Hoops

Is there really room for 2 NBL teams in Melbourne?

@jodiechrist, that's precisely why I was critical of the United brand when it was first introduced.

Not the concept so much, but the way they are marketing themselves as the team to follow if you are from Melbourne and all of Victoria.

They have portrayed themselves as the only team (which they are) and tried to capture the whole Victorian market, so any new team coming in will have to identify themselves differently.

Now, I see that as an opportunity, not so much as a liability!

If any new Melbourne franchise comes in, they have an opportunity to connect with some plenty of fans and basketball Associations in Melbourne in particular because the market is huge and not everyone is sold on United...

Then you have places like Bendigo and Geelong waiting in the wings, so there is scope for a second Melbourne team, but only one more, let's not make the mistake of killing the golden goose again!

Magic, Giants, Tigers being killed off should have never happened.

If Magic Giants don't die no need for "United" superseeding Tigers.

Seriously NBL of late 90s/early 2000s had no idea and totally f*cked the legacy of the NBL in Melbourne.

United averaged 7,400 in 16-17 and then 8,200 in 17-18.

Is there room for a 2nd team? Maybe, maybe not. I'm honestly not sure.

But I think a 2nd team team would be more likely to succeed than a new team anywhere else.

So if LK's hell bent on adding a 9th team, it might as well be in Melbourne.

casino sports bar/TAB area in basement level of Crown.

No. I was in Melbourne during the Grand Final series and even at the casino sports bar the games were not even on one screen and zero people talking about NBL or Utd.

I read that United averaged 8400 a game last season making them the 2nd best supported club in the league.

Can a second Melbourne team work? Yes if United can build on their momentum by filling Hisence arena for most of their games if not all, and TV coverage of the league conutnues to grow.

A second Melbourne team could well draw in 6000 a game straight away if they have the right management in place.

I remember Tigers slightly edging out Magic, with attendances for rivalry games being like nothing I've seen since that era.

Personally I don't think there is enough general basketball support and interest in the broader population to sustain a second team yet. Not enough people even know who Melbourne's current team is, let alone the fact they won the series last year. Whilst Melbourne boasts as being the sporting capital we're certainly not there with basketball yet.

Easily

yes, under the right management.