The Toowoomba Chamber has written to the NZ Breakers offering the city as a base for the 2020/21 season

With its excellent facilities, proximity to South East Queensland, international airport and six months of no COVID-19 cases, the Toowoomba Chamber has offered up the city to host a Kiwi basketball team.

Daniel Trist of the Phoenix, Finn Delany of the Breakers, Dane Pineau of the Phoenix, Brandon Ashley of the Breakers and Scotty Hopson of the Breakers (L-R) compete for the ball during the round 20 NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the South East Melbourne Phoenix at Horncastle Arena on February 14, 2020 in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

TOOWOOMBA has offered to host the New Zealand Breakers National Bastkeball League team for the duration of the 2020/21 NBL season.

Accompanied by letters of support from the Toowoomba Basketball Association, Toowoomba Regional Council, Wagner Corporation and the USQ Student Guild, the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce wrote to Breakers CEO Matt Walsh outlining the proposal on Friday.

Chamber president Harrison Humphries said with no recorded cases of COVID-19 since May 2, Toowoomba “offers a safe environment, accompanied by excellent basketball facilities, with airport access to all areas of Australia”.

“Toowoomba is blessed with excellent training and playing facilities, including those run by the University of Southern Queensland Student Guild, which has hosted several NBL matches,” Mr Humphries wrote.

“The city is serviced by an international airport, which provides easy and safe access for any host and visiting teams.”

Speaking to The Chronicle, Mr Humphries said with the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, it might be a requirement for “bubbles” to be set up for teams taking part in the NBL season.

“If they are required to have a base, where they can isolate or quarantine or stay in a bubble as some of the NRL teams did, and the AFL, then we’ve put up our hand,” he said.

TRC environment and community committee chair Cr James O’Shea said Toowoomba was ideally situated from both a location and infrastructure point of view to host a team like the New Zealand Breakers.

“This is showcasing to Australia and the world – this is Toowoomba – this is what we’ve got to offer,” he said.

Cr O’Shea also said if the season ended up being based in Queensland, Toowoomba was just a short drive to Brisbane and the Gold Coast and a short flight to the state’s north.