Tasmania is potentially on the precipice of national and international sporting greatness.
Cricket Tasmania said a relocated fifth Ashes Test would be the biggest sporting event ever staged in the state.
While this sounds a big call, it is actually difficult to argue against.
The eventuality remains extremely unlikely, with Sydney, Melbourne or even Perth far shorter odds to host the contest, but such trivialities would never stop a journalist from debating the foundations of such a claim.
They may not enjoy the same exposure as cricket, but two sports to have held world championships in Tasmania immediately spring to mind.
In 1980, Launceston's Albert Hall was the centre of the snooker universe, staging a world championships which ultimately pitted Tasmanian Ron Atkins against global icon Jimmy White.
A decade later, the World Rowing Championships at Lake Barrington were the first time the state had hosted a world title in an Olympic sport.
However, in terms of staging a leg of a major international series, the closest competition to an Ashes match comes from even earlier than those two memorable events when the planet's best motor racing drivers converged on Longford for the Australian Grand Prix in 1959 and '65.
The state has also welcomed national championships in a wide variety of sports, not to mention two AFL elimination finals earlier this year, but it is challenging to think of anything else comparable on the same international scale.
Meanwhile, the JackJumpers this week became the latest Tasmanian team allowed to take part in a national competition.
Hosting the Brisbane Bullets at whatever the Derwent Entertainment Centre is calling itself in the pre-season NBL Blitz competition on Sunday ahead of joining the main league next month, the state's newest sporting franchise will be hoping for considerably more success than two of their recent predecessors.
One of two Big Bash League sides not to win a title, the Hobart Hurricanes are also one of two WBBL sides not to make a grand final.
Praise be for the over-hyped Melbourne Stars - the only other franchise without a title in either competition.
And with only three wins from 12 games, the Hurricanes' women's team are on course for a fourth wooden spoon in five seasons - a period broken only by one second-to-last finish.
However, Tasmania has savoured considerably more national success in longer format cricket.
Despite playing in Australia's inaugural first-class match in 1851, Tasmania spent the next 118 years being punished for daring to defeat Victoria by three wickets.
Finally deemed suitable for national league involvement in 1969, it took the state another decade to get up to speed, but then there was no looking back. The Tigers claimed one-day cups in 1979, 2005, 2008 and 2010, added Sheffield Shields in 2007, 2011 and 2013, became a regular presence in national finals, provided a steady stream of players for Australian teams and thoroughly vindicated all those who had complained about them joining lest they actually won things.
Praise be for the over-hyped Melbourne Stars - the only other franchise without a title in either Big Bash League competition
National league involvement is nothing new for Tasmanian basketball and - like their cricketing counterparts - the island's finest have an annoying habit of occasionally winning.
Launceston Casino City won the NBL title in 1981, Hobart Islanders added the WNBL equivalent a decade later and then in 1995 Launceston Tornadoes had the temerity to take home the Continental Basketball Association premiership.
Hockey has also provided Tasmania with some national success, to the obvious delight of mainland adversaries.
Sharing their name with the state's cricketers, the Tassie Tigers won the Australian Hockey League in 2014 which was also one of four years when state talisman Eddie Ockenden won player of the tournament.
They also made the semi-finals and came third in the inaugural season of the men's Hockey One competition when, rather predictably, the player of the league award was won by one Edward Clive Ockenden.
Admittedly, the women's team emulated their cricketing counterparts by registering one win and last place, but the point had been made.
Quite how the JackJumpers will fare - and even whether a Tasmanian team will again follow in the WNBL - remains to be seen.
A title in their inaugural season would appear about as likely as the fifth Ashes Test moving to Bellerive Oval.
But at least the state has a place at the table, something which national football, soccer and netball leagues continue to deny it.
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
