Melbourne gets rid of the Tigers, now asking fans whether their mascot should be a Ball, a Phoenix or a Penguin.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=857268777636235&set=a.223711894325263.66923.213844138645372&type=1&relevant_count=1

I voted The Baller.

Very hard for the mascot to be doing high flying dunks with Flippers or Wings.

Carn guys make it easier for the mascot and vote #1 Baller!

Personally I think they need more Vic NBL teams regardless of the name, there is absolutely no where for men to go

Just out of curiosity , is there something I'm missing with the Penguin or Phoenix cos I just can't see the link between them or the united brand .
Its possible that maybe management want the "Baller" mascot and come up with 2 other ridiculous options that they know the fans won't vote on. An illusion that the fans are choosing the mascot to ease the situation and getting what they want at the same time. Conspiracy theory maybe ....but it makes more sense than a penguin and Phoenix as their mascot :P

Apparently the Mascot is for all the kids.

The smart thing to do would be to keep the Tiger as the mascot. If they are keeping the Tigers history then surely it wouldn't hurt to keep something.

Do you know what I prefer the Melbourne Tigers to be called? The Melbourne Tigers.

Love the penguin. Classic stuff

I am beginning to think that the move to United was a little less planned than what it should have been

The designer should be shot its sooo cartoonish its shite, get a real designer - Melbourne phoenix seems to be the best option out of the 3, Melbourne Balls Up could be another?

They should have a look at all the other codes in Melbourne and find something suitable - footy - Demons Rugby Storm, Cricket - Stars & renegades - Netty - Vixens -
Melbourne Devils? still got a tail? Steal the Man U mascot

Does the Phoenix not remind anybody else of the former Melbourne Phoenix netball team? A soccer name with a netball mascot?

Think the mascot should be an empty seat

It would be unfortunate if people all got together and voted for the ridiculous penguin as a protest vote. I am definitely not suggesting that people do that.

It's just sad. They had a really strong brand, well known outside of basketball. They had memorable colours. They had a huge amount of history and success. And they had a mascot that perfectly matched their identity. And now their best chance is either a Fru Choc or bird that will remind everyone of a netball team. Maybe they could try making the penguin really street and cool like Homer's cartoon dog, whatever that thing was called.

Isaac, in a city of 4 million+ how long can you persist with a ceiling of 7000 fans(max)?? Correct the Tigers were an excellent brand with greater history, but the people of Melbourne just did not care. A wise move from some very savvy businessmen to get the greater basketball community involved. But I must admit they have approached it in a wrong way.

I hope it works out for the greater good of the NBL and the Melbourne basketball community and some passionate owners, losing loads of cash.

A.

The Tigers were claiming heavily increased membership numbers over the last two years. They were lauding improved crowds, even had Paul spruiking their success here. I am not sure you can claim this move was "wise".

Please don't go the "very savy businesspeople" line here. The NBL is littered, literally, with failed teams commandeered by "savy business people" - in fact, its been almost exclusively the NBL model for decades, rich guys, successful in one business or another, fail with an NBL team.

The guy who made it work, and got the model right, was Wrublewski. He showed his savy, because as soon as his incredibly successful business model for the Kings became unworkable, he got out.

Savvy business people, really? Well, if sport was exclusively for profit and didn't rely so much on emotion and patriotism I guess savvy business people would be all over the sporting landscape...

Yes, they need to consider how they will make money and not go under, but nothing is more certain in my opinion where the demise of a sporting organisation is concerned than the following:

Losing passion
Losing games
Losing community perception
Losing culture

If the business model was really savvy it might understand the need to build on what the previous franchise had astablished over decades, not destroy it?

It might include and embrace the Melbourne market by welcoming a rival team to create a state wide sense of sporting passion and launch a revitalised spirit among basketball fans in the state, rather than become insular and devide the fan base with what appears to be a sledge hammer approach.

The real money is in the NBL, not among individual clubs fending for themselves, the big picture is what their business model seems to ignore IMHO...