New teams on the horizon? NBL maps expansion plans

NBL CEO David Stevenson says the League is in conversations with “six or seven different cities” over the possibility of expansion in the coming seasons.

Speaking on an NBL Now special, Stevenson highlighted the rapid rise of basketball in Australia, but stressed that identifying a sustainable and long-term model is essential for any future expansion plans.

“We feel good with the momentum the League's had with the sellouts and the broadcast growth. But we want to make sure that when we do expand and I'd like to think that it's not too far away that we can make those announcements  that that team is going to enter the competition, be competitive, have strong attendance, and then ultimately add and grow the value of the NBL,” he said.

Expansion remains a strong focus for the League, with Canberra, Darwin, the Gold Coast and Newcastle among potential suitors.

Stevenson highlighted the Tasmania JackJumpers as a benchmark for future expansion, calling them “the most successful expansion sporting team in Australian history.” However, he noted that a 5,000-seat venue is no longer a feasible option for new entrants given the League’s current growth and demand.

“We want to make sure that when we do expand, that team has got great fan support and people are keen to turn up, obviously corporate support to help pay the bills,” he continued.

“And most importantly is the venue. That's been one of the biggest challenges we've had in some of these markets  we haven't got a venue at the level that we need it to be.

“Because previously, a three- or four- or 5,000-seat stadium would be enough. But given the growth that we've had with 55 sellouts, a couple of years over a million attendees, highest attendance average in our history, we need to be playing in stadiums that are 8,000, 10,000, 12,000.

“And those stadiums take time to develop. 5,000 is not enough. We've seen that growth in the JackJumpers  sold out every single game they've ever played. There's absolutely demand for a bigger venue in Hobart. There are lots of other venues around the country that would like to expand because we're having so many sellouts.

“So when you think about today, what our capacity is, but when you're developing venues, we've got to think three or four years down the track. So if our momentum continues, then really we want to be pushing towards 10,000, 12,000, 15,000-seat venues. And that's a really big part of the future success of an expansion team.”