Good ideas, would love to see this team, along with Brisbane, Newcastle and Canberra in the league one day.

Would definitely like to see a second team from NZ step up.

"They also appear to have a thriving local league, with 10 teams in their NBL."

It isn't thriving, There is currently no team from Central Auckland or the North Shore (Auckland's only team is the SuperCity Rangers from West Auckland) and no Waikato team.
Quite a few other clubs are hanging on by a thread.

What seems to be the issue @Mystro?

Hey Dazz, good topic. I"ll shed some light on the scenario for you.

The Wellington bid was really stepping up late 2013 - early 2014.

Nick Mills, the current Saints owner and very successful businessmen (who has owned the Saints for 30 odd years whilst other NZNBL teams have come and gone) was approached regarding the bid.

He had a very detailed business plan and wanted it to be him, his Saints and the NBL (no one else). Personally, I was in agreement with this. Mills' has had vast experience in owning and controlling a successful basketball franchise. On the court and off the court, the franchise has done exceptionally well.

However, as I understand the NBL were keen to share games around the lower central island and run the organisation through a consortium.

Mills turned around and rightfully so said that he didn't want to run it with others..he had created a very strong franchise and felt a consortium would not work.

If Wellington wants to have an NBL team, Mills needs to be aboard and he needs to have substantial, if not total control for the franchise to operate successfully.

@Bear, terrible mismanagement unfortunately.

Check this classic example.

Waikato put in place a 3 or so year plan.

In 2013, the Waikato Pistons went with a young and inexperienced side. They won a few games, and their local players got great exposure and experience.

In 2014, they went outside of their "pre-agreed plan" and went headhunting stud imports and locals. They went out and got Akeem Wright, Corin Henry, Casey Frank, Zac Carter and they had Pledger and Abercrombie contracted (Pledge was injured and Abercrombie was in France).

Following the 2014 season, they pulled out of the league for financial reasons.

Mills' was rightfully upset. It was terrible management. They had a sustainable plan in place and one which was going to develop local talent.

They got greedy, overspent and now they don't even have a team.

So now they're in a position where a) they're not only going to not win a title next season but b) they're also not doing anything to develop local talent.

So now its a loss-loss situation.

Thanks for that Macdub

MACDUB, I suspect with Fraser Neill gone and big city clubs winning the board room battles that the Mills ownership model will be looked upon more favourably again.

Provided Wellington can bring TV coverage via Sky with it, which can then be shared with Aus broadcasters, I think the league should be looking in that direction for 2016/17.

Here in NZ we prefer to support rich kids sailing against other rich kids or massive global sports like rowing rather than waste $ on minority sports like Basketball ;)

But if the government doesn't support them how will all those rich kids get the ... money ... wait

The criteria for funding from HPSNZ is absolutely laughable.

Turning down that legit Wellington bid was a really bad mistake that not enough people made any noise about. They could have just let them in with minimal hand-holding from league HQ and they would have been right to go. It was low risk and wouldn't have affected any other expansion. They wouldn't have drawn massive TV crowds but you would have instantly got another viable franchise, which at this point is all you can really ask for. Low risk, medium reward move.

They were too stupid to realise that.

Sorry, I didn't mean to overstate the situation by saying it appears to be thriving. Yes, it seems the Pistons and Nuggets have pulled out for this year.
(Although teams folding and others hanging on by a thread sounds suspiciously like the ANBL!)

Do you think there is sufficient support for Basketball in NZ, to support a 2nd ANBL team? Also, do you think it would help or hinder the NZ-NBL?

Thanks for the info Macdub.
Personally, I prefer the Mills model, I think it has the best chance of success. Whilst it would be great if down the track they played a few games in Christchurch, consortium & committees are a recipe for disaster.
The only question I would have, is whether an outgrowth of the Saints would be able to attract wider support in the South?
As Paul says, hopefully with the current direction of the NBL, Mill's bid will attract renewed support.

Wellington would support an NBL team imo, especially if it was a brand they already recognise like the Saints.

"Turning down that legit Wellington bid was a really bad mistake that not enough people made any noise about."

I'm not sure there was ever actually a bid, but I'm certainly a fan of getting a Wellington team in the league as long as it brings more TV with it.

Sorry to break it to you Mystro but the Breakers were funded by the government.

A piece about the Breakers to apparently appear in the NY Times.

Source: http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/65828447/NZ-Breakers-make-the-New-York-Times-you-wouldn-t-read-about-it

A Wellington team should be a priority, and I see it as a big plus, not a problem. If anything, they will compete for some of the same local talent (in time) and they will take games off each other because the HCA won't be so extreme. If they WERE the top 2 teams then at least all Australians would have two teams to support in the semis, and if Wellington made the GF then all Australia would be rooting for them to upset the Breakers.

AFAIK the NZ wanted another season to set it all up. The NBL have forced the failed Brisbane bid, knocked backed Tassie and the 2nd Melb team want another year to get it all right.
The mismanagement form the NBL is piss porr and is a joke since taking over from BA.
2 teams run it Marvin who has won all the fights and the Melb Untied. Others try and put in and in reality are wasting their time being there.

Much more likely to see a second team from Melb. Appears there are talks regarding the Dragons/Titans/Magic license which is still floating.

Won't happen until 2016...apparently.

No matter which was the league goes into the future, it would be great for the NZ public to know they can get a rivalry game and a local game every week!