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9 quickfire reasons not to miss NBL match-night 1
After its well deserved summer breather, the UK's game-changingNational Badminton League makes a welcome return in early November with two bigfixtures getting the drama started.
Surrey Smashers will look to put last season's ChampionshipsFinals Day disappointment behind them as they entertain MK Badminton at SurreySports Park live in front of the Sky Sports TV camera.
Meanwhile Loughborough Sport will be hoping to start the newseason in the same rich vein of form that saw them end last year as runnersup.A new look University of NottinghamBadminton squad are first to try and silence the Purple Army at Sir DavidWallace Arena
If you are yet to
book your seat
at one of the two match-night 1 fixtures, here are our 9quickfire reasons to remember, remember the 2
nd
of November.
SHOCKSANTICIPATED
The season opener of any sports league always throws up an expectedshock or two and with players having to re-acquaint themselves with the NBL'ssuper fast scoring system, anything can happen.
THE RETURN OF THE PINK POWERPLAY SHUTTLE
The NBL's exclusive PowerPlay double points rally was a big talking point lastseason as it ripped up the badminton rule book. The pink shuttlecock and pulsating sound effects are back for a secondseason and you can love it all over again.
EXPECT FIREWORKS!
With the likes of Surrey Smashers' Chris Langridge, MK Badminton'sPeter Mills and Nottingham's Chris Adcock going head-to-head as they captaintheir teams , passion and pride on court is guaranteed (even if the results arenot!)
BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT
The NBL's first-to-9 points scoring system is back to fuelanother six match-nights of quickfire action. It really is winner takes all and, this time, the players know they haveto come out firing from point one.
NOTTS LANDING
Universityof Nottingham Badminton may have snapped up English hot shot Jess Pugh over thesummer but it's the intriguing signings of Dutch star Eric Pang and Poland'sAdam Cwalina – both Olympians – that could set alight the team playing in white for the new season.
SMASHERS' SUPPORT
Withsell outs last season, Surrey Smashers generate one of the best match-nightatmospheres at Surrey Sports Park and it makes for great family entertainment. It can get passionate, it will be loud. There is a reason they are unbeaten at home.
THEY ARE ALL YELLOW!
Thereis nothing mellow about MK Badminton's striking new luminous yellow kit – and withflamboyant young guns like Lydia Powell and Sean Vendy ready to make a name forthemselves, this season is set to see more game-changing stuff from MK
PURPLE REIGN SUPREME?
Afterfinishing as runners-up on Finals Day, Loughborough Sport will want a faststart this time around to prove a point after last season's slow start.The Purple Army will be back out in force andwill expect nothing less than full throttle from a squad that can no longerlive off the NBL radar.
DENTED EGOS LIKELY
Reputations mean little in the NBLand its those players that adapt best on the night that often prevail oncourt. Last season saw Olympians loseto U17 stars and new faces emerge as the NBL's key players Comeexpecting to see stars but be prepared to see others who could shinebrighter.
