Hobart Chargers set to reclaim the NBL1 licence after Southern Huskies walk away from league

The path has been paved for the Hobart Chargers to step back into the basketball landscape after they went into recession in 2019 following public spat with Tasmania’s governing body.

Sam Youl in action for the Hobart Huskies in the NBL1. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

THE Hobart Chargers are prepared to reclaim the NBL1 licence they withdrew from accepting — if the club’s supporters, volunteers and sponsors want them back.

The potential biggest impact on the Southern Huskies shock decision to not renew the Hobart Huskies’ NBL1 licence was on local players, who are suddenly left without teams.

However Chargers president David Bartlett says the men’s SEABL championship winning club is willing to pick up the pieces.

Bartlett and Basketball Tasmania chief Chris McCoy — who had a huge public falling out last December — are understood to have met during the week in an effort to clear the air.

“The Chargers board always said we will be here if required but over the next few days what we need to see is sponsors, supporters, volunteers and so on want to support the Chargers coming back,” Bartlett said.

“If that’s the message we get from everyone, then we are back. The board is committed to picking it back up.”

Hobart Chargers president David Bartlett celebrates the team’s SEABLE championship with Varuni Kulasekera. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Bartlett said if the Chargers were to step in, the message built over the past three years would shift.

“Basketball has never been stronger, at the Hobart Chargers we set this goal to be NBL ready in three years, and guess what? We are NBL ready, the state is, as Larry [Kestelman] wouldn’t be here if we weren’t.

“Clearly our message for the last three years was we want to make Tasmania NBL ready but now Tasmania is NBL ready, we would see our role as producing the players of the future for the NBL and the WNBL.”

NBL1 boss Dean Anglin said it was business as usual for the league.

“It is disappointing for the Huskies that they couldn’t make it work but from our view it doesn’t really change too much,” he said.

“We are confident we will find a team down in Hobart to be able to push forward with.”