THE global spread of the National Basketball Association reaches Britain (and Ireland) this weekend as Channel 4 embarks on a three year deal to transmit coverage of one of the world's most popular televised sporting institutions.
The NBA, once occupied exclusively by Americans, currently hosts players from countries as diverse as Australia and Zaire. After the Olympics and soccer's World Cup, the NBA is now the most televised sport on the planet. The league's total revenue for the last financial year stood at £1.87 billion.
Channel 4 plan to broadcast three programmes a week from now until the NBA finals in June. Michael Grade, chief executive of the company, said: "This is our biggest new sports signing since Italian football three years ago and I'm sure it will be just as successful."
Channel 4's coverage kicks off on Sunday with live coverage of the NBA's all star game in San Antonio, Texas. The fixture brings together the best players from the NBA's two Conferences - Eastern and Western - as voted for by fans.
Detroit Pistons' young star Grant Hill, who has won the all star voting for the past two years, said: "I think it is an event English basketball fans twill enjoy as well."
