'Finals to Silverdome': JackJumpers CEO on future plans, Launnie Cup clash

Speaking to The Examiner ahead of the club's third-consecutive NBL finals appearance, Finnegan said the franchise had been working with both major political parties on securing investment into the Prospect site as they look to expand their relationship with their North and North-West supporter base.

"We are working really, really diligently behind the scenes," she said.

"Part of the agreement of bringing an NBL team to Tasmania was that we would upgrade the facilities of the Silverdome, and we're certainly in discussions with both the government and the opposition around that in this election campaign."

Conditional on improvement to the stadium, Finnegan revealed the JackJumpers were looking to honour their status of representing the entire state.

"Should the facilities get the upgrade they actually require to get it to the standards that other teams and ourselves expect to play in, then we'll be taking finals games to Launceston in the future," she said.

"If we have an arena that can actually be able to deliver what we are able to get at MyState Bank Arena - this is not a Hobart-centric team - we'll certainly be looking at the option of taking finals to Silverdome once that upgrade has happened."

They are also hoping to have a high-performance base of their own instead of training out of part-time facilities in Kingston, a barrier which Finnegan believed has hurt the franchise's ability to draw in players from free-agency.

Finnegan added it is part of a larger push to improve basketball infrastructure in the state, with a severe lack of court availability becoming an increasingly frustrating issue as the sport continues to grow.

"The interest in basketball participation rates have absolutely exploded since the JackJumpers came to town and we don't have the infrastructure to support it," she said.

Unfortunately for Ant Army members which are based in the North, the recently-announced fixtures for the first round of the play-in are far from ideal.

Set for Wednesday, February 28, at 5.30pm, the match will be played concurrently with the Launceston Cup, an event attended by thousands.

Finnegan said the decision was made by the league and the JackJumpers were working with Tasracing to find a solution.

"We are at the hands of the NBL, the random availability, the broadcast, and all of those three things combined meant we're playing at 5.30 on the 28^th," she said.

"I love the Launnie Cup more than anyone, I love that event, and I'm very sorry not to be there this year because we as a club like to think that we're supportive of other events that go on in Tasmania.

"I did speak to Andrew Jenkins, CEO of Tasracing, last night and I know that they've got every intention of putting the game up on the big screens at the racecourse, and that's something that we will certainly encourage."

The JackJumpers play the Illawarra Hawks in the 'seeding qualifier', with the winner reaching the semi-finals where they will face the Perth Wildcats, while the loser will get a second chance to qualify.

Asked whether it will be third time lucky for the JackJumpers' maiden title, Finnegan would not be drawn.

"You're talking to the CEO that would love that more than anything in the world but I also want to manage everybody's expectations game by game," she said.

"Let's leave it in the hands of the basketball gods that things work in our favour and that we're bringing the championship trophy to Tasmania and we'll bring it up North as soon as that happens."