SportRadio.com.au approaches 250 WNBL regular season games

SportRadio.com.au is set to achieve another milestone with 250 regular season WNBL games being covered by the internet webcasting site. Sport Radio’s WNBL coverage started when Triple S FM (Canberra) broadcasters Mark Aston and Craig Revell teamed up to Broadcast and Webcast the 2000/2001 WNBL Grand Final between the Sydney Panthers and Canberra TransACT Capital at the AIS Arena.

The following season Triple S FM and SportRadio.com.au worked with the TransACT Capitals and AIS clubs to cover every game of their 2001/2002 season. The result saw Triple S FM receive its 3rd WNBL Media award and SportRadio.com.au become the online home of Canberra TransACT Capitals and AIS WNBL webcasts. Lead Commentator Mark Aston said that, “Calling games featuring Lauren Jackson in her early years at the AIS right through to her becoming the world’s greatest women’s basketball player has been a great privilege.”

For nine (9) years SportRadio.com.au has continued to webcast games live with on-demand audio following every home Canberra TransACT Capitals and AIS game. Mark Cartwright Basketball ACT CEO, recalls the discussion that started the online coverage, “I had been listening to WNBA and NBA games on the web in 2000, when Craig and Mark approached me with the opportunity to have the TransACT Capitals games webcast. We were excited with the chance to get our games out not only all over Australia but around the world. Over the past nine years the SportRadio.com.au team has done a wonderful job not only for the TransACT Capitals but for the entire WNBL.”

With help from Clubs, Coaches and WNBL players both Past and Present the broadcasts have been enjoyed in over 26 difference countries each week, at no cost to the Fans, League or Clubs participating. Craig Revell SportRadio.com.au Executive Producer said, “the way we have been embraced by all the WNBL Officials, Players and Coaches over the years has been fantastic, Whether it be adding colour commentary for a quarter or like Jess Mahoney who, while recovering from knee surgery, joined us for the better part of the season, everyone has given our broadcasts a huge amount of support.”

SportRadio.com.au has always endeavoured to improve the webcasts each year, with the help of the Canberra TransACT Capitals and the AIS management this season 90% of the games covered by SportRadio.com.au have been Live Video and Audio Webcasts. With Audio on-demand following the game. Almost 150 WNBL games are currently available online in the SportRadio.com.au archive.

The AIS WNBL Coverage has been appreciated by WNBL fans and more particularly the Parents of scholarship holders who regularly listen and now watch their Daughters first steps into the WNBL. Triple M Football and SportRadio.com.au Commentator John Kehoe said, “The first AIS win at the Training Hall each year is a great moment to cover. The girl’s enthusiasm and excitement is infectious.”

Phil Brown AIS Women’s Head Coach shared his thoughts on SportRadio.com.au’s achievement, “Congratulations on covering and producing 250 Women’s National Basketball League games. The WNBL in Australia is regarded as one of the great women’s basketball competitions in the World. It has been fantastic to see the development of the League and many people throughout the country follow the WNBL games on Sport Radio each week throughout the season. On behalf of the Australian Institute of Sport congratulations on 250 games and thank you for your support of women’s basketball and specifically the WNBL. Here’s to the next 250 games!”

Simon Peters’ Former National Programs Manager of the Canberra TransACT Capitals now Commentator for SportRadio.com.au said, “Watching Lauren Jackson, Kristen Veal and Penny Taylor play, from their formative years at the Institute to watching them on the world stage in the WNBA and World Championships. Being courtside during the Capitals dynasty has been a real honor. The Capitals and AIS programs have always made us feel almost part of the team. It’s a great job, which we do it for the love of it.”

Former Canberra Capitals Coach and now Commentator with SportRadio.com.au Michelle Hocking said that it is hard to pick just one memorable moment, “When you’ve done it for as long as we have it’s too hard to choose one highlight…..the Capitals memorable epic battles with Sydney and Townsville; watching kids graduate from the AIS and go on to be the world’s best; 5000 people pouring in to the AIS Arena to watch women’s basketball – simply awesome! If I had to pick one though it’s probably seeing Natty Hurst go from riding the pine year after year to leading a championship team and winning Grand Final MVP…thats the good stuff.”

After nine seasons of covering the WNBL Revell said his most memorable call was the Canberra TransACT Capitals 21st anniversary game in the 2005/06 season. “We started calling the game in the AIS Arena, when a light caught fire and the stadium was evacuated. Fortunately the AIS had already set up the Training Hall for the following night’s game, and the Caps were able to move the game to there. People were sitting right on the edge of the court, as WNBA All Star, Alana Beard showed why she was considered the best import ever to play in the WNBL. I think this might be the only time a WNBL game has started in one (1) gym and finished in another!”
Canberra TransACT Capitals Coach Carrie Graf said, “The SportRadio.com.au team has done a wonderful job providing coverage of the TransACT Capitals across Australian and around the World. On behalf of the entire TransACT Capitals Organization, I would like to congratulate SportRadio.com.au on 250 WNBL Regular season games.”

The SportRadio.com.au team will cover the final four (4) games in Canberra this season, counting down to their 250 webcast:

· Canberra Vs Bulleen – Date Scheduled: 29 Jan 2011 – Coverage from 18:45
· AIS Vs Bulleen – Date Scheduled: 30 Jan 2011 – Coverage from 12:45
· AIS Vs Logan – Date Scheduled: 4 Feb 2011 – Coverage from 18:45
· Canberra Vs Logan – Regular Season Game 250 for Sport Radio.com.au
Date Scheduled: 6 Feb 2011 – Coverage from 18:45 (This will be the 260th game of WNBL including Finals but not including Opals World Challenge/ Defence Force Challenge/ Club Internationals or Preseason Games)