NBL chief operations officer Vince Crivelli, former Canberra Cannons coach Cal Bruton and ACT Labor MLA Taimus Werner-Gibbings. Photo: James Coleman.
The National Basketball League (NBL) is returning to Canberra for the first time in years for its pre-season tournament, the Blitz, to be held over five days in late August.
And all going well, Canberra might even get its own team again.
The NBL is promising five days of “non-stop action” when all 10 national teams go head-to-head at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Arena in Bruce from 27 August.
At a press conference today (27 June), NBL chief operations officer Vince Crivelli said all of the stars would attend the Blitz, an important tune up before the start of the season.
“We’ll have people flying in from all over the world. We’ll have NBA executives coming out to check out the next crop of stars. We’ll have fans travelling to Canberra. It’s a 4500-seat venue, and we expect it to be sold out,” he said.
While the Illawarra Hawks have visited Canberra for the odd game with our local NBL1 team Canberra Gunners (a tier below NBL), the Blitz represents the first time 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.
Mr Crivelli said the Blitz would also be “a great opportunity to test the Canberra market” for a return of the Cannons.
“The Cannons are something that’s always brought up by fans … on our socials … We put a post out not too long ago about potential expansion markets and the ACT and the Cannons was number-one on everyone’s hit list … so the feedback is strong,” he said.
“We think Canberra’s got an incredible history with the NBL and we’d love to see that history resurrected.”
NBL COO Vince Crivelli says the Blitz is also an opportunity to test Canberra’s appetite for a local team. Photo: James Coleman.
He added that talk of a new stadium in the city made the NBL’s current talks with the ACT Government and Basketball ACT even more exciting.
“We’ve been welcomed as part of that process and it’s an opportunity for a team to start maybe at the AIS Arena and move into a bigger venue.”
Former Canberra Cannons coach Cal Bruton said he was very keen to see the sport return to the city.
“That would be an unbelievable wish and a blessing to have the Cannons back,” he said.
“We tried a few times in the past, but never to the point where we’re bringing 10 teams to Canberra.”
The 70-year-old said having the top players from all 10 NBL teams was also a huge boost for the next generation of players.
“I can’t think of a better place, a better time and our basketball community is growing rapidly. We don’t have enough stadiums and we don’t have enough room on the courts – but we’ve got more and more kids playing the game and I encourage all those kids and their parents to come along, be a part of this,” he said.
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr added the games would give Canberrans as well as interstate visitors “the chance to see some of the best talent in the country up close” in the recently upgraded AIS Arena.
Former Canberra Canons coach Cal Bruton has campaigned for a return of the team for years. Photo: James Coleman.
The full schedule of double-headers includes:
- Wednesday, 27 August:
Perth Wildcats vs Melbourne United
Adelaide 36ers vs Illawarra Hawks - Thursday, 28 August:
Brisbane Bullets vs Sydney Kings
Cairns Taipans vs Tasmania JackJumpers - Friday, 29 August:
South East Melbourne Phoenix vs New Zealand Breakers
Illawarra Hawks vs Perth Wildcats - Saturday, 30 August:
Melbourne United vs Brisbane Bullets
Tasmania JackJumpers vs Adelaide 36ers - Sunday, 31 August:
Sydney Kings vs South East Melbourne Phoenix
New Zealand Breakers vs Cairns Taipa
Tickets to the 2025 NBL Blitz are now on sale on Ticketek.
