Gold Coast NBL expansion team a precursor to a bold bid to lure the league’s headquarters to Queensland
NBL powerbrokers have given their biggest indication yet where the next expansion team will come from but it will be just a precursor following revelations of a shake up that could change the league forever.
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A POTENTIAL Gold Coast National Basketball League franchise will be the precursor to a bold bid to lure the entire league’s headquarters to the Glitter Strip.
Momentum is growing to bring an NBL licence back to the Gold Coast after revelations the competition’s pre-season tournament will be at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from September 16-22.
Now it can be revealed Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate also wants the region to become home to the competition’s headquarters, located in Melbourne.
“A lot of major sports are looking towards the Gold Coast to relocate their headquarters,” Mr Tate said. “Watch this space. Basketball is also on my list of targets. I have talked to (NBL boss) Larry (Kestelman) but it won’t be easy. We have to get the (NBL) team first.”
Mr Tate said the headquarters could “be right next to the newly built high performance sports centre” but the location of the mooted facility is as-yet unknown.
NBL CEO David Stevenson said it was premature to say a new Gold Coast team was a matter of when, not if, but the pre-season tournament was a test to gauge viability.
“We wouldn’t be bringing the Blitz to the Gold Coast unless we thought there was a reasonable possibility of expanding to have a team here,” Mr Stevenson said.
“From all the interest we have seen and participation numbers, we are very confident in the future there could be a Gold Coast NBL expansion team. We look forward to seeing those conversations progress.”
Any bid needed to tick off three key elements in fan support, commercial backing and a strong partnership with government to deliver the infrastructure required, he said.
“(Gold Coast) need all three of those pillars to be worked on.”
Queensland Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said his government would consider backing a Gold Coast bid.
“We have provided some pretty good support for the (Brisbane) Bullets and (Cairns) Taipans so we are a great supporter of the NBL. If there is a case to be made that is an issue we would consider at the time.”
Ex-NBA player and proud Queenslander Aron Baynes said not only was there enough talent to feed into another team, but a Gold Coast side would help the Australian Boomers succeed.
“The country’s that have the best domestic leagues always compete better on the international stage,” Mr Baynes said.
Rivalries between Gold Coast and Brisbane including the Titans and Broncos in the NRL and Suns and Lions in the AFL, have helped the respective codes reach new levels and Baynes said it could do the same in the NBL.
“It would be a great thing. We have the Queensland rivalry with the Taipans but it would be better to be able to just drive down the road and compete against someone,” Baynes said.
“It makes it that bit more fun and entertaining.”
Gold Coast Basketball Association president Rebecca Morris said an NBL team could easily pack stadiums weekly, with the 5000-membership base the biggest in the state.
“Growth in the sport over the last few years has made it so much bigger than what it was back in the Blaze NBL days,” Mrs Morris said.
“Our last NBL1 North grand final was standing room only, this weekend we are expecting a sellout of 1400 at our NBL1 North elimination final against Rip City on Saturday at Carrara.”
The fan base would be further bolstered by the North Gold Coast Seahawks, with general manager Brady Walmsley also confident it would succeed.
“As a community basketball association one of our priority focuses is participation and the corresponding pathways from grassroots to the elite level,” Walmsley said.
“Currently that ends for our players on the Gold Coast at the NBL1 level which is a fantastic competition. But the opportunity for an aspirational NBL level program on the Gold Coast would do wonders for junior basketball participation.”
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