Tasmanias push for a team in the National Basketball League will see the newly-formed Southern Huskies playing more games in Launceston than their base in Hobart.
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Since being created and widely promoted in a publicity campaign involving former state Premier David Bartlett, the franchise appears to have focused predominantly on the capital.
But Wednesdays announcement that the team will begin playing in next seasons New Zealand league also revealed that it would stage five games at the Silverdome.
On the same day that it landed its annual Super League Netball fixture, the basketball news represents a significant coup for the Launceston venue which has also hosted international boxing and netball in recent times.
Huskies coach and Tasmanian basketball icon Anthony Stewart saw the NZ NBL as a significant stepping stone to joining the Australian NBL, which he said could not happen without statewide support.
The NBL is looking to expand with a tenth team and there has been a lot of talk that the Huskies should be that team, he said.
All we can do is build on this product and hopefully the whole of Tasmania will get behind it because we deserve an NBL team.
Tasmania deserves something of our own at the national level, whether it is footy, soccer or basketball. As yet, we havent been able to crack it but our communities deserve it and our kids deserve it.
With my passion and background, I wont leave any stone unturned. This is a great start towards achieving that and were calling on the people of the North and North-West to get behind it.
Stewart, who is on a three-year contract as the clubs inaugural coach, said while based in Hobart for logistical reasons, the Huskies are keen to embrace the entire state and only the lack of a large enough venue prevented them playing a game on the coachs native North-West Coast.
He understood the initial roster would involve five home games at the Silverdome and four at Derwent Entertainment Centre.
Although it is based in Hobart, were working hard across Tasmania to make sure the whole of the state realises its a Tasmanian team, Stewart said.