Southern Huskies branding more far reaching than Tasmania as NBL push heats up

TASMANIA’S historical link with Antarctica and the expedition of Douglas Mawson was the inspiration behind the name of the Tasmanian side bidding to join the NBL.

Tasmania’s NBL team will be known as the Southern Huskies.

TASMANIA’S historical link with Antarctica and the expedition of Douglas Mawson was the inspiration behind the name of the Tasmanian side bidding to join the NBL.

Bankroller Justin Hickey has told the Mercury the Southern Huskies branding is in no way alienating the northern half of the state, and has implored people to look beyond Tasmanian links as the push to join the league ramps up.

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Hickey declared the “Southern” component of the name refers to south of Melbourne and Bass Strait, while the Huskies was the one moniker that stuck when the consortium was brainstorming ideas.

“We want to unite the state here, I have seen a lot of feedback of people saying it is all about Hobart, but it’s not south of Oatlands,” Hickey said.

“It is south of Melbourne, that’s the whole connotation, it is about getting south of Bass Strait and trying to unite the whole state.

“We are the southern-most state in Australia, and then with the colour schemes we were trying to work out, when we went through the whole branding strategy, what we could do that would stand out.

“Colours aligned with the southern lights and Southern Aurora, it is very Tasmanian, no matter whether you live in the north or the south. Everyone understands what it means.

“Then there is the whole Douglas Mawson side of things. When Dave [Bartlett] went a little further into that Mawson story about pulling together a team of brothers and explorers and reaching into the unknown, which is what they did, well that’s what we are all about.

“It is getting everyone united and going on this journey together and hopefully like them going to Antarctica, us getting into the NBL and something big comes out the other end.”

Tasmania’s NBL bid bankroller Justin Hickey. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

The consortium will also run a #wethesouth campaign, which was derived from the successful #wethenorth tagline the Toronto Raptors unveiled on Twitter in 2014 after making the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2008.

During the playoff run, the franchise became the Raptors, with the focus of the slogan to unite all of Canada behind the country’s only NBA side.

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The logo’s colour scheme is meatn to evoke the palette of the southern lights..

It is another component Hickey believes can play a major role in connecting all of the state, while also defending the decision to not have Tasmania emblazed at the forefront of the team.

“We have plans now and when we get this team into the NBL to ensure we do our utmost to include the Launceston area and the North-West Coast as well,” Hickey said.

“From things like pre-season week-long camps, to ensuring as many fans from up north and the midlands can get down to a game at the DEC.

“In the end we wanted to get away from the name Tassie that features in a lot of other sporting teams.

“This is far, far more reaching than just sport, it sits in with the whole plan we have got for multiple revenue streams.

“It is important to have a tie in that doesn’t necessarily have to feature the name Tasmania.”

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