Hoops

NBL's Melbourne Tigers to become Melbourne United

"For the NBL to allow it to happen too is worrying"
The NBL had no choice.

@GWB,

I am not a Tiger fan, but you have admitted that you would be pissed off at the 6'ers if they changed their name and colours until they put a decent team on the court and I would suggets you are implying then that you would go back to watch an Adelaide team play in the NBL.

Isn't that the major issue though, to put a winning team on the court?

If the Tigers won this year's title and got it right off the court, then a new Melbourne team came in like the Dragons (for want of a better name), then a rivalry begins and both teams had some success, would we even be debating this move?

I just wonder if it is a premature decision, we will see...

Not sure if anyone had heard the interview with Lindsay Gaze, on SEN he basically said, been therefore will do it again.

This will not be last of the Tigers, theses a few more chapters to go in the book.

"FWIW what i personally hope happens is the Tigers make a 'comeback' under new ownership in the near future, so all the Tigers fans can have their club, and the 2nd club exists for all those who dont like the Tigers to support."
Would've worked a lot better if the new team came in to take the 'second club' spot, while the Tigers stayed the Tigers. The league would've been better off, basketball in Victoria would have been better off, and the Tigers may have been better off. That rivalry is a draw in and of itself.

Their plan seems to be to take those fans before the new team comes in, thus killing the rivalry. If it works, it'll hurt the league but be fantastic for them. If it doesn't--and that seems to be the way it's going--it's going to be a complete disaster not just for the Tigers, but for the league.

calling themselves the boomers in the NBL would have been much worse for their popularity than United.

Has their been any public showing of support from anyone in Vic Bball for the move to United, that isnt involved with tigers? Former Magic, Giants etc players? Current Vic Club officials?

I think this whole change may have been accepted much better if it had been announced by a panel of formers players like maybe Gaze, Copes, Slamin Sam, john Dorge or whoever. To show a United front to the people. Whether that support from anyone is there, i dunno...hope so.

The decision has been made on this...it needs to be accepted and supported. Too much at risk.

A change back would look the league look like more of a semi pro 2nd rate comp than it already is seen as by some. And another club collapse, before any expansion has occurred would be brutal.

I am a Sixer fan though, I have no real emotional connection to any Vic NBL Club other than passion for seein us destroy them on the court. So to say to jus accept it and support it is easy, but to see the NBL possibly disappear cos a couple of rich mates bought the Tigers and made a dumbass decision would suck.

Heritage round this season will be interesting for Melb. Could wear a different Uniform from each of the clubs that put their backing behind Melb Utd at home games.

Away games could wear Uniforms old old Vic NBL clubs that the home team may have had a rivalry with, or classic game back in the day...but instead of having old clubs name on the uniform, have United. Match it up with a way back wednesday video that sixers do weekly.

It also assumes non-Tigers fans will start coming along just because the name changed.

Little birdy told me that they wanted the name boomers to be in line with the WNBL team and ride the popularity of the Australian National team.

The Bulleen board wouldn't come to the party and so they changed it to United......

As much as I don't like United, makes sense to change the name as Tigers supporters are but a small fraction of the overall basketball fanbase. They are the Collingwood of bball and more people hate them than like them. This was killing their ability to attract fans to games as so many basketball fans don't want to support a team they grew up hating and would rather go and watch their footy/Soccer teams play.


Had to open the fan base, even though I don't like the name. Had to be done.....

@Michael D, I found your article quite interesting, especially in the Sydney Spirit comparison.

I do hope that it does not end up this way, I want basketball to succeed in Victoria and the NBL, however I just have a gut feeling that they have blundered here.

What do we, the basketball adoring public do about this?

Do we wait and see if a second team eventuates, support one and the other and start some form of rivalry fresh from the blood spilled after the Tiger crucifixion?

That is a hard call for the public to swallow, because sport is not seen as a business to us...

I get that the NBL teams want to make money and they need to to survive and thrive, but the sports fan is not so concerned with the business side of basketball.

Yes, if it turns to mire financially, we are the first to dip into our pockets in trying to save a club as has happened many times in the past.

However, as a sport fan close to Melbourne I want the passion, the rivalry, the excitement, the history and the game; Not the business and the politics!

I just wish there was another option here, for me I would have loved a second team like South Dragons to some in again and that rivalry would have generated huge excitement, sure of it...

Now, not so sure of anything really!



Too many lies, too much politics. Not enough passion and no loyalty.

In a way I think the Wildcats victory in both the financial sense and on the court sense, started this. It probably wasnt the whole cause, just one of many. They might of seen a team that sells itself well, represents an entire capital city and thought 'We need to be able to generate a profit too, appeal to a wider basketball fan. To do that we need to get rid of the Tiger Component from our names'

Now Im not sure it was the right thing to do, but from the press release I got some dire facts like the guys started the rebuild with 400 members.. thats .. wow. I had expected 1-2 thousand but 400 was so low I never considered it. They seriously need to get their membership up to 3000-4000 members.

Whilst I think its a big loss to the league to lose the Tigers name, I just hope this is the start of something better for the Melbourne club.

On another note, does the old mascot get retired? Keeping the Tiger might be a nice ode to days gone by.

Here's my take on it for anyone interested - http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/05/21/melbourne-united-step-backwards-nbl/

"From what has been discussed, the Tigers name is owned by someone else and they have been paying royalty for the use of the name."
Random people on the internet have said that. The actual United owners have confirmed that they do own the Tigers name. I'd believe the latter over the former.

People don't like change.

As a result the reasons for any change must be clearly articulated and communicated to stakeholders. In this case, I am not too sure if the Club has made it clear why the change is necessary and if the changes are positive.

In this case there are multiple changes: Team Name, Team Colours, Team Mascot, Team Logo.

As an aside, take the Footscray AFL Club. They rebranded their name from Footscray to Western Bulldogs to try to increase their appeal, but kept their colours and mascot, while making some slight changes to their logo to soften it. The jersey changed a little bit too, but the changes were made progressively.

North Melbourne too rebranded as the Kangaroos for a time is lieu of preparation for an interstate move to try to garnish more supporters and become more financial. That didn't happen, but the supporters understood the call and North Melbourne stayed in Mebourne, rather than be the Kanberra Kangaroos.

From what has been discussed, the Tigers name is owned by someone else and they have been paying royalty for the use of the name. The Tigers name seems to divide the Vic basketball community so it seems they were forced to drop the Tigers name. (could they not buy it?) Perhaps they could have made the name change, kept the team colours but introduced the state navy blue and called themselves the Melbourne Pumas? (Blue for pumas) or Melbourne Lions? (I know that is a bit of a Fitzroy ripoff with the colours navy blue,red and yellow and also the Sixers colours)

The bottom line for me is that they seemed not to have undertaken any market research at all. If they had, i would love to see what they did and who they spoke to.

Ok, i've had a few days to digest it now....maybe they are right,maybe it is that 'old boys club' mentality that holds back the league....maybe it is me/us that are thinking wrong.....one step backwards to take two steps forwards??

"I think if Andrew Gaze has the fire, he will bring in a 2nd NBL team in Melbourne and call it the Melbourne tigers."
"If the Tigers legends and thousands of fans really are angry about this they should put there money where there mouths are and put in a bid and bring back the Tigers"

United's owners still own the Tigers IP. There can be no Melbourne Tigers NBL team without them agreeing to it.

When I first heard that this was happening I was pretty gutted and was totally against it but now I'm starting to warn to the idea, let's be honest something in the NBL had to change. This is the first time in along time that there has been this much media attention and hype about basketball/nbl in Victoria

I think I just found something less popular than Tony Abbott!

And the 2nd team is called??? Melbourne Tigers

I think that the owners canvassed their own kids on the change of name and they also drew up the new logo ;)

In all seriousness I have been trying to come to terms with what the ownership group have gone and done.

This is a massive risk. Massive.

For the sake of the NBL and hoops fans in Melbourne, I do honestly hope it works and is in hindsight proven to be a masterstroke. However if the 2nd team in Melbourne eventuates as is apparently planned, then I believe it will turn out to be a big failure. Most will gravitate towards the new entity IMHO.

Here, here Westover

It's about time we start to bring some professionalism to this game, instead of part time people, always doing it the old way. The NBL is a business and there is no room for centimeter, it has to make money. Can't wait for the next new team to be announced and then some good old rivalries started. Bring it on about time, and Bear your long winded speech surmounted to what exactly !! Oh that's rights nothing. Stop being part of the problem and become some of the solution old timer.

Um, think you just proved my point BOB911, thanks!

It's about time we start to bring some professionalism to this game, instead of part time people, always doing it the old way. The NBL is a business and there is no room for centimeter, it has to make money. Can't wait for the next new team to be announced and then some good old rivalries started. Bring it on about time, and Bear your long winded speech surmounted to what exactly !! Oh that's rights nothing. Stop being part of the problem and become some of the solution old timer.

Okay, so let's do a little process on this press release and see if we can't sort through it...

Today marks a very exciting milestone for Melbourne's oldest basketball club, a team with a very proud history.

- If so proud of the club's history, why do this? -

As the NBL’s longest-standing Victorian club, the Melbourne Tigers have faced and survived many different challenges to get to where we are today, something that would not have been possible without the continued support of our loyal members, fans, corporates and sponsors. For this we thank you.

- Sounds like everyone did it tough, but wait for it -

However, the time has come to look to a bright new future for professional basketball in Victoria. After winning four National Basketball League championship titles in as many decades, the Melbourne Tigers will today move forward with a new name and a new vision as Melbourne United Basketball Club.

- So the future is bright, but we acknowledge previous success as the Tigers! Hmmm, me thinks there is maybe another motivating factor at play? -

As the sole representative of professional basketball in this city, we know that Melbourne United Basketball will bring a new level of commitment and success both on and off the court.

- Wow, now we are saying the commitment on and off the court has not been good enough are we? -

Respectfully representing the legacy of the Tigers and the twelve other Melbourne-based NBL teams who have been before us, Melbourne United aims to create a professional basketball powerhouse which is impossible for Australian sports fans to ignore.

- Okay, here we go on the nostalgia road, if there is respect being shown in this process I would argue former Tiger legends of the game don't necessarily agree... -

In order to do this, we are committed to building the most professional organisation possible, and this has prompted another change to be introduced by CEO and part-owner Michael Slepoy.

- Thanks former CEO, you appear to acknowledge it has been too tough to continue and someone else can take the reigns -

From day one of my tenure as Melbourne Tigers CEO, my mission was to find a clear and solid direction to steer the organisation forward. In two years, we implemented key strategic goals and have made huge progress both on and off the court.

- I don't get it, now we appear to be saying what a great job the old regime has done in the past two years! So, what's the problem now? -

As a Melbourne Tigers family membership holder for more than twenty years, the decision to embrace our bright future as Melbourne United is not one we took lightly. We, like the thousands of other Melbourne Tigers fans are passionate about our club, its history and ultimately its survival in years to come.

- This just makes me cry for them, sorry, how is it that survival is being questioned here? -

Now, we have an opportunity to take this club to the next level, and, in order to follow that direction it is critical to engage the best people to carry that vision forward.

- Okay, here is his chance to bail and take the club to the next level, I thought the NBL was the next level, so maybe the point is something I am missing? -

As such, I am happy to announce Vince Crivelli as the first CEO of Melbourne United Basketball. Vince has a deep understanding of grass-roots basketball across Australia, and his relationships with associations and communities in the sport are second to none.

- Okay, now we are talking, let's get down to grass roots and engage the Associations, great idea, I like this. But wait, why not do this before, under the Tigers banner? Maybe there is an explanation... -

Vince's experience and his dedication make him the ideal candidate for this position and he enters the role with my full support.

- Nice -

Thank you all for your ongoing support during my time as Chief Executive Officer. It has been an incredible time in my career and an opportunity I have cherished dearly. I look forward to seeing you all at what will be a historic Game 1 for Melbourne United and am certain the years ahead will be filled with success.

- Again, that word, history! -

Since becoming involved in basketball I have gained a deeper understanding about the disconnect that exists between grass roots and the peak league in this country, the NBL. Whilst basketball remains one of the most popular sports at junior level, I was most unpleasantly surprised with the lack of pathways for new talent within Australia.

- Yes, we are all concerned in relation to pathways for basketball and appreciate the research which has been done to identify the disconnect between grass roots level, but how is a new brand going to change any of this? -

For basketball, and importantly our club to thrive in years to come, the relationship between communities, up-and-coming players and the league itself must be greatly strengthened.

- Agree, this is crucial (should have been all along) -

I am certainly still a board member and will endeavor to ensure a prosperous future for the club. Given the enormous opportunities that await, I personally feel I cannot maintain the full time commitment as is required by the CEO and I am confident that Vince is the right person to lead us into our new and exciting future.

- Thanks for the sentiment and we appreciate everyone is very busy, however don't you have a vested interest in this organisation? -

I am thrilled to continue pursuing other roles within the organisation, and will remain a 50% owner of the club as well. Together with Larry Kestelman, we have committed to the financial and professional support of the club for years to come.

- Ah, yes, of course. Great to have you on the board, as you have done a great job and are very dedicated, we can see this. -

So please join me in welcoming Vince as the new CEO of Melbourne United Basketball Club.

Warm Regards, Michael Slepoy

As owners, we are committed to creating and growing grassroots connections and working together with Basketball Victoria and its associations to achieve excellence in basketball. We will rely on the ongoing support of you, our members and we want to work with you to make Melbourne United Basketball as successful as it can possibly be.

- Once again, we are talking about grass roots and connections with the masses, this is a wonderful idea, why is it only now that this organisation acknowledges the importance of such strategies? -

We are excited about the new bold, bright and exciting era this club is headed into, and we are dedicated to being the number one sporting entertainment experience in Melbourne.

- Okay, this is warm and fuzzy, but still no answers and nothing I can really find to provide evidence with which we can judge why the Tigers brand is gone for a new one. -

We are here to deliver a team that you can stand behind proudly, because you know it will stand behind you.

- Wow, okay well that is it, sorry I couldn't really deliver a real answer on this one, maybe my good mate HO can help me out... -

You may draw your own conclusions as to why they would drop such an iconic brand and turn their backs on so many great years of club history and success, I for one can't see why it is such a great idea at this point in time. Time, however, as they say will tell!

^^thats funny...clip art fan !!

@BOB911, no worries, I accept your apology.

You are implying that innovation and change is more important than tradition and history, I am saying they should have introduced change through innovation and kept their tradition to enhance their history!

We will see how it goes down the track a bit I guess, cheers...

I love this bit of the release ...

"We, like the thousands of other Melbourne Tigers fans are passionate about our club, its history and ultimately its survival in years to come"

....so we have decided to kill the club.

This only makes sense if Melb are actually going to get a new, competitive side.

Jervis in and Goulding out, Wortho another year older ....yes I am fearful that Perth Hibernians and Adelaide Rovers will struggle to hold United next year.

So soccer dominated countries have basketball teams with soccer sounding names.

Stop the presses!

Not sure if it's been mentioned but has anyone noticed that the mane United kinda sounds like a soccer team?

Oh, and the logo looks like toilet paper

Personally I've been waiting impatiently for a second Melbourne club to be announced so I can throw all my support (and time and cash) behind it.

I love basketball and I love to hate the Tigers. What professional club changes its whole identity because of junior club politics?! This is not Tiger behavior. The Tigers are meant to be (excuse the poor choice of words) a giant of the Aus basketball landscape. A club with an untouchable legacy. They could point to their rafters and say "See that number 10 singlet? He's a legend of the game AND A TIGER!"

I want the Tigers in the NBL because I want to watch my new team play against the Tigers as the "second Melbourne team". Second because the Tigers have earned the right to be the number 1 Melbourne team. I passionately want my new team to be the upstarts, the underdogs, little brother to the Tigers. The Tigers are supposed to intimidate the "other" Melbourne basketball fans, not invite us in for a nice cup of tea and be "united".

As a second-Melbourne-team fan, this feels like Darth Vader slapping on a wig and asking politely if we'd like to join him..."it's ok, we're not the dark side anymore, we're the united side"

@Anon #084, your point is not lost on those who know that of the thousands of kids that play VJBL, those not involved in the Melbourne Tigers junior program are not big supporters of the Tigers brand.

The perception is that the NBL Tigers are one in the same as the Association based Tigers is also something those families and kids have in common.

I would argue, however, that I have not observed the NBL Tigers promoting, educating and being proactively involved in establishing themselves as anything else!

If as you say, they want to connect with 10,000 or so juniors who are out there every Friday night, then why is it that the NBL Tigers have not done so with their proud name and history thus far?

Were they not proud enough, organised enough, did they not care enough, up to now to connect with those thousands of kids who had no idea they were a separate entity?

I understand your post and if true, I understand the thinking behind this, however it seems to be a risky way to do this as they will now have to explain that they are the old Tigers, but wearing a new skin...

They will still have to get out there and do the ground work regardless, so why not try it before now?

Just seems like they never really gave this a shot and have given up on themselves, or at least it looks that way from the outside.

Sorry Bear, but you need to be a little bit more innovative, the NBL has been in this hole for 5-8 years and going nowhere. This is the first of may things which will have "A League" written all over it, this is a very strategic move to be called Melbourne United. They have one word for it CHANGE!! Get use to it, as there will be plenty more to come..

Maybe this is a good opportunity for Victorian SEABL teams to get a few more bums on seats. Could we start seeing more people attending Spectres, Rangers, Raiders and Supercat matches?

But, what if everything else stays the same?

Same players, same coaching, same board, same venue and same results...!

Do they look at their colours and logo and say, damn, we have to change to something more spectacular and attractive. Let's change to red/yellow/black and go for a cool logo that looks like, I don't know just guessing here; Something like a big jungle cat perhaps?!!

:]

I dont get why the tigers went back to tradition last season by changing back to that antiquated logo.....now a back flip?
It doesnt make sense and with nothing else to add/tempt or excite fans other then a dumb soccer name and a very un-basketball logo....to execute change for the sake of change is a very dangerous business plan.

Well, BOB911 you can of course follow whomever you like, however your examples are slightly confusing.

Big Bash is not the State based national cricket league, it is a specific competition I believe. How are those Redbacks going, getting many to their shield games these days are they?

Big bash was created for a purpose, I don't see the NBL as anywhere near the same thing there brother.

Port Adelaide Power was created through moving into a bigger competition, a comparison there would be if they existed as an AFL/VFL club and completely changed their identity, not the case my fine fellow.

As for the Sixers, I guess all of the Adelaide basketballing public who now support them would have to vote with their feet on that one, ask them, personal choice...

Go the Adelaide Ants, woooohoooo!

Once again, the Blaze example is the same as any franchise in the NBA that changes it's identity, it isn't the fact that they change it, it is the fact that success comes with improvement at board level, player level, coaching level and improving the culture of the club.

Those are the factors I am refering to, so when I talk about history and tradition being lost and not easy to replace with just a change of identity, then that is my point.

Follow who you like, but understand how success is created and how hard it is to stay in the game compared to how easy it is to fall from grace...

This is a risky move by the powers to be at the former Tigers basketball club, I just hope it doesn't destroy something that is slowly but surely improving and gaining momentum for the sake of a few egos...

Funny post there young BOB911, one day you might look down and wonder where those years have gone too my fine feathered friend...

Do you follow cricket or any other sports for that matter?

Maybe you don't quite get the concept of history, passion and tradition! These things are not easily created, they take time and dedication.

There are things out there you may want to check out, they are called books, every heard of them??

Great logo? Ha!

Great concept and logo, for to many years there have been people getting kickbacks and living in the bubble(or the 70's & 80's basketball). For the better of the game it has to move forward. This has will put Melbourne Basketball back on the map, sorry to many kids don't know who Andrew Gaze is, or care who Lindsay was. The younger generation are coming better wise up dinosaurs or you will become extinct too.

No offence Jack, but for us down here and in respect to basketball, state colours are not going to cut it, nothing wrong with the Tigers colours at all mate...

Tiger Watcher I suspect the conspiracy theories will come out in the wash and we will learn more as time rolls on, but I too am very concerned about the reasons why this is actually occurring...

I just don't see the necessity!

Does the NBL have to approve all of this, is there still a process where this crazy concept can be knocked on the head? I wonder what the reaction of the other NBL clubs is going to be and whether or not they can have a say in it....?

I actually like the changing of the colours to the state colours of Victoria to entice more supporters, but to lose the Tigers mascot is a step backwards IMO.

I suspect you are on the money Tiger Watcher.

OMG, please don't tell me that is the logo and name they are going with!

Looks like Melbourne Heart, but in blue...
Looks like soccer, but with the wrong ball on top?!!
Has no attraction to it, no appeal towards basketball...

So far, not a great look, sorry to whoever had the job to design this, nothing personal.

New team management, trying to make their mark and but made a (massive) rookie mistake?

Bad team name IMO, terrible logo.

This could undo all the good work they have done over the past couple of years in building their profile with grassroots. They are trying to secure new members ahead of a 2nd Melb team but have only gone so far as to alienate their existing member base.

Yep,that is weird.....reeks of a dumb Anstey idea!

Well, there goes my theory about it being a interim nickname. What a weird concept.

Another REALLY BAD logo.

So, reading between the lines, is it possible that this is a decision based on club politics and ownership issues where certain board members and owners are unable to come together on amicable terms?

Is this decision really in the best interest of the club, its supporters, the game of basketball, the NBL, or is it a knee jerk reaction caused by a lack of cooperation in the back room, I wonder???

Crap idea
Crap name
Extremely disappointing