Didn't seem to be a paywall for me... but here it is:

THE Illawarra Hawks NBL license could soon be up for grabs with current owner Simon Stratford reportedly hit with a show cause notice by the NBL earlier this month.


Both parties remain tight-lipped on the development, with the NBL issuing a blunt "no comment" when asked on Wednesday morning to confirm or deny such a notice had been issued.

Stratford did not return calls on Wednesday, but The Mercury understands the matter relates to a significant debt owed to the NBL. Should the league not receive an adequate response it could take back ownership of the club's license and offer it for sale to interested buyers.

There has been genuine, if tentative, interest in purchasing the club from multiple parties - with a group ownership model the likely pitch - but the debt remains the major sticking point.

Should the NBL call in the debt and assume ownership, it would clear the way for a new owner or ownership group to take control of the club ahead of next season.

Stratford's ownership has been on shaky ground since the end of last season when it emerged players and staff had not been paid their full entitlements - chiefly superannuation.

It attracted the attention of the NBL, ATO and the Players Association before eventually being resolved but it was one of a number of issues that saw former coach Rob Beveridge depart the club.

Stratford formerly held a minority share of the club but took full ownership in February 2018 after telecommunications entrepreneur James Spencely sold his 51 per cent stake.

Spencely purchased his majority stake in July 2014 after five years operating under a members ownership structure. The club was placed into voluntary administration at the end of the 2014-15 season, but returned the finals next campaign in Beveridge's first at the helm.

The ownership uncertainty comes amid a tough season on the floor for the Hawks, with rookie coach Matt Flinn dealt a tough draw and horror injury toll that sees them sitting at 5-18 with five games remaining.

They take on the Kings in Wollongong on Friday, with their Indigenous Round clash with New Zealand their final home outing of the year.

*Thanks guys

Sounds like its all over for the hawks.

Hopefully they move the licence to Sydney so they can get a second team.

It would be interesting what that debt is, whether it was genuine funding needed or a bit of a loan shark move "we expect x from you, here's x that you can pay back later".

It seems like a bit of a politically savvy move - whether it be for crude purposes of trying to get rid of a struggling franchise, or whether it be holding the ownership to account for their management particularly in respect to the entitlements/super issue.

It would be interesting whether the NBL is looking to move the licence somewhere else or is gauging for interested buyers who will maintain the base in Illawarra/Wollongong.

A stronger ownership group with more capital, remaining in Illawarra could be a good outcome for Hawks fans and avoids the NBL being saddled with the reputation of the certainties in life "death, taxes, NBL clubs folding"

Tell me again about the financial windfall the Hawks got out of having LaMelo Ball playing for them...

Doesn't bode well for the future of basketball in the Gong.

Fold.

Problem with selling to a new owner is that the Gong as a location is a tougher sell than Melbourne or even Brisbane. That's another tough aspect of being a regional team.

Hawks go lots of social media views/clicks for having Ball but in the end you need to have a team that competitive and can win.

The roster is very poor....far to many young guys (because they are cheap!) together with out of shape Boone (Cheap!) and a few vets who are cheap as well.

Social Media clicks/views don't equate to and tangible cash/benefit and the hawks are paying the price for putting out a substandard product onto the floor

The Hawks are a foundation club and it would sad to see them fold completely.

Relocated clubs don't seem to last that long as the support is split between the original club and the new one so people feel in no man's land.

I have oftened wondered of the benefits of a club like the Hawks of having some form of "friendly non-supporter's club" for those people who have a soft spot for the club, or just want to support them a little bit. Instead of having a membership that has tickets (usually $500 odd per season), maybe have a small fee for interstate supporters of the NBL who would have the Hawks as their second team. Get on board with a sponsor or two and for a few goodies and maybe a tee-shirt or coffee mug.

I'm sure there's a few smart cookies in sports marketing that could come up with a few ideas to bring in revenue

Move to sydney? Where would they play?

The NBL got more out of Lamelo than the Hawks - let's be honest (cost vs. benefit).

Move them to Canberra. Play some token games in Wollongong still. Perhaps 4 in wollongong and 10 in Canberra.

Could even split the home games 50/50 between wollongong and Canberra and call them the Southern Hawks or something.

"The NBL got more out of Lamelo than the Hawks - let's be honest (cost vs. benefit)."

100% this. Putting a team on the floor that was not competitive is not the way to keep local fans happy.

But it got clicks so....yeahhh

NBL get the next stars money , not the club

Superannuation not paid?

What about the imports? How does that work exactly. Do they have some highly portable fund? I'm genuinely interested if anyone genuinely knows.

imports are paid superannuation, they then get to take it with them when the leave out of their Australian fund

Keep the Hawks on life support for another 20 years until LaMelo retires from the NBA in the hope he buys the club for nostalgic reasons. I don't see any other big ballers wanting to buy into such a tiny market.

I don't want the Hawks to fold but if they are ever going deeper into the Red, even with League Hand Outs, then there may be no choice.

I used to respect the Hawks, in the last 10 years they have had multiple playoff seasons including 2 GF seasons. This is a great achievement given their constraints.

But since then they have become a trash club headed by trash management who hire trash coaching staff overseeing trash players paid by trash ownership when there is petty cash in the tin. Even their supporters are trash, they are not showing up.

Matt Campbell stated their number 1 priority is to develop players (not winning) even then that would score a D grade. Naar and Grida have regressed, Blanchfield has not developed. Their import selections are just awful. Cedric Jackson and Jordair Jett? Josh Boone? I'll give them a pass on Brooks as he was good before going down. Then they refuse to sign more imports until nudged by the League, at which time they repaid the baskbetball community with Billy Preston and Darrington Hobson??? These guys would make Scott Christophersen look All NBL.

I don't want the Hawks to fold. They are good for opposition percentages.

Keep the Hawks so they can develop young talent for the bigger clubs.

You can hear it coming, Victorians calling for the dilution of the Perth Wildcats by bringing in a Fremantle team. The Fremantle Flops or Froppers for short.

"Fair call but it did sound like some were blaming the Hawks using the next stars program rather than building a team. They could've done a lot better with some of their roster decisions, regardless of whether they had a next star"

Playing a Next Star for 30+ minutes a game while young Aussie players - who's development could help the team in the future - wallow on the bench appears to have not been the way to interest Hawks fans. Who knew giving fans nothing to look forward to in the future would be so off putting?

From all that's laid out on this forum it sounds like the Hawks are in real and immediate danger of folding.

Their use of Ball makes sense, under those circumstances.

Not saying that it solved their problems but long-term solutions don't seem to be have been an option.

What would you have done with the golden goose, in the same situation? And remember, you have the advantage of hindsight.

"Their use of Ball makes sense, under those circumstances. "

Does it? Did it bring in the local fans? No. They've had better crowds since Ball was out.

"What would you have done with the golden goose, in the same situation? "

Played him limited minutes, or better yet, never signed him. Leaned in to the youth movement - guys who will hopefully be around for the next 10 years to build a connection to the local community. Not a one and done merc.

Bevo left because of the owner, nothing to do with Campbell.

Cram, you answered a couple of my queries and I thank you for your thoughts, and I agree with your thoughts. But your reply completely ignored the crux of my comment when you finished with your 10 year plan.

Try the answers again with the knowledge that you have this season to fix things (whatever needs fixing?). We'll give you Lamelo Ball to help.

NB. I am assuming that this thread-title is not fake news.

Insipid organisation.
Hard to believe they were in grand final just three years ago.

Sounds like someone had too many grumpets for brekky this morning

Hawks are rubbish.
League should let them go.