Probably, yes. Unless it was semi-active already.

Maybe it'll emerge after next season.

NBL CEO down in Tasmainia this week meeting with stakeholders.
http://www.themercury.com.au/sport/local-sport/tassie-begins-charge-to-nbl/story-fnj92b0f-1226801034471

We hear Brisbane every season but in all seriousness i hope they do come back.

Well isn't it too late to announce a team for next season?

Is Brisbane a bit of a dream though? Every so often the Brisbane team gets mentioned and bandied around and it's like a building development on the old Le Cornu site - everyone talks about it, but it remains vacant.

The NBL has spun out of Basketball Australia this season and there needs to be some certainly before anything happens.

The second Melbourne team is a constant discussion. I think the NBL would be wise to go into the room of mirrors and have a look at why previous teams have fallen over and what can be done as a whole to ensure that teams don't collapse and the competition stays strong.

The AFL are bully boys when it comes to media exposure and brand awareness. You only have to watch the TV news or read the papers to hear about the latest minor injury or latest puff piece. Channel 7 can't even get the Sixers logo correct and most reports are segways from some clapped out hack reading the sports teleprompter back to the anchorman/woman.

I get the feeling they might be waiting til they have more control over their broadcast situation, rather than completing BA contracts, before they bring in new clubs ie 2015/16.

That's just a hunch, but it makes sense theyd want to bring them into a situation of their own design to give a better chance of success.

The Bullets team has a ownership group together but the management hasn't been set up. They made the decision that they need more time. I would think by now that it is too late to announce any expansion.

When you say "more control over the broadcast situation" I kind of wonder what you mean because the broadcast deal ends next year and I dont see a fantastic one neccesarily following it at this point.

He's implying that they'd arrange a broadcast partner after this deal before expanding. Gives new teams more reliable exposure rather than bringing them in now when there is not necessarily a new deal yet on the cards.

The Melb expansion has taken a bit of a blow since the ongoing knox "saga".

Geelong have always been keen but require a stadium upgrade to be viable long-term....so not sure that is the answer and the same could be said for Tassie which also needs the corporate support.

Brisbane is the obvious one for next year but the longer it takes to happen the less chance there is of it happening so they really need to get it together!

@Anon...pretty sure Money (Corporate Support) is always the issue! These organisations don't run on hugs & Kisses!

Small Stadium can work in the short term but long term playig out of a small stadium will put you behind the eight ball in terms of being competitive....we see it in every comp & sport around the world Money/club size will equal success over a sustained period.

The NBL is small enough at the moment it isn't a factor but if you have 12 teams then it will become a bigger factor

The Tassie economic climate is very poor and has been for a few year now hence AFL and many other sports or business have Tassie on the radar as they are a shrinking economy.

We are getting desperate if the NBL is considering them

They (AFL) play a couple of games a year but only because the state gov write a cheque for them to play....otherwise commercially it makes no sense to play in Tassie.

The NBL franchise will end up a broke money pit for the league that adds no value to TV or sponsors as a state it is the slowest growth population zone in Australia with its on State treasury department only predicting growth towards 560,000 by 2040 and with poor long term population projections and an ageing population it makes no sense long term as all the indictors suggest a shrinking commercial market when these factors are taken into account.

I haven't seen it discussed around here but I think one of the main reasons for the Second Melbourne Team folding was the unsuitability of available venues and in regards to the South Dragons the Tigers doing whatever they could to shut them out of playing any games at SNAHC.

With Margaret Court in use as of next season, surely it would be a viable option for a second Melbourne team to compete in the NBL again. If you look at the Dragons, at the time they had triple the membership base of the Tigers and crowds were significantly higher and were higher compared to the Tigers average at Hisense.

The main problem IMO has been finding a way to make the 5,000-7,000 hardcore supporters into a viable sporting franchise. With a decent deal at Margaret Court at the use of the State Basketball Centre during the Aus Open (or an incredibly favourable deal at Hisense) I think we have the makings of a viable second melbourne team finally! *Hoping for the South Dragons to return*

Id love the magic brand back as that has true aura and you know if you get your jersey retired as a magic player then you absolutely deserved it because to stand out amongst your team mates in that environment speaks volumes!


I'd love to have the North Melbourne Giants back (maybe targeting north west Melbourne) but I don't have as much confidence in that happening