THEY couldn't get the job done on the floor but the Hawks hosted the most watched game in NBL history against the Bullets on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
More than a million US viewers tuned in via the NBL's Facebook page to watch NBA Draft prospect LaMelo Ball's first regular season game for his new club that also drew 3600 fans to the WEC.
Ball's debut, in which he grabbed a double-double, also attracted just shy of 2.5 million views on Twitter. Ball's first outing was one of a select number of games broadcast in the US live on Facebook Watch.
It's indication of how many eyes the likes of Ball and fellow Next Star RJ Hampton have brought to the league, the average engagement on Facebook per post has increased by 250 per cent and by 340 per cent on Twitter.
NBL executive chairman Larry Kestelman said the NBL's social media platforms have enjoyed massive increases across the board.
"These are huge numbers by any measure and confirm the NBL's status as a global entertainment product," Kestelman said.
"They also reinforce our position as the best basketball league in the world outside of the NBA during what is a very exciting time for the sport in Australia and New Zealand.
"There is obviously a lot of interest in LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton ahead of next year's NBA draft but also the NBL and basketball here more broadly.
"Our games are being broadcast to a potential reach 130 million people across the world including the U.S., Europe and Asia but our numbers are also exploding across all social media platforms.
"As a global sport and entertainment product we are in a unique position to capitalise on this as we continue to grow the league both here and around the world in the years to come."