Tasmania’s NBL team will embody controversial nickname chosen for club when it re-enters the league

It’s official – the Tasmania JackJumpers will be marching into the NBL next season, with the controversial nickname selected over Tridents. SEE THE LAUNCH VIDEOS AND LOGOS >>

• Tasmania’s NBL team nickname revealed
• NBL denies name leak

PROUD, bold and fearless — the NBL’s 10th franchise will symbolise the insect nickname controversially chosen for Tasmania’s team.

As revealed yesterday afternoon and formally unveiled this morning, the state’s team which will enter the 2021-22 NBL season will officially be known as the JackJumpers.

The early leak of the moniker received mixed reviews on social media, with the likes of Australian basketball greats Chris Anstey, Andrew Bogut and Shane Heal all questioning the decision.

Tasmania JackJumpers logo

However JackJumpers chief executive Simon Brookhouse brushed off the negativity, declaring it a “landmark day” in Tasmanian and Australian sport.

“Synonymous with Tasmania, the JackJumpers will be proud, bold and fearless. The JackJumpers will show that you don’t need to be the biggest to be the best and to drive fear into your opponents,” Brookhouse said.

“The JackJumpers logo covers all corners of the state and embodies Tasmania’s challenger spirit and passion.

“Our green and gold colours pay homage to Tasmania’s rich history and landscape.

“The JackJumpers are energetic, fierce and ready to attack and defend with force well beyond their size.

“Like Tasmania itself, the JackJumpers will be unforgettable and a team all Tasmanians can embrace.”

JackJumpers was vying with Tridents as the last two names left from a final five short-listed, with Tridents initially believed to have been the frontrunner.

However last week previously unseen JackJumpers branding surfaced on what appeared to be the team’s website development page before being pulled down, and yesterday a page with the same logo was created on social media site Twitter.

Nearly 10,000 entries were submitted in the name the team competition.

Brand agency SouthSouthWest worked on the design of the JackJumpers, including its iconic logo.

Its founders Andy Sargent and Jonathan Price are both Tasmanian and have worked for global brands including Nike, Google and USA Basketball.

“The JackJumpers will usher in a new era for Tasmania sport and write a new chapter in the story of the NBL and Australian basketball as it continues to go from strength to strength” league owner and CEO Larry Kestelman said.

“I’ve got no doubt they will do Tasmania proud as they represent the state on the national and international stage.

“We want them to inspire generations of Tasmanians to come as basketball becomes the number one sport in Tasmania.”

Foundation memberships have also gone on sale at https://membership.jackjumpers.com.au/

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