LAUNCESTON Mayor Albert van Zetten has asked fellow aldermen to vote in favour of giving the struggling Launceston Tornadoes $25,000.
The motion to sponsor the women's basketball club for $15,000 this year and $10,000 in 2013 will go before the Launceston City Council on Monday.
After 17 years the Tornadoes had been facing ``extinction'', according to new club chairman Mark Thurlow.
But in late 2011 a review led to a new board and all debts were paid except a $28,000 loan from the league.
Alderman van Zetten said the support was not about keeping the club afloat but because the Tornadoes provided an opportunity to local women to play a high calibre of basketball.
``This is to ensure that we can help them out for especially this year to get a base and then maybe next year'' he said.
``Obviously we don't want to do it long-term but just to help them in the interim to make sure they get re-established.''
The Tornadoes played 12 games on the mainland each season and these were opportunities to promote Launceston, he said.
It was important to keep Launceston in the club's title rather than have it replaced by the name of a corporate sponsor.
The motion ties any funding to the Tornadoes marketing Launceston as a tourist destination in all their activities. The team must also remain in the South-East Australian Basketball League and continue to provide opportunities to local basketballers.
Alderman van Zetten said he had not canvassed aldermen for support.
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