KEY POINTS:
Canterbury Basketball, in partnership with Basketball New Zealand, has applied for a licence to enter a franchise in the Australian women's league starting next October.
The team will be called the Christchurch Wildcats.
Canterbury Basketball Association chief executive George Kazan has submitted the bid to the WNBL board for assessment. A decision is expected in mid-January.
The bid has received considerable support from private investor Jan Cameron, the founder of Kathmandu clothing, for the initial three-year contract in the WNBL.
"We are extremely pleased about this new opportunity that broadens our business in an exciting direction that will benefit not only Canterbury Basketball but also the women's game in this country," Kazan said yesterday.
In conjunction with the Wildcats franchise, it is expected Christchurch will become the base for the Tall Ferns' programme, with support from Basketball NZ.
This will give national representatives the chance to train and compete on a 12-month basis and provide the Wildcats with a strong New Zealand flavour.
Basketball New Zealand chief executive Bryn McGoldrick said his organisation was committed to partnering the Wildcats and providing resources, expertise and funding to what he described as a "unique joint venture".
"Our high-performance unit will collaborate with the Wildcats to create a core roster of players and support staff predicated on the highly successful Tall Ferns squad, who have competed with considerable success on the international stage in recent years," McGoldrick said.
At least nine of the Wildcats' home games would be played at the Westpac Centre in Addington during the team's debut season.
"We know this is going to be a tough league, but we are calling for the support of both the Canterbury basketball public and the sport and entertainment communities to make this endeavour a thriving success for the city," Kazan said.
Five current Tall Ferns ply their trade in the WNBL - captain Donna Loffhagen with the league-leading Canberra Capitals, Angela Marino with Perth Lynx, Aneka Kerr and Lisa Wallbutton with Dandenong Rangers and Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe with Bulleen Boomers.
Canterbury have won the New Zealand women's national league on three occasions, including 2004 and 2005.
- NZPA
