Photo: Photosport
The Breakers are backing calls for better protection of players and their families from social media abuse.
The coach of reigning NBL champions Tasmania JackJumpers has highlighted an "ugly" side of professional sport he wants action on.
After the JackJumpers beat the Breakers on Saturday, coach Scott Roth opened his post-match press conference by revealing for weeks his team's players and their families had been "attacked brutally through social media to the point where it's ugly".
"We have a lot of distraught players and family members, wives and spouses and children," he said.
"We have a player that's wife is pregnant and [people online] wished for a miscarriage.
"When you start using vulgarity and you start attacking family members and kids and photos on Facebook … it's too much.
"It's just a basketball game. It's just entertainment. Who cares at the end of the day? We're just here to entertain, play as hard as we can … this is not life or death. It's disgusting."
Tasmania coach Scott Roth. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Roth called on competition organisers to take note.
"The NBL must do something … the league needs to protect us, and I'm probably not the only coach that would sit here and say this."
The NBL issued a statement: "Online abuse is a matter we are actively addressing, and player safety is paramount. All parties are acutely aware of the seriousness of the issues and Basketball Australia's Integrity Unit is actively engaged in the matter."
Roth said "gamblers and people around the world that are betting on games ... and general fans that feel like they can just spew whatever they want out of their mouths" were behind the abuse.
He had urged his players to think of their families when they took the floor against the Breakers.
"Go play for your family," was his message after a tough 24 hours in which he said the abuse had heightened.
The JackJumpers had been on the bottom of the NBL standings and on a three-game losing streak before the 83-64 victory over the Breakers, whereas the Auckland-based club were leading the competition prior to the game.
The Breakers acknowledged social media abuse was "rampant" across all sports and it came in varying degrees depending on circumstances and events.
"Certainly, results are a big factor in the volume of abuse. Social channels have become a forum that brings out both the best and worst of humanity - with many abusive posts coming from users with anonymous profiles or bot accounts," the club's media manager John Whiting said.
New Zealand Breakers Photo: Photosport
The Breakers monitored social media interaction to moderate comments and hide or ban accounts when appropriate.
"Our top priority is protecting our players and staff while we work closely alongside the NBL around integrity issues and instances of severe abuse.
"In extreme cases, where there is a real or likely prospect of threat or harm, reports will be submitted to the NBL eSafety Commissioner and/or law enforcement."
The club said it educated players on the pitfalls of social media.
"We do everything we can to make sure they, and their families, are not exposed to abuse either through our own channels or their personal accounts.
"We also continue to look at ways we can utilise automated systems and in-platform security features to identify offenders and flag and filter abusive comments which include personal attacks, racism, sexism, homophobia and other threats."
The Breakers said they were comfortable with what the NBL was doing in regards to integrity work and were "committed to reducing the online vitriol as much as possible".
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