Gotta be Gold Coast right?

Gold Coast or Wellington are the only ready to go options

Odd choice as a NS consultant.

Gold Coast

Kenny is a high profile guy, I think thats all they're worried about. I'd say its more a spokesperson role than advsier.

I don't feel Wellington is an option anymore. There was interest from the owner years ago but my understanding is in his mind LK wanted too much for the license.

Much like all the other NBA guys being owners. Window dressing to bona fide the league.

Which is fine because in the corporate world connections matter and make a whole lot of difference. You mix that with the capital that has been injected into the league and these things attract players and sponsors which are critical for league growth.

Gold Coast Jets?

Gold Coast Mirages? Let-downs? Pipe-dreams?

It's failed before, so let’s try again

Gold Coast Seek - Specialising in short term contracts

Link to the Kenny Smith story on ESPN HERE -https://www.espn.com/nbl/story/_/id/39872265/nba-champion-kenny-smith-appointed-nbl-next-stars-ambassador

So if he is the USA ambassador/mentor/recruiter/developer then I'm guessing a Europe based guy doing the same thing is next.

Expansion has to be a place with a stadium if it's coming up in the next few years so that rules out Darwin, Newcastle and probably a second Sydney team.

Canberra was recently brought back up again even though the AIS arena isn't really world class. The problem with Gold Coast and Canberra for sporting teams in general is how many people who live there that aren't originally from there.

Gold Coast would be nice but a tough place of late to have a successful well followed team.

I'm more interested to see when Brisbane/Gold Coast have a WNBL Team.

"Gold Coast Mirages? Let-downs? Pipe-dreams? It's failed before, so let's try again."

Just like Tasmania?

I think you'd have to admit that Tassie was an over-achievement, way in excess of what was expected. Scott Roth was the difference - without him, it would have been very different.

For GC to do as well as Tassie would be so against the odds I just can't see it happening.

Ahhh, Gold Coast, where professional teams go to die or become irrelevant.
How about making the league strong again before expanding. A few years ago it was a tough league, there was a battle for playoff spots because teams were good, not like this year when teams were mainly bad. Now they're going to water it down more? Is Motum going to be the superstar the league needs? (Sarcasm btw)
SEM look cooked, Cairns and Hawks will always have scrutiny on them. Brian will bleed Sydney dry. Adelaide and Brisbane are basket cases, Perth a shell of its former invincibility, Tassie and NZ were well supported because they have a decent product. Is it a regional team or can a city outside Melbourne support a second team? Needs to be owners with deep pockets that know they're going to lose money instead of ex NBA players getting a new toy based on a bit of ill informed buzz. I mean why hasn't Lamelo bought in when he was actually part of the league.

I feel as though we have flogged the Gold Coast horse to death... Surely it's somewhere else. I will be disappointed if we try there again. Just my opinion.

The Gold Coast is a lot different in population now than it used to be , it's far more family oriented.

People need to understand that when you have a sports league and a finals series, not all teams can make the finals.

If a team doesn't make the finals that doesn’t mean it’s struggling to exist as a club.

"SEM look cooked"

In what way? They have more members than ever, a suite of sponsors and have always had a marquee Aussie to lean on. They have been operating just fine in a big market.

“Cairns and Hawks will always have scrutiny on them.”

Cairns have always operated well even in a community model. The scrutiny is because of their small market, but they have defied it, like Tasmania to be honest.

Hawks is the only one that I’m actually concerned about, and that’s because of their specific market and stadium situation. And yet this year for probably the first time since 2001, they’ve had engaged support and look a semblance of stabilising.

“Brian will bleed Sydney dry.”
Sydney are as well positioned off court as ever, still made the finals after 2 championships in a row and just signed Xavier Cooks. They are a powerhouse club these days. They’ll be fine, you’re scraping the barrel with that argument.

“Adelaide and Brisbane are basket cases”
Brisbane are on a decent trajectory under Schueller and Adelaide have had consistent major sponsors the last 3 years and have the highest attendances in their history. They’ve just re-signed 2 key Aussies and finally start to stabalise their culture and on court stuff. They are not a basket case.

“Perth a shell of its former invincibility”
They have the highest attendances of any team (maybe only Sydney ahead?), they’re the most stable club in the league, they finished the regular season second and still had the MVP!

Why ruin a good story with the truth Ket?! ;-)

Well everything KET said is true. The NBL and most of its clubs are doing very well at the moment and everything suggests that will continue.

As for expansion you have to imagine the team is now set in stone with only formalities to come in the coming months. Wherever has a viable stadium is probably where it will be. My bet is Gold Coast. Teams failing there in the past doesn't mean it will fail in future (see Tasmania). And I think the league now knows what it needs in any given place for a team to succeed. If, for whatever reason, it cant fill stadiums, it will be a situation where sponsorships, TV opportunities and the like will make up the difference. LK isn't a silly man.

"I mean why hasn't Lamelo bought in when he was actually part of the league."

He tried to buy Illwarra with a consortium after his rookie season and was knocked back. Inconvenient truth there for you.

Some interesting signings according to Michael Randall, bit of merry go round:
- Le'Afa set to join Sydney as a replacement for Glover
- Mitch McCarron set to join NZ as a replacement for Le'Afa

Oops wrong thread!

So no truth in that Creek has a problem with HC and is a chance to leave league? Gain Sobey who was so well thought of in Brisbane they mutually agreed to part ways. Imports getting sacked for not attending community events or recovery sessions or whatever spin they wanted to put on it. So if Creek does go what have they built on court. TeRangi will get his number retired at this rate. But yeah, they're kicking goals, just can't get a team but as long as membership and sponsorship is good, who cares. First team who's MVP will come from the marketing department.
Yes, Brisbane are on the right track with Schueller but since their return they've consistently been near the bottom despite the talent. Are their imports signed for next season?
Sydney have the funds, but Brian will make sure he spends a lot of it, just like everywhere he's been. Not sure about the statement about making finals, didn't they lose the playin matchup after just scraping through to that. Is that finals, or the chance to make finals? But as mentioned, don't ruin the story with the truth.
Hasn't there been a sack Rillie every second week on this forum. Has the MVP, a top 3 draft pick big man who was better than a lot of regular imports and major resources but come up short. Most stable club, Hutchy says hi btw. But don't ruin the story with the truth.
Adelaide are really excited after moving on from one of worst coaches in history, plus the end of JVGs biggest mistake. And a big guy that finally wasn't injured and a chucker who should be the 4th option the big signings. Just a calf strain and an import that wants to shoot as well away from being how many years out of finals. Can't even use playin as a final like the king's example. And a coach who's questionable.
Granted Balls application was denied, but has a bit more money in the bank since then, would have been dodgy AF then. But at least we'll get a yearly visit from NBA superstar John Wall to the competition building block in the Phoenix. I wonder if he'll finally play for them like he's always asked. Anyway I'll cede the Ball ownership point but still think if he was serious he wouldn't be the worst consortium. But probably can't even remember playing for them.
LK isn't a silly man, how many teams does he own again? Like any businessman he wants to sell for the maximum price after investing so much. Doesn't he own the league and the two grand finalists? Be like Silver owning Celtics and Nuggets in the NBA. Shouldn't the champions have a real owner after 3 years? But let's bring in another team to the league because of record attendance and sponsors. God bless him for saving the NBL, but if he pulls out when he keeps losing money it won't be pretty.

You should change you nick from The Phantom to The W*nker...just saying

Please lock this thread, Sebastian just finished it off! :)

David Stevenson has provided an update on expansion. Full interview is behind a codesports paywall but here's the NBL.com story on it.
https://nbl.com.au/news/stevenson-offers-expansion-update

The airports this time of year are your biggest clue. These decisions need due process which is more likely to occur in the off season. Although the Blitz location may blur the edges.

It's already locked in.
Gold Coast the 11th team.

Why that graveyard city. Seriously better bring back Rollers or Blaze. Personally Blaze was more successful.

Makes sense Blaze back since they only left in 2012.

Last year all but two of the NBL's teams made a profit.
Only four of eighteen AFL clubs make a profit.

But yes, the NBL is doing very badly...

Gold Coast likely to secure the Blitz as it fills a period in the calendar when not much is on.

As for November to February the Gold Coast is already full of Australian Holiday makers, schoolies etc. There just is a vibe for something else at that time. I think their bid fails due to this and doubt the NBL will go back for third time lucky.

Hopefully the new franchise can get assistance on start up with either Joe Ingles or Patty Mills near retirement. That type of hype and valuable resource to make players jump ship for a new contract in a new place.

The big question is a new franchise would source who for a coach? Does this open the door for someone like Joey Wright to get back into the league? Lets face it, Bubbles, Jack McVeigh, Majok, DrMic are all his scout and development. Right or wrong he had an eye for talent or the recipe for long term development. pun intended

"The big question is a new franchise would source who for a coach?"

Would Gleeson be interested? With his experience, here and o/s, could easily fill any/several roles in a brand-new franchise. He would be a draw card for recruiting and must have even better USA contacts than ever before. May even know whom he wants as imports, just in case!

What a challenge for him, if he needs one. It could be a virtual re-run of the Kings/Goorjian, JJs/Roth (re-)unions. A brand new team in both cases, one of them a brand-new franchise and team. Patty and/or Joe would be great first signings. With those as your first signing you could put the team (almost) anywhere!

Maybe even in Perth???!!

Trev Gleeson inaugural head coach of the Freo Blockers, I like it!