The inclusion of Australia’s premier men’s competition on Tasmania’s basketball map would be a forerunner to also launch a bid for an NBL team within three years.

SEABL club Hobart Chargers are driving the proposal with in-principle support from the state government.

Basketball Tasmania chief executive Chris McCoy has started to hold preliminary discussions with the NBL.

“There’ll be benefits for basketball right across the state,” McCoy said. “It makes sense that an NBL team be located in Hobart where half of the state’s population is.

“But we also have some options around playing games in Launceston and even some preseason games on the North-West coast.

“We think that model will work as well.”

McCoy said further plans for a new multi-purpose indoor Launceston stadium could mean a Hobart-based side would share a number of home games with the North.

The state has not had a National Basketball League presence since the demise of the aptly-named Hobart Tassie Devils at the end of 1996.

The last appearance of an NBL clash was when 2416 fans watched Adelaide 36ers face off against Melbourne Tigers in December 2005.

“The two games we’ve discussed with bringing down the NBL is to have one in Hobart and one in Launceston,” McCoy said. “If we could have one at each way that would be fantastic.”

McCoy said the short-term proposal would be to play out of the Silverdome. 

“That’d be the only venue that could cater the 3000-plus we’d need,” he said.

Launceston Tornadoes SEABL women’s side play out of Elphin Stadium that has a capacity for 1300 patrons.

McCoy believed the first step to bring the top-level game back to the island will have long-term benefits.

The North has not hosted an NBL side since 1980-82 for the defunct Launceston City Casino Tigers.

“Obviously, the NBL want to come down to Tasmania and this will be a great test for the marketplace,” he said.