I remember when the 36ers switched from being backed by BASA to being a privately owned club, and a lot of the commentary was about us catching up with the rest - every other club was owned privately at the time. Now the community teams are put up as models for the rest. Interesting.

BA is giving them every opportunity to survive cause the other GM's want them to survive.

So basically the NBL/BA are saying:


"We have harsh rules and you must stick to them!

And even harsher deadlines for inclusion in the following season!

You must adhere or perish!

Is this understood?!

No exceptions...

...well except, you know, when you can't stick to the rules...or the deadline...

Because we really want you in the competition.

Like, really, we don't want to lose another club.

This is starting to make us looking really silly.

Just between you and me, Blaze administration, the rules are more of a rough guide, really.

More like a suggestion.

Please play next season?

Oh come on you guys!!!

This is getting ridiculous!

Are you sure there isn't some sort of half-baked last-minute community model bullshit you can throw at us at the deadline to buy yourself another month?

We'd really accept anything right now.

We'll wipe your ass while you scrawl out the proposal on a napkin to keep minimise toilet breaks your creative momentum going.

In fact we'll have the board wipe your ass all year long.

You know what? Just shit straight in our mouths, it'll make the whole process easier.

We just want to do anything we can to help you get over this hurdle.

We'll even organise host families to billet you out to on the road to cut costs.

Please just enter a team."

Sounds to me like everyone wants the Blaze to survive but BA wants to ensure they play by the rules everyone else does and that they can prove to be sustainable over time.

Good on BA for wanting to see evidence they can meet the conditions set out.

And the rumors that Gold Coast dont have the $1m insurance in place can be put to rest if they are in the league next season

i second the motion to get rid of the Blaze for this coming season,then add melb2 and brisbane next year to make a ten team comp.
sometimes as a business you need to take one step backwards to move two steps forward.

I say Merge the Blaze with the Bullets, South QLD Bullets. Split the games between the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

League saves face (somewhat) by saying the Blaze have not folded but were just merged. They also get to introduce another capital city team in the league. Don't see why not..?

The NBL seem to keep pushing back the deadline. They are desperate to keep the Blaze in the NBL. Problem is that even with the extended deadline, I would argue that the Blaze look no closer to being secured for 12/13 than they did a few weeks ago. It's unfair on the players and coaches, we are talking about their livelihoods.

I agree with Natwhereyouat but I would call them the South Queensland Blaze.

Apparently the Blaze are done (if you believe what is posted on Twitter)...

RT: @rangaMITCH: No more Gold Coast Blaze. They will not be in the NBL competition next year.

RT: @ChrisGoulding43: Stick a fork in it!!!!!

RT: @JasonCadee5: Crazy the blaze are done!! Glad I got to be part of a club with so many great people! Hopefully they get it together and will be back on a
RT: @JasonCadee5: In a few years!! 8 team comp is going to get tight next year! Going to be very very competitive and alot of fun!! #36ers

RT: @hoopdiary: It's official, the Gold Coast Blaze have been "shut down" and will not be in the 2012/13 NBL competition. Looks like now an 8 team league.

Tweets now saying it's all over. Tomlinsin family are walking away.

blaze ,rollers?? just go with the one successful capital city brand......the Brisbane Bullets.

Press Release is out. GONE!!

Skull, go and top youself.

Anyone know where the list is for who has paid and who hasn't ? A lot of talk about it but nothing confirmed.

I know for fact that:

Cairns - Cairns Regional Council are the guarantor (just renewed for the next 3 years end of last season after the local election)

Townsville - Townsville Regional Council as with Cairns ""

Wollongong - corporate guarantor and sponsor of the club

The other clubs there is nothing listed anywhere