More WNBL and NBL double-headers, but not this season
Jasper Bruce |
Basketball legend Lauren Jackson has backed the NBL and WNBL’s plans to play more double-headers, but the leagues have ruled out expanding the concept for the 2026/27 seasons.
Controlled by the same ownership group, the NBL’s Sydney Kings and WNBL’s Sydney Flames have found success hosting back-to-back home games on the same court.
In January, the teams’ “Pink Hoops” double-header pulled the fifth-largest crowd in NBL history, 16,846 fans, and the WNBL’s biggest of the season (6447).
The NRL, AFL, A-Leagues and Super Rugby Pacific all play men’s and women’s games back to back during their seasons to maximise crowd figures.
But currently, the Flames and Kings are the only professional Australian basketball teams to do so regularly.
In the 2025/26 season, there were only four cities with both men’s and women’s teams, but the Tasmania Jewels’ entry into the WNBL this season has opened up more opportunities for double-headers.
Helping the logistical case, the Jewels are owned by the same asset management firm that bought a controlling stake in the state’s NBL team the JackJumpers last July.
NBL side the Brisbane Bullets have also launched a bid for a WNBL licence, which could help make double-headers a reality in South East Queensland in coming years.
Australia’s greatest women’s basketballer Lauren Jackson, now the WNBL’s chief strategy and basketball partnerships officer, would be in favour of more double-headers.
“Historically, that’s always been successful. With the WNBL and the NBL working together, it makes sense, especially when the seasons run at the same time,” Jackson told AAP.
“The more eyeballs and visibility we have on our leagues, the more people we’re going to have coming into the stadium to watch the WNBL.”
Helping with scheduling, the WNBL, since last season, has been owned and operated by a consortium that includes the NBL.
“We think the double-headers are really important, for the growth of both WNBL and NBL,” NBL and WNBL chief executive David Stevenson told AAP.
“Now you’ve got JackJumpers and Jewels, same organisation, so we’re going to explore what that looks like.
“As we think about expansion on the WNBL side, too, (there are) some obvious places we’ve got gaps in. So, is there an opportunity to partner with an NBL team, and therefore make double headers a little easier?”
The NBL has already released its schedule for the 2026/27 season, while the WNBL’s is due in the coming weeks.
“For this season, you’ll see the double-headers be pretty focused on Sydney,” said Stevenson.
“But as we think about getting Tasmania up and going, and other teams, then you’ll see more of those.”
AAP