I agree that a 2nd Melbourne team is a must! Interest is often generated from rivalries. If done right the 2nd team shouldn't take much from United anyway.

Victoria Titans

I think that the South Dragons banner is too good to pass up on. Already has a supporter base that will only grow as they go on. Didn't Mark Cowan make a push to return recently but was knocked back?

I like the idea of a Geelong (or Bendigo) team to promote a City vs 'Country' rivalry of sorts.

Realistically a Dragons type of model will rely on another rich 'White Knight' so to speak, with enough financial support and business clout to make it work.

There is enough ground level supporter base through the various Victorian (Melbourne) Associations to eventually get almost a full house to every game if it is done correctly and behind closed doors both of the franchises work towards a common goal (off court).

Build the rivalry and share the best venue in town (Melbourne) and I can't see it not working, however introduce the wrong team and have friction between the two boards/CEO's without an understanding that you can be rivals on court and still work for the benefit of a common goal and it could be screwed up!

As far as the country team goes, Geelong or Bendigo could work in time, I am not sure that Bendigo has the future population growth of Geelong but if Geelong does not get behind its new multi-court venue and support the future growth in this region then any country team is miles behind (decades)...

I don't see Ballarat as being the host of a country based NBL team anon^, however that could change if they get a basketball centre big enough to cater for such a franchise.

Down Geelong way you have a city the size of Ballarat proposed and currently developing at Armstrong Creek, supporting a population growth that will surpass both Bendigo and Ballarat combined.

Added to that there is the Geelong basketball Association, the growing Corio Bay Association, developing Bellarine Association and one newly formed on the Surf Coast in Torquay that is predicted to grow quite big if population growth continues to go according to forecasts.

The red herring in all of this is money and the ability to financially support an NBL team, or two (WNBL) down the track.

Any of the major country Associations needs to be able to manage and control their own venue to build a financial base and ability to control its cash flow while promoting the product to major sponsors.

Without this autonomy, leaving it to local councils to milk away profits taht limit basketball's expansion and growth potential, basketball at the NBL level will never happen in the country.

It isn't the same as a city like Melbourne, the model has to be different because of distance and all of the elements placing difficulty in the country, which city folk don't always understand...

I still reckon getting an AFL organisation to back an NBL franchise would work.
Something like the "SE Melbourne Magpies"

Aflclub Richmond were pretty keen , but got knocked back

Never worked before won't happen again.

I'm putting my money on a return of the Mel Tigers within 2 years head coached by Andrew Gaze. The Kings job is only temp for him to build some professional coaching experience to his resume.

If United decide to release the license that is..

Richmond was told they couldn't use "Richmond Tigers". Unlike NBL, the AFL owns the trade-marks, so they can do that.
Besides, their bid was really only a back-door move by Cowan. And that's the last thing the NBL needs.
Same reason they don't want the drag-queens back.

Why would you want United to hand back their license? How would that create a SECOND Melbourne team?

And yes, you have to assume that LK would not be keen to encourage direct competition.
But don't worry, he's Moses and will lead the NBL to the Promised Land.

I'd certainly choose Geelong over any of the others, is there a way of getting the Geelong Football Club associated with the bid, reliant on sponsorship that they can advertise as a 12 month sponsorship and the like then I think that would be brilliant... The GFC has the most professional board in Australian sports or close to it so you can only imagine that those standards will be with the Geelong Supercats in NBL again.

I think Kestleman owning rights to too many teams means that the return of say North Melbourne Giants who have an amazing history just won't be able to return so as great as a story as that is it won't happen

@proud, I have thought about something similar too, regarding the GFC and an NBL team, here is how it might work.

Local government and council plus business sponsors get on board to build a multi-court venue for basketball that is run by the basketball people to develop and build the sport at grass roots level up to Big V standard.

Additional funding is provided to build a 10,000 seat indoor sporting and convention centre style of complex at Kardinia Park, also expand under cover / indoor courts for Netball which dominates the outside area of Kardinia Park.

Install an NBL franchise and a State or National Netball franchise at this venue, which will be adjacent to the GFC's main stadium and develop the area into a major sporting precinct for the elite high level sports of Football, Basketball, Netball and down the track maybe even Soccer (Cricket is already catered for).

This way there is a small separation of the elite NBL level of basketball from the Association based side of things, they can embrace all of country Victoria and at the same time be supported at grass roots level by all the local Associations, especially a major on in Geelong itself.

Will rely on local and federal government support, key stakeholders getting their act together, the NBL supporting it, local businesses and the AFL kicking in and people working towards a common goal for the greater good of the game and sport in general.

Now I will try to wake up...

Dazz, United basically own the history and the rights of the Tigers brand with that license. They took over then renamed the team.

Any other Melbourne team can technically join, but not the Tigers from what I understand.

If you looked at the previous comment I was replying to, then you'd know what we were talking about.

I doubt Nick Marvin would condone a country based club to enter. If he has his way, both cairns and Illawarra would be exempt from the competition.

@Ricky, you're making even less sense.

Melbourne own ONE license.
Obviously they are not going to "hand that back."

As has been previously discussed on these boards, they do NOT own the trademarks for "Melbourne Tigers".
The Tigers still exist, and play in various leagues.
(Supposedly, this was one of the reasons behind the re-branding of the NBL franchise. I don't know, but that's what has been suggested.)

I don't see them coming back, more because their supporter base would be too narrow, than because of any legal restraint.

United ARE the Old Tigers as far as licensing and technicality is concerned unless something legally is changed to accommodate the Tigers in an NBL where United still exists.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_United

Things need to change LEGALLY for Tigers to come back.

The teams in the lower leagues e.g SEABL / Juniors are separate from their association to the NBL.

It all comes down to the NBL license. If United were built from the ground up on a new license, it'd be a different story.

Kestelman could still be using the Melbourne Tigers name to this day if he wanted to, he just wanted to "Unite" the Melbourne fan base, especially those that hated the Tigers.

Obviously that worked as last season's crowd numbers can attest. Good move.

Someone could revive the SE Melbourne Magic and base them in the one of the strongest growth corridors in the country down in Casey. Projected to have a population exceeding 500k over the next decade or so, they will have a new expanded facility and be surrounded by Dandenong & Frankston. Not to mention pre-existing Magic Fans. Melbourne FC already have a presence down there in Casey Fields, so an NBL team could do the same...

If it is SE Melb Magic (or similar) and located away from the city centre, the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna would be the obvious venue. Casey Fields will always be a bit too far for most of the population in the east and south-east I'd reckon.

Easy to access by road (though getting in and out of the actual car park isn't great when busy!), planty of room to expand and develop a suitably sized show court, which might actually be in the masterplan already?

Looks like they were gonna go for another Melbourne and NZ team next.. 10 teams would be good..

Ricky, you're WRONG.

Obviously MU own the NBL license, doh. That is a license to enter a team in the NBL. Any 2nd Melbourne team will naturally require their own license. In the past, people have bought licenses and moved them to new teams and new cities. Not sure if there are any floating around for sale, or if they would simply apply to the NBL for a new one.
Doesn't really matter, either way any discussion of a 2nd Melbourne team PRESUMES that a license would be made available.

I've no doubt that MU "claims" the titles won by the Tigers and displays their flags, probably displays retired numbers too. Just as Brisbane will do, despite having no actual link to the previous team.

But simple fact is that the Trademarks for Melbourne Tigers are Owned by the Melbourne Tigers, NOT MU.
Whether or not that played a part in the re-branding, as has been suggested, I have no idea, but it is what it is.

PRESUMABLY when LK & Co tookover the NBL franchise, there was some agreement related to using the name, but it quite possibly had a time-limit on it.

Point remains though that the Tigers would be unlikely to secure enough backing to re-enter the league, and the brand would face the same narrow support hurdle it always did.

Dazz, you're WRONG.

United own the rights to use the Melbourne Tigers name in the NBL.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/more-sports/melbourne-united-says-it-still-owns-rights-to-melbourne-tigers-name/news-story/8e7716733af4d87ee4a2a604df65f900

*Broken record* Like I said before Dazz, something needs to happen for the Tigers to re-enter.. e.g. United saying "ok"

I never said another Melbourne team can't enter on a second new license and team name. I just said the Tigers can't unless United say so.