NBL CEO David Stevenson says, “We’d love to bring a team here”. Photo: James Coleman.
Canberrans have “voted with their feet” for the return of our very own professional basketball team, according to the CEO of the National Basketball League (NBL).
But there’s just one condition.
“The three things I always talk about in expansion are fan support, corporate support and infrastructure,” NBL CEO David Stevenson said.
“The fans are really interested and keen to have a team. The corporate support is always very strong here. But the biggest challenge for us is around the venue.
“We’ve grown so much as a league that – as much as we love the AIS and the Arena’s perfect for the [2025 NBL] Blitz – to house a permanent NBL team, we need a bigger [stadium].”
He said without confirmation on a bigger venue for Canberra, “we wouldn’t put a team here”.
“We’ve had really positive conversations with the ACT Government, and we’re really interested to see the discussion around a convention centre downtown and what that may look like, but that’s the unlock for us.”
AIS Arena is ready to receive thousands of Canberra’s basketball fans. Photo: James Coleman.
Plans are underway for a new Convention and Entertainment Precinct, to be situated on the current Civic Pool site, which will feature a larger convention centre and an 8000-seat entertainment centre. This development will enable Canberra to host more major summits, conferences, entertainment events, and indoor sporting events.
It will be funded 50-50 between the ACT and Federal governments, with the latter pledging $31.1 million for feasibility and design work, but there’s far from any word on a completion date.
A Canberra NBL team wouldn’t have to wait for it to open, Mr Stevenson said, but it could only make the 6000-seat Arena work for “a year or two as a transition”.
“With so many of our teams playing in 10,000, 14,000 or 18,000-seat venues, if it’s an 8000-capacity venue, we can make that work, but with AIS as a transition.”
The news came as the 2025 NBL Blitz tipped off at the AIS Arena in Bruce last night (27 August), with two double-headers, first between the Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United, followed by Adelaide 36ers and the Illawarra Hawks.
It’s the first time the AIS has echoed to the sounds of an NBL game in more than 20 years.
There’ll be another eight games of what NBL CEO David Stevenson dubbed “basketball heaven” between Thursday and Sunday, and such is the demand, at least three have already sold out.
“Clearly, we’re using this as an opportunity to test the market for future expansion, like we did in Tasmania with the Jack Jumpers, but I think the way people have voted with their feet, it’s come together really well,” he said.
“We wouldn’t be bringing the Blitz here unless we were serious about it.
“We’d love to bring a team here.”
While the Illawarra Hawks have played the occasional game against local NBL1 team Canberra Gunners (a tier below NBL), the Blitz represents the first time the NBL has played here in earnest since the Canberra Cannons wound up in 2003.
The Cannons won three championships in their time – 1983, 1984 and 1988 – and were also runners-up in the inaugural 1979 competition and again in 1989.
Former Cannons coach Cal Bruton has lobbied hard for a return of the team and said the Blitz is the closest it’s ever come.
“That would be an unbelievable wish and a blessing to have the Cannons back,” he said in June when the NBL announced the NBL was coming to Canberra for the Blitz.
The NBL boss said the emotion that lingers on in Canberra for the team “just makes our hearts warm” and is the reason the league is “really keen for a team … and to be able to think about what that could look like”.
The Blitz has brought 4000 visitors to the ACT. It ends with a double-header between the New Zealand Breakers and Cairns Taipans on Sunday, 31 August.
Remaining tickets to the NBL Blitz are available to buy on Ticketek.
