Basketball: Breakers lace up as NBL bosses shun big three

The NZ Breakers are one of seven clubs lined up to play in the 2009-10 NBL season. Photos / Getty Images

Yesterday the Breakers were a club facing the very real prospect of having no one to play against. Today it is game on.

Chief executive Richard Clarke and team owner Paul Blackwell were to board a 6am flight to Sydney this morning for a meeting with representatives from the six other remaining NBL franchises to thrash out the details for the 2009-10 season.

After weeks of fraught negotiations over the composition and structure of the new league, yesterday the Breakers finally received confirmation that Basketball Australia (BA) was to push ahead with plans for a late September or October start.

With champions South Dragons and perennial powerhouse Melbourne Tigers pulling out of the proposed competition just days before the planned launch, that decision had appeared in serious jeopardy.

The other option had been to defer the competition for a year, a move that would have increased the chances of teams from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne being included.

Now the league will go ahead without teams from Australia's biggest three metropolitan centres, although there is provision for a late entry by a Melbourne syndicate.

"Our first preference was to play," a relieved Clarke said after Basketball Australia chose to stare down the reticent Melbourne clubs.

"We had very good momentum last year with our results, our crowds and television viewers, so to not play next season would have put a big dent in that. We are certainly pleased with the strong stance Basketball Australia has taken. To us it shows they have a good vision and strong governance.

"They are prepared to make hard decisions."

The lack of a significant broadcasting deal and a naming rights sponsor - two of the key goals of the league's reform when its governance was passed from the clubs to BA at the end of the last season - appeared to be the reasons behind the Melbourne clubs' withdrawal.

Broadcaster Fox is believed to have significantly down-scaled its offer due to the lack of big city teams.

But Clarke said there had never been any promises big money deals would be in place this season and that the restructure was a three-year process.

The absence of significant centralised revenue streams would not affect the Breakers, with the club's money coming from a variety of independent sources, he said.

The absence of big city opponents would not affect the Breakers short-term but the potential for their introduction in future years - and the commercial boost that would bring - could produce a big upside, he said.

The withdrawal of the Melbourne sides had surprised Clarke, particularly as the Dragons had been a key player behind the drive to play this season as recently as a week ago.

The Breakers' long-term future also received a boost, with BA chief executive Larry Sengstock confirming a desire for a sustained New Zealand presence in the league.

"New Zealand have been one of our success stories in the league, they have really blossomed in the last year or two," he said.

"They have been absolute supporters of what we're doing. I would see that as being a success story for us and something we need to foster and continue."

The remaining clubs must still provide evidence of their viability but Sengstock confirmed BA's preference was to proceed with a seven-team competition.

"By playing the 2009-10 season we can maintain a presence in the marketplace, continue to provide employment for our elite players, coaches and referees and set the foundation for a truly national competition to start in 2010."

Sengstock also issued a warning to the Melbourne clubs that they would not automatically be granted re-entry to the league.

"Given Victoria's rich basketball heritage and massive participation base, the Dragons and Tigers are not necessarily the only options ... in that market. Those two teams also need to understand that by choosing to opt out of the league, they have no guarantees of rejoining the competition."

* Then there were 7

NZ Breakers

Adelaide 36ers

Cairns Taipans

Gold Coast Blaze

Perth Wildcats

Townsville Crocodiles

Wollongong Hawks