Interesting.

Can they do it without significant corporate support? Placement at Scoresby will be like the Kings at the Superdome, Bullets at Boondall, Razorbacks at Liverpool, Spirit at SSC, etc. Top tier, wining and dining corporate support will inevitably be retarded - either in numbers or value.

No one has yet galvanised the basketball community to follow an NBL team in enough numbers to make a club profitable. How will this group be different?

Good luck to em.

Fairly sure I recall reading about the "lack of" following for the Tigers in the NBL at present despite the memberships and attendance.

I'm sure the news that more teams are interested in joining the comp may provide some stimulus to the league, but at present I've been disappointed with the Kings return. Not due to the performance, but more the attendance.

I would love to have had Sydney rivaling Adelaide with attendance in the 4.5-6.5k bracket per game, but I don't see it until the Kings become a finals contender on a regular basis ala Goorjean's Kings.

Here's hoping this new team has a 10 year plan in place so that they last longer than the dragons did

Big Marty, Sydney led the league last year? I agree though, they need to get better if they want to keep getting that 5-6000 regularly.

I like the fact this new club is playing at Scorseby, especially if they get the stadium straight to its stage 2 capacity of 5000. They will find it harder to get corporate support, but being located in the heart of one of the world's biggest basketball participation areas opens up a lot opportunities if things are done right.

As HO said though, it hasnt really been done rightin Melbourne before. Geez I hope this time is different. Hopefully the fact the associations are involved gives them a good leg-up. It should give them access to databases NBL clubs have probably never had before.

Would that venue/location help them keep their hire costs reasonable, as the Tigers do?

I imagine so but dont know the particulars. It would have to be a lot cheaper than Melbourne Park you would think.

If a 2nd club is likely to happen, it would be best for them to be based out of the city and in the suburbs. Clubs like Knox, Dandenong, Kilsyth and even Frankston have major club support and many games on per week.

Corporate support from a major sponsor would be harder to find however in saying that, Dandenong has always had Jayco as a sponsor and thats never been relinquished.

Clubs in the Dandenong/Kilsyth/Upwey and Upper Ferntree Gully areas have always looked after their sponsors and I tend to believe this would be the best result for a second club. Go to the people rather than they come to you.

Isaac, My understanding is that the Tigers have a very favourable deal with SNAHC.

They have in the past had good second tier support - lite n easy, coke, medibank private, dodo - a bunch of corporates who could be naming rights but take a lower position.

Their numbers at this level have dropped I think.

What secures them I think is really third tier, box holders and the like. The closer to the city, the more corporate the venue, the higher you can charge for this.

My understanding of the new Scoresby venue is that it will be much closer to a Dandenong look and feel than a SNAHC look and feel, which in turn is well behind Hisense/Rod Laver. If that is true, your ability to get good value from third tier corporates is really marginalised.

One thing is certain, you won't make nearly enough money from memberships in a 3000-4500 seat eastern melbourne venue.

Their is a lot of money coming out of America that will be propping this consortium up.

The private owners (who are incredibly well cashed up) will call the shots. The group has already decided on their General Manager. Players from the South-Eastern suburbs will be invited to try-out for squad positions so the team can be seen as a "pathway". A couple Boomers players have reportedly expressed an interest in playing with the yet to be named team.

The Pathway aspect was a key to getting the Associations backing I believe...

And I am also led to believe that Andrew Bogut is one of the key backers...

Bring back the Dragons!!!

It needs to get to the 5000 seat stage. A club will struggle to survive long term in a 3500 stadium in Scorseby. I think they should also be looking to play marquee games at Melbourne Park.

Perhaps the league would be wise to look more at the 2000-4000 venues and attendances. It feels at times the NBL is always trying to hang on to it's 90's times and have teams play out of venues that don't suit their attendance.

Perhaps more community based teams with better tie ins to the businesses and fans around them is a better move going forward to keep the league alive and successful.

DJ, massive catch 22 for the league there. In my view it needs to have average attendances of 4800 - 5200 to be seen to be legitimate in the Australian sporting landscape.

In addition those smaller venues generally lack the quality of facilities that bring the "class" factor, therefore the legitimate corporate support you need.

On the other hand you have more chance of controlling them, more chance of selling them out, and cutting better deals on usage and ticketing etc.

I think starting small and gradually playing more games in big stadiums is the way to go, as NZ seem to be doing at the moment.

huh?

One must wonder if the league will have the depth to cover the proposed 12 teams in 2013/14...

The new venue is well underway and will be primarily a basketball venue. Not sure what the capacity will be, but you must hope for at least 4.5k to be legitimate.
The Dragons did a mighty job of recruiting supporters when they started, working all the local stadiums and junior comps. Any new side that hopes to be successful must do the same. There is a long held theory that Melbourne's East is ripe to host another NBL Club. Need more than theories however to get a side up that lasts longer than the Dragons.
Speaking of the Dragons, what was their rationale for folding??

If they get granted a license D-Mac be the first head coach!! Been talking to him for a number of months now!

Apparently Dmac was going to be the head coach if the Melbourne Camouflage consortium were given the second Melbourne NBL license. This won't be the case though- they never had a chance up against this group mentioned in the Herald-Sun today.

why cant I find any official mention of this in any news web site ? The only place this is mentioned is in THIS forum ??

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/bid-for-second-melbourne-team-in-nbl/story-fnanosvn-1226204113133

Another story about the new Scoresby stadium being built...

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/basketball/purposebuilt-venue-shoots-for-the-stars-20111221-1p5j4.html

Knox Basketball, the venue manager, wants the centre to eventually host an NBL team and WNBL side Bulleen Boomers as early as next year.

NBL officials are crunching the numbers from a bid for a new Melbourne NBL club, one which Knox Basketball chief executive Wayne Carroll believes could become the united face of south-east Melbourne basketball. The NBL is expected to announce any new teams next month.

Advertisement: Story continues below The bid, which is yet to take a name and won't publicly announce itself unless given an NBL licence, has independent financial backing and won't ask leading clubs such as Knox, Kilsyth, Sandringham and other associations for money.

Instead, those associations will provide players, coaches and access to their members - a level of support previous Melbourne NBL clubs have lacked. Knox and Kilsyth alone have about 9000 registered players each.

The show court at the centre will seat about 3160 supporters; the six-court venue is expected to open in March.

Melbourne Tigers have no interest in playing at Wantirna South and are contracted at the State Netball and Hockey Centre through the 2013-2014 NBL season.

Bulleen operations manager Robyn Maher said her club was yet to commit to the stadium and would look at its options in February.