Basketball New Zealand claims its digital space

Following the lead of Basketballs world body FIBA, Basketball New Zealand has joined the digital revolution and claimed its .basketball Top Level Domain (TLD). Basketball New Zealand is now working with other entities within the New Zealand basketball community to offer the same opportunity.

Instead of using .com, .org or .co.nz, any team, school, coach or partner now has the chance to use .basketball in their digital identity.

Basketball New Zealand secured their new digital identity after working with FIBAs partners in the .basketball TLD project, Roar.basketball LLC, a Sports Marketing Company founded by former New Zealand footballer Ryan Nelsen and business partner Hamish Miller. The sports governing body FIBA has already led the way by rebranding to www.FIBA.basketball and migrating all major digital assets including www.worldcup.basketball, www.championsleague.basketball and www.FIBA3x3.basketball among others.

Chief Executive of Basketball New Zealand, Iain Potter, says he was happy to be one of the first federations to follow suit.

"Being part of a global initiative like this is important because it helps us take ownership of Basketball New Zealands digital brands, as well as giving our partner associations the chance to do that same.

"Legitimate online presence is so important to connect with people. Securing our own specific territory on the internet strengthens our legitimacy and unifies us with an international digital basketball community," said Mr Potter.

Basketball associations around the country have been in discussions with Basketball New Zealand about securing their own online brand. The first to come aboard is Basketball Otago, claiming www.Otago.basketball. General Manager Justin Ludlow says hes happy with the result.

"Having the ability to roll out our new website and emails to the otago.basketball domain has been a very seamless and exciting transition for us at Basketball Otago, and one which clarifies our position to simplify our online presence to our members and stakeholders. This would not have been possible without the support of Basketball New Zealand along with the team at ROAR.basketball," says Mr Ludlow.

Roars experience across global sport and their knowledge of the highly competitive domain marketplace was critical in ensuring .basketball ended up in FIBAs safe hands. Now their 212 other association members are following in the same footsteps as Basketball New Zealand.

FIBA and Roar says theyre are committed to seeing .basketball serve its community first and foremost. Roar.basketballs Ryan Nelsen says the process to ultimately win .basketball was long and arduous, but it was always about the sport and its stakeholders.

"Having seen the huge amount of effort internet squatters and speculators are prepared to make in order to snap up potentially valuable domains and addresses, only increased our determination to make sure that it was basketball first and foremost that benefited from their own Top Level Domain."

In addition to www.nz.basketball, Basketball New Zealand also owns domains for each of its main brands including www.tallblacks.basketball, www.tallferns.basketball, www.NZNBL.basketball, www.nzwbc.basketball plus a number of others.

The .basketball TLD process is currently in a limited registration period and available by invitation only to legitimate members of the New Zealand Basketball community. Interested parties should contact Basketball New Zealands Daniel Dawick, Manager Basketball Development & Technology for more information. Email: daniel@nz.basketball

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Basketball New Zealand