Basketball New Zealand

Warning: file_exists() [function.file-exists]: open_basedir restriction in effect. File(/var/www/vhosts/basketball.org.nz/httpdocs/resources/uploads/2007/08/07135n024-edit.thumbnail.jpg) is not within the allowed path(s): (/home/bbnz/:/tmp:/usr/local/lib/php/) in /home/bbnz/domains/tallblacks.org.nz/public_html/wp-includes/post.php on line 3943

BBNZ President Barbara Wheadon

To all affiliated associations,

The events of the past few weeks will be of concern to you all as they have been to the board and staff of Basketball New Zealand.

Like many organizations, we have had access to additional levels of funding from gaming trusts over the past three years. The board has been concerned at the increasing reliance on this funding to support salaries within the head office.

The FDOís roles were established in 2003 on a guaranteed funding programme for three years and efforts to secure such a further commitment earlier this year were unsuccessful. They provided a valuable link between the associations and head office, and the challenge for the board will be to replace that.

Our tournaments programme is very robust, but the additional costs relative to referees expenses has brought about a rationalisation of resources, that made a dedicated referees manager is no longer possible to retain. We will be working with the national grading and appointment committee to prepare a “go forward” plan for referee development. Payments to referees, referee commissioners and evaluators at the various tournaments and leagues will not be affected.

The continued support of SPARC and a family of national team sponsors is secure. A new TV contract was signed with Sky this year and Maori TV have committed to a partnership with us to produce live broadcasts of the Tall Black and Tall Fern Olympic campaigns, not only for New Zealand and Australia, but also some Pacific Islands.

We remain committed to participation in the international arena, and the Tall Blacks will participate in the pre-Olympic qualification event scheduled in 2008 in a bid to qualify for Beijing.

In early 2007, BBNZ secured a license to participate in the Australian WNBL, a major commitment to womenís basketball. We have a partnership with Canterbury Basketball Association and the team will be based in Christchurch. Bryn McGoldrick will now be based in Christchurch to support the project on behalf of BBNZ in meeting contractual commitments made with CBA and Basketball Australia.

In the next few weeks, I will be regularly working from the Wellington office and with the board to closely monitor the progress of our organisation. Meanwhile, the board will commence a search for a new CEO.

Yours sincerely
Barbara Wheadon
BBNZ President
Email