Council votes to get behind Nuggets, Hoiho
At yesterday's council meeting, Deputy Mayor Cherry Lucas put forward the motion to help the struggling franchises.
"This is a very small minor way to get the Nuggets back on court."
In March, Australian-owners Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) announced its intention to end its involvement with the Southern Hoiho and Otago Nuggets basketball teams from the conclusion of the (men's) National Basketball League (NBL) season.
The Nuggets run in the NBL has been fraught with financial challenges.
They pulled out of the league at the end of the 2008 season, but re-emerged in 2010 before folding again
at the end of the 2014 season.
This time they spent five seasons on the sidelines before re-entering the league in 2020 for the NBL Showdown.
Cr Lucas said the money would largely cover the cost to hire the More FM Arena at the Edgar Centre.
There was a group working behind the scenes to put together a registration of interest for the Hoiho, while the money would also allow time for interest in the Nuggets licence, she said.
"Basketball has the highest participation rates among young people in Dunedin — it exceeds rugby and cricket."
Cr Andrew Whiley
said it was important to keep the Nuggets and Hoiho if only to keep the levels of participation going.
"This money is a drop in the bucket ... but I see this money coming back in spades. It's actually going to be invested and thrown back into the Edgar Centre."
Cr Jim O'Malley said supporting the measure would have "multiple positive benefits" for the community at large.
Cr Brent Weatherall said the Nuggets were a professional team and, as much as he supported basketball, professional sports could be "cruel" at times.
"It just worries me this could be a revolving door that could be going on for years and years — if it were just for a year, I would support this deal, but I can't support it for three years."
Cr Steve Walker said basketball was in a "lucky" position and there were more important needs for "our constrained dollar".
Cr Bill Acklin did not believe it was council's role to rescue professional sports teams.
Mayor Jules Radich said this funding would provide aspiration — "there would be a clear pathway for professional sport in Dunedin."
"This is not an endless supply of money — it's only for three years to get them started again."
Cr Lucas said this was a commitment from the city to ensure the licence would remain here, and a signal to the National Basketball League that the franchise could be trusted financially.
The motion was passed nine votes to five.
matthew.littlewood@odt.co.nz
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