yes, under the right management.

I read that United averaged 8400 a game last season making them the 2nd best supported club in the league.

Can a second Melbourne team work? Yes if United can build on their momentum by filling Hisence arena for most of their games if not all, and TV coverage of the league conutnues to grow.

A second Melbourne team could well draw in 6000 a game straight away if they have the right management in place.

Even if they can buy success early, its a long road. But provided they stick it out long term, I think its doable.

Any team needs a backer with deep pockets, so if this is the new team backed by the billionaire, then they have that covered.

After that they just need to put the hard yards in with the community and media.

I think with the internet now so prevalent, they have an opportunity to "make their own news" rather than being dependent on the established media, but its still a lot of work.

To succeed as the 2nd team, they need to find a demographic, and work it hard.

Depends where in Melbourne. You have to remember central Melbourne, where United is based, isn't really the hotbed for basketball. Down the South-East is, and I suggest that's where a team will end up.

What would they even call themselves?
The godfather spent all the energy in "Uniting" Melbourne so how can he suddenly
say...hey there's this other club now,can you barrack for them?

United averaged 7,400 in 16-17 and then 8,200 in 17-18.

Is there room for a 2nd team? Maybe, maybe not. I'm honestly not sure.

But I think a 2nd team team would be more likely to succeed than a new team anywhere else.

So if LK's hell bent on adding a 9th team, it might as well be in Melbourne.

Melbourne loves a rivalry in any sport, but I think too much damage has been done to NBL teams in this town to support two teams again any time soon, let alone the general support for basketball.

In the golden era of the Tigers & Magic rivalry, you had two teams with strong roots in local clubs. Yes, Magic was a "new" team, but their connection to the Spectres was undeniable and they were able to capture an existing market. Now Melbourne pretty much has Tigers fans who feel betrayed by United, Magic fans who have more or less given up on any revival, Giants fans who are in the same boat, and Dragons fans which are just a subsection of the last two. Any new team spinning up is literally having to start from scratch with culture and history, and if the NBL have demonstrated anything over the last twenty or so years, it's that they're pretty happy to throw a franchise, new or old, under the bus.

@jodiechrist, that's precisely why I was critical of the United brand when it was first introduced.

Not the concept so much, but the way they are marketing themselves as the team to follow if you are from Melbourne and all of Victoria.

They have portrayed themselves as the only team (which they are) and tried to capture the whole Victorian market, so any new team coming in will have to identify themselves differently.

Now, I see that as an opportunity, not so much as a liability!

If any new Melbourne franchise comes in, they have an opportunity to connect with some plenty of fans and basketball Associations in Melbourne in particular because the market is huge and not everyone is sold on United...

Then you have places like Bendigo and Geelong waiting in the wings, so there is scope for a second Melbourne team, but only one more, let's not make the mistake of killing the golden goose again!