Taking over from Ten, the NBL announced Nine’s commitment to broadcasting games live at 3pm on Sundays.

However, a statement on Tuesday only said “the NBL and Nine are currently finalising scheduling, with details of the first match broadcast on the network to be announced shortly”.

The Hawks have just three Sunday games throughout the season, including two in October.

Nine’s decision comes a month after the NBL secured pay television rights to show every NBL game live on Fox Sports.

‘‘It is a nice bonus,” Hawks coach Rob Beveridge said.

‘‘They only said it would be the one game a week. With every game on Fox and one on free-to-air, you obviously want more, but it is a good starting point.’’

NBL boss Larry Kestelman, who took over a controlling stake in the league in May, announced the Nine deal at the season launch in Melbourne on Monday night. Kestelman also revealed live streaming strategies around phone apps are being developed to further promote the NBL product.

The league has taken significant strides forward, just months after Townsville and the since rebadged Illawarra club were placed in voluntary administration. 

With the league boasting some major signings, including former NBL MVPs Kevin Lisch and Kirk Penney at the Hawks, Beveridge said some polish was being added.

‘‘It is a real wow factor and I have been in the league a long time,” he said.  ‘‘I left and came back and I haven’t seen the excitement and this professionalism ever.

‘‘I have come back and it is like this group have really got it together. There is good leadership and the professionalism, I mean (Monday night’s launch) was like a rock concert.”

The partnership with Channel Ten ended after the 2014-15 season, with the broadcaster not interested in renewing the contract.

“We have a vision to make the NBL a premier sport in Australia and an unrivalled option for entertainment during the summer, and take great confidence from the fact Nine shares our vision,” Kestelman said.

 The Hawks fly out to Cairns on Wednesday, to play their season opener against the Taipans. 

It creates an intriguing sub-plot to the NBL campaign, with former Hawks coach Gordie McLeod now an assistant at the north Queensland club.   The Hawks-Taipans clash will feature on pay television channel Fox Sports News on Thursday night.

In what is a demanding schedule to start the season, the Hawks then travel from Cairns to Melbourne to take on Melbourne United, the NBL Blitz pre-season winners, on Sunday. 

They will return to Wollongong to meet the Breakers at WIN Entertainment Centre next Wednesday.

NBL

Round one, Thursday

CAIRNS TAIPANS v

ILLAWARRA HAWKS

TV: Live on Fox Sports News  (7.30pm AEDT)