Nah, just media beat up.

It's actually a beat up about how crappy their stadium is and how money put aside for a refurbishment has been allocated to other capital projects.

Ah Governments, if only they knew how to spend money wisely!

Oh no the mascot is quitting?!? Shut the doors now!!!!

Yeah, the most financially stable club in the league is about to fold...

In other news the Lakers are moving to Boise, Idaho in 2015.

Mick,I think you'll find the most financially stable club has been the NZ Breakers since the Clarks took ownership about 8 years ago ;)

Agree with anon about breakers situation. Helps a club when the owner loves the game of basketball and has the cash to keep building on his hobby!

Whether the Breakers are wealthier or not is beside the point, what I'm saying here is the Crocs aren't going anywhere.

This is just a call to arms by Smythe to get the public behind the idea of a new convention centre for the city, nothing more.

And whoever posted that comment about the mascot "quitting", I think you will find that after donning the suit since the innaugural season over twenty years ago, The Croc - in his fifties now, has every right to retire.

I'll take over from the croc! Id love to be a mascot, I contacted the Sixers when there was no Magpie about 5 years ago but Paul Bauer shot my ideas down in flames.

The Crocs will be fine

I was one of the Hawks for a handful of games in 2010/11 and most of 2009/10 Great fun. I'm sure the Croc might retire, but i doubt they will be mascot-less

Need to make noise now to get in the Qld budget whilst an election in on.

It will happen. There is a site that has been identified, and as the most important economic centre outside of Brisbane, it wouldn't go un-utilised.

The only question is, how much money is the state government going to kick in.

Only problem is the Cowboys (NRL side) are also pushing for a new stadium. However, it might be a package deal, as it is likely they will be built side-by-side on the site of the old railroad yards near flinders st west.

More than a decade of being the Croc, it's two decades.

you are correct about the Blackwells being the owners and I got confused, my bad.
Not only are the Breakers owned by fairly wealthy people in their own right but they also have a stable of sponsors who are all very happy with the product they are behind and happy to continue to back them especially now the team is also performing well on the court and now regularly selling out. All their main sponsors are long term.

I think there is a difference between hanging up the suit when you're starting to get on a bit and "quitting" the way you guys are calling it.

I'd call it retiring. But hey, that's just me..

With regards to Crocs attendances.....tonight for a 4 v 3 clash against the Blaze they still attracted less than 4K (3,969). This game should have drawn well over 4K.

As for the Townsville Ent Cent...have to agree that the story just seems to be a beat up about how bad it is and a whinge that its not going to get wanted or needed upgrades (just a note that its not even the oldest venue in the league. The Sydney Ent Cent (1983), Challenge Stadium (`86), Adelaide Arena and North Shore Events Centre (both `92) are all older).

Crocs gone in 3 years without a new venue? Kinda doubt it but who'd have thought the Bullets would fold either?

The Crocs' attendance is on the slide for the simple reason that the public can't identify with a team that changes faces every season.

The last time we drew big crowds every night was when we had a consistent core (the days of Rose/Kelly/Reidy/Goodwin...one of the better sides in history to not win a championship). Those days were sellouts all season long. Even the Newley/Rillie combo pulled a few sellouts.

Sad but true. But if you keep a core team, that will change.

In the long-term, a lot of this franchise is riding on whether the Cedar brothers and Blanchfield can take their games to the next level, as far as I see it. Norton is a factor too. All local players that the community can get behind.

If you go to a Townsville game now it is largely senior citizens that know little to nothing about the game. There is no atmosphere whatsoever, and if you cheer too loud some old fart will tell you to "keep it down."

Young people are scared away by how embarassing the "spruikers" are (some mongoloid from a local radio station that looks like a cross between Drew Carey and a lump of gak, and some nasal voiced bird he clearly has a crush on), and the pathetic break-in-the-game entertainment.

The music has creeped into the territory of slightly more modern this season, but it still panders more towards the tastes of a fourteen year old girl rather than the demographic of an average basketball fan.

Townsville survived longer than most clubs being an "elite" and "talked about" sport in its own city, but now the average local couldn't name a single player from the team, just like the average person from Sydney or Melbourne wouldn't have a clue who plays for the Kings or Tigers.

Locking down a core of likeable players will change all that, however most NBL clubs (and players) are reluctant to ink anything more than a twelve month deal.