NBL Schedule Update

The Tasmania JackJumpers have a new opening round matchup for the 2021/22 Hungry Jack’s NBL Season after changes were made to the schedule.

In line with the league’s policies regarding border closures and openings, the first six rounds have been re-shuffled to maximise the opportunities for fans to attend games.

The JackJumpers were originally scheduled to play Adelaide on December 3 but will instead face the Brisbane Bullets, while the 36ers will now travel to Perth to play the Wildcats at RAC Arena.

Fans and the integrity of the schedule were the priority during the rescheduling according to Hungry Jack’s NBL Commissioner, Jeremy Loeliger.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW NBL SCHEDULE

“We will always prioritise having as many fans in home venues as possible as per our policies and processes,” he said.

“Like every sporting organisation around the country, we were acutely aware our schedule would likely change as Australia and New Zealand started to open up and consider vaccination rates and health advice.

“We have the ability to swap and change when necessary but will always maintain the integrity of the schedule and we will always put fans first.

“Getting teams into states and fans into venues safely remains are absolute priority. We will maintain a flexible approach to the schedule to ensure any potential further changes are made with these two objectives at the forefront.

“We will ensure each team still plays 14 home games and we will endeavour to give fans as much notice as possible when further changes are made after Round 6.”

The Perth Wildcats will now play five home games in the first three weeks of the season before hitting the road for a block of away games while the Western Australian border remains closed to certain states.

“This allows Wildcats’ fans to cheer on their team at RAC Arena early in the season and maintains a fair schedule for the club,” Loeliger added.

The South East Melbourne Phoenix will now host the New Zealand Breakers in Round 1 on Saturday December 4 while a Sunday Hoops triple-header on December 5 pits Adelaide against the Illawarra Hawks, the Sydney Kings against Melbourne United and Perth against the Cairns Taipans.

All games will be broadcast live on ESPN and the ESPN App, and the 1pm and 3pm Sunday games will also be simulcast live on 10 Peach.

Sky Sports will continue to show all New Zealand Breakers games live on Sky Sport.