Government pledges support for new basketball facility on back of Salties driven participation boom

The NT government has pledged to get behind a push for a new Top End basketball facility, saying it ‘will continue to work with Basketball NT on its plan’.

The NT government has acknowledged the desperate need for more basketball courts in the Territory amid a spike in interest in the sport boosting participation numbers to more than 10,000.

It follows calls for more courts from Basketball NT chief executive, John Mitchell, and pressure from popular NBL1 team the Darwin Salties, whose success has driven increased interest in the sport.

Mr Mitchell last week called for a new four-court facility to be built in Palmerston as well as an upgrade to the Darwin Basketball Stadium in Marrara.

In response, a spokesman for Territory Families said the department would “continue to work with Basketball NT on its plan for a new facility”.

The spokesman said the government had “a long history of investing in facilities” and would “try to meet growing needs” of keen basketballers.

“The Northern Territory has some first class sporting facilities and the government has a long history of investing in facilities to support the growth of sport and to provide the best facilities to support participation and athlete development,” he said.

“We are committed to supporting the growth of the every Territory sport and have developed a strategic long term sporting facility plan which drives activities like the current masterplanning for Mickett Creek.

“It is acknowledged that most sports in the Territory want to see their sport prioritised as they grow.

Full capacity has been reached across many courts in greater Darwin. Picture Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“The government works with key partners such as local government bodies and the Commonwealth government to try to meet growing needs such as those currently being experienced by basketball.

“Acknowledging the accelerated growth in popularity, off the back of the success of initiatives such as the NBL1 Salties teams, Territory Families will continue to work with Basketball NT on its plan for a new facility.”

Basketball NT chief John Mitchell calls for new four-court facility in Palmerston as participation surges

The head of Territory basketball has called for government funding to build more courts amid a participation boom forcing organisers to turn some keen young players away.

The sport has experienced a renaissance in the Top End following the entry of the Darwin Salties into the NBL1 competition last year, with more than 10,000 participants now taking up the game.

But the Salties say the organisation is unable to expand its community programs due to a lack of capacity, while Basketball NT chief executive John Mitchell said prospective players “simply haven’t got enough courts.”

“The Darwin Salties would love to hold more clinics and training camps to develop young players but, unfortunately, the basketball courts are at full capacity,” the Salties spokesman said.

“Basketball has exploded in popularity and the Salties success in NBL1 will likely fuel that further in the NT.”

Mr Mitchell told this publication government funding for more courts was vital for the growth of basketball in the Territory.

“We have had huge improvements in participation across the Northern Territory, in fact, over 10 per cent right here at the Darwin Basketball Association,” Mr Mitchell said.

Darwin Basketball Association executive officer Kerri Savidge and Basketball NT chief executive John Mitchell. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“We’ve seen some increases in participation but of course, some of the things that stop participation is the number of courts across the territory.

“We need a lot more courts, we need more volunteers, we need more referees so all these things are inhibitors to participation.”

Mr Mitchell said some aspiring junior participants at the Palmerston and Regional Basketball Association were turned back and forced to travel into Darwin because of a shortage of courts.

Competitive basketball in the greater Darwin region sees matches played seven days a week across its courts in Palmerston and Darwin.

“It is fantastic but of course, it creates another issue in we haven’t got space for a lot of people to enter the game,” he said.

He also said that games had to start later at night.

Mr Mitchell said he wanted Basketball NT’s business plan to build another four-court facility at Palmerston fast tracked by the government, which he said was “very supportive” of the plan.

It is believed the plan, which also included an upgrade to the DBA stadium at Marrara, was put together in 2019 when Mitchell began his role at Basketball NT.

A new facility in Palmerston would provide more opportunities for locals but also for the rural communities.

Makuach Maluach in action for the Darwin Salties against Cairns Marlins at the DBA stadium. Picture: Pema Pakhrin.

Mr Mitchell, who has previously held roles in the Territory including executive officer of Swimming NT and general manager of NRL NT, also said sport was “vitally important” in tackling the issue of crime in the Territory with people being “on court (and) out of court”.

“Sport is good for reducing youth crime, if they are involved in sport, it keeps them away from that activity so the importance of participation is just incredible,” he said

Sports Minister Kate Worden’s office was contacted for comment.