Hoops

Should Cairns fold?

You can scratch Canberra.

No.

Top level, elite sport ought to be all about winning. It nearly always is. But here's a different model.

Cairns can either exist or not. Won't matter to anyone outside of Cairns and environs. They will not be a driving force in the NBL but that may not matter. What may matter more, at least to basketball fans in Cairns, is that their local team gets the best Aust basketball has to offer, at their own doorstep, and at a budget price, too! Now I live on the Sunny Coast with 2 competitive QBL teams. I can also go to the NBL which is just an hour+ down the Bruce. I am blessed in a b/ball sense. But Cairns, Townsville, in fact, from here to Cape York all there is is QBL at best AND the Cairns Taipans. Serves a real purpose for the northern community. And, I think, the community still drives it. Is that right?

Not saying that they are forever destined to be losers but realistically, I can imagine Cairns fans being more satisfied with their product than say Sydney fans. Sydney had everything going for them and wanted the top prize. They did not get where/what they wanted, out of the season. Neither did Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane etc. Cairns had lots going against them not the least being finances and consequently rostered players. They did alright. Did anyone expect more?

Should they fold? Why? What harm are they doing? Losing to your team? Beating your team occassionally? Of course they shouldn't fold!

That's what I think!

Indeed, they were cooked, and I suppose its a matter of degree, how much support they would have required to continue vs how much support they were still generating in the community.

I believe that we need a good range of teams in the comp, in any one season.
Problem with Cairns is that if they can't be competitive, they might start to lose support.

Still, I would expect that things in the league should start to stabilise. There's obviously been a huge jump in salaries in the first couple of years of the new system, but that should level out and hopefully the subsidy can catch up.

When Brisbane re-entered the league, Townsville got the arse.

I hate to say it, but I have a bad feeling about this.

When Brisbane re-entered the league, Townsville got the arse.
Personally, I'd like to see the league grow to at least 10 teams, but I can't help wondering if maybe the plan is to allow the weaker clubs to die off and replace them with cashed up franchises like SEM?

I hope not.

Jack Toft

We are all unique and special in our own way. What Cairns do so well is blend together so much individual uniqueness into a unique team identity (over 400 strong if you include the crowds).

But under Newtonian laws of physics, there has to be an equal and opposite force of uniqueness. The current and historical measurement (?) of this force is in the vitriol of the Cairns haters on the hoops forum.

Approximately 1.287 million.

Cairns had a sugar daddy once before in the form of O'Brien. Tread water for now with this community model but be on the lookout for a new one down the line?

No. They are far too important to just throw away.

You have a club that gets very good local support and is highly visible in the community. A valuable quality that not many NBL clubs have.

In terms of attendance, to bring in over 4000 a game in a 5300 seat venue while finishing last on the table is a remarkable effort. To do it in a town with a small population just shows how important the Taipans are to the Cairns community. They tick all the boxes that a small regional club can achieve.

What they need to do however is become more competitive. I don't think anyone in Cairns would expect a championship anytime soon, but if they can win a fair share of games at home and snag a few upsets on the road, you have a very competitive and interesting team. The NBL needs that. I'd go even further and say they are a more valued club than Brisbane right now, as Brisbane are only in this comp for fox sports' TV requirement. They have terrible support and for Cairns to nearly double the Bullets attendances on some nights just shows how important they are.

The clubs I would be concerned about would be the Hawks and Bullets. They're the ones that the league need to pressure more.

Cairns are great. Leave them alone!

Lost a lot of close game's this past season beat Perth and Melbourne away. Been in a grand final in the past 10 years.

So why is the question even there? Great supporter's win or lose any that what sport is about!

As a Perth member, we pay top dollar and with anything in life you want a return for that investment. If I paid what other team members pay then maybe I got nothing to complain about.

Bubble Boy.

I love the Taipans & Hawks, so hell no

scene by scouts.

Cairns are unique and they need to use their uniqueness to their advantage.

NBL can’t support 9 teams, let alone 19

Timberball there is no way the NBL can sustain 19 teams. Get off the crack pipe dude

lol.

Smith actually reminds me of my 11yo son.
When I argue with him his favourite word is also dickhead lol.

After Adelaide does!

Serious question dick head, have you ever stepped out of your bubble?

No anger dick head.

Yeah, they should along with the Timber wolves and Grizzlies in the NBA because if you are a small market team you have no place in a league.

The NBL is a 9 team comp, we need every organisation we have plus about 10 more. Cairns do an amazing job with what they have, if a basketball loving businessman (like a LK and Jack Bendat type) realises that and steps in they'll go from strength to strength. Hang in there Snakes

Absolutely not for the following rationale.

Cairns is good for the percentages of the other 8 teams.

Cairns fans would still complain about not having a game on New Years Eve despite not have being in the league.

The Brisbane Bullets have requested through official channels that Manu stop following them and go back to Cairns.

The local fish and chips shop would have to find someone else to endorse their Tuesday night dim sim specials.

I want to the world to know the Taipans have retired the singlet of someone like Aaron Grabau.

The Cedar Brothers still have hope of returning to the NBL, let's not crush that.

Jason Cadee and Kevin White neeed some place to go after their current contracts.

I can think of more but I suspect I will make Smith angry.

If I was a returning college player Cairns and maybe Illawarra would be preferred destinations if looking for immediate playing time.

As for moving on to greener pastures like Gliddon ,Kay, Sobey etc as in most pro sports that is inevitable.

They're finally feeling the effects of the increased cap after being successful for the better part of a decade. Bit of a transition period but no need to give up. They should try to be as competitive as they can with returning Aussie college players; a strategy that landed them McCarron, Gliddon and Sobey.

No. Should play half of home games in Townsville and become the NQ Croc Pans

Calm down Smith.

Ya Dickhead :)

Please remove this thread.

Replace them with the Perth Bandits

I was trying to find somewhere to watch the new 30 for 30 doco Broke - it came out today in the US.

Anyone know anywhere where I can watch it online or download it? Had a look around, can't find anywhere.