KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Breakers, who are in the midst of their best campaign in the Australian National Basketball League, say their off-court situation is also looking healthy.
Financial problems have surfaced at two other clubs, the Sydney Spirit and the Cairns Taipans, over the past fortnight, with the Spirit being kept afloat by a rescue package.
Basketball Australia is looking at a similar lifeline for the Taipans but has warned that the next ANBL club to hit troubled waters would most likely be left to sink.
Breaker general manager Richard Clarke said today there are no such issues with the Auckland-based franchise, who are sitting on a solid financial base.
"It's looking pretty good in New Zealand," he said.
"We're actually about to announce next week an extension with one of our major sponsors, so we're sort of bucking the trend."
The Breakers, who are in a two-week break before returning to action against the Spirit in Auckland next Thursday, are sitting second on the 10-team table.
Their unprecedented run of form has resulted in the best home gates in their six-year history, with crowds averaging 2800 turning up at the North Shore Events Centre.
Apart from the problems at the Spirit and the Taipans, the ANBL lost the Brisbane Bullets, the Sydney Kings and the Singapore Slingers at the end of last season.
But Clarke was positive about the future, predicting that the financial requirements needed to hold a licence would lead to a more robust competition next season.
He expected there would an eight to 10-team league, and with a change to the schedule so that a club played the same number of games against all opponents.
There was also the prospect of a broadcast partner to televise all matches, "and that would be great for the fans".
"It's just a case of getting through the tough process now of getting to that new league," Clarke said.
"I think it will result in a much strong ANBL and a much stronger basketball community."
- NZPA
