve as the league’s official Australian sports betting and wagering partner.

Ladbrokes will organise fan engagement initiatives as part of the deal and, throughout the 2016-17 season, it will also name an NBL Fantasy Player of the Week through its association with the league’s online fantasy sports competition.

Ladbrokes Australia chief executive Dean Shannon said: “Australia is producing many very good basketball players and we see tremendous potential for the NBL to continue developing as a prime time sports entertainment product, and one of the world’s strongest leagues in terms of talent.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our relationship with the NBL and enhancing the basketball fan experience by collaborating to produce digital content and fantasy games for both the NBL and NBA.”

Ladbrokes first teamed up with the NBL at the start of the 2015-16 season. The bookmaker was one of a raft of high-profile partners signed by the NBL last year as organisers sought to raise the league’s profile.

Meanwhile, defending NBL champion the Perth Wildcats has extended its jersey sponsorship deal with Edith Cowan University. The new three-year deal covers the 2016-17 to 2018-19 seasons.

As part of the deal, Perth-based ECU’s branding will continue to feature on the front of the Wildcats’ playing jerseys. ECU will also receive digital advertising exposure during Wildcats home games and will hold partnership rights to two of the team’s home games per season. In addition, ECU students will benefit from workplace internships at the Wildcats.