When will the bad news end for women's sport in Australia?

It’s another sad day for women’s sport in Australia.

There was hope that the women’s basketball would find a new television partner to broadcast their games after being dropped from the ABC line-up due to budget cuts, but it seems that it isn’t going to happen.

A new report from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) looking into the ominously named “Optimal Competition Model for Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL)” is recommending the season move to run from April to July, and argues that the number of games in the season should be reduced from 22 to just 16.

According to The Age, the Australian Sports Commission report also says that women’s basketball should move to online streaming, rather than its previous tv home.

More: Devastating: This week has been crippling for Australian women’s sport.

Former Minister for Sport, Kate Lundy previously spoke to Mamamia and said the ABC’s decision to cull women’s sport from it’s broadcasting line-up was, “absolutely devastating.” She said that if women’s sport was no longer in public circles it would not have the revenue strength to leverage sponsorships.

“The whole thing has gone backward,” Lundy said.

In light of the ASC report, it seems that Lundy’s dire prediction may come to pass.

The ASC report says that the only option the women have is start online streaming. The report says that, “resources must be allocated to the development and implementation of integrated marketing and media plans, with a focus on a digital strategy to create regular and exciting content to dramatically improve the reach, presence and profile of the league.”

The ASC says that WNBL clubs should not be from anywhere with a population less than 500, 000. However it does still support the Bendigo and Townsville regional teams as long as they can keep up their current financial and spectator support levels (which will probably become much more difficult as they disappear from our tv screens).

Related content: More devastating news for women’s sport.

The report shows that 25 per cent of Australians have participated in basketball in their lifetime and 27 per cent consider themselves to be fans of the sport. It says that basketball has a particularly high junior participation rate.

While kids may be playing the sport in their youth, this isn’t translating into adulthood. Lundy thinks she knows why: She says that television coverage of sport was about “inspiring Australians of all ages to stay active and to play sport….What if the only sporting role models were blokes? Where does that leave the girls?” she said. “We’re in a devastating position.”

The decision by the ASC to take WNBL games online is just another blow to women and to the sponsorship, funding and spectators that the game so desperately needs.

And in other sporting news…

– Nicole Hackett – a Sydney Olympian, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and former World Champion – will be inducted in to the Hall of Fame. She’ll be presented with the plaque at a Triathlon Australia Gala dinner in Queensland. Well done, Nicole.

– The Western Australia Public Service have said that this year’s Heather MacGowan Scholarship which recognises the life’s work and achievements of an inspirational and extraordinary woman will focus on women in sport. It is an award that’s been running for over a decade and is a significant scholarship in the sport and recreation industry. It’s great news for women’s sport in Western Australia.

– The Firebirds took out their match against the NSW Swifts in the netball this week. It was their captain, Laura Geitz’s 100th ANZ Championship appearance and she was happy with the team’s 51-47 victory. The teams played in Brisbane leaving the home crowd very happy about the result. Well done to the Firebirds.

What sport are you playing or watching this week?