Nuggets Withdraw
Tagged in: NBL
The Otago Nuggets have decided to drop out of the 2009 National Basketball League despite a desperate last-ditch effort to save the competition’s southern-most franchise.
“Following various meetings and discussions with the ‘Save the Nuggets’ group and after considerable discussion and deliberation, the [Basketball Otago] board has unanimously concluded that our initial concerns about the viability of funding a team, and the potential risk to the organisation as a whole, means the original decision to not enter a team under our management in the 2009 NBL competition will stand,” said BO chief executive Mark Rogers.
“There has been a genuine concern and commitment by the group and we are very appreciative of their efforts.”
“Whilst we are unable to participate in the league this year, Basketball Otago is fully committed to working with the basketball community to look at retaining and developing a sustainable franchise structure. With 2009 being a year of transition for the NBL as a whole, the board will be implementing a full review during 2009 with a strategic planning group in place that will look at the options for 2010 and beyond as they become clearer.”
The Nuggets, who have finished bottom of the table the past four years, were one of three teams that failed to meet Monday’s entry deadline and were given until Friday evening to rekindle their league aspirations.
“This year out of the NBL will allow Basketball Otago to further develop our local talent and continue to build the base for a sustainable franchise structure in 2010. More detail on the structure of the 2009 playing season will be available once details are available from Basketball New Zealand on the CBL structure for 2009. This information is expected in February 2009.
“The board and management of Basketball Otago would like to pass on their thanks to all those individuals and businesses that have shown their support for the Nuggets in recent days and particularly those who have been supporting the franchise over many years.”
The NBL Board were still negotiating the fate of the other two franchises - the Bay Hawks and Canterbury Rams - on Friday night.
