IT has been a tense few weeks for the Mount Gambier Pioneers basketball club, with its future unsure.
Back on August 18 Basketball Australia stated it would not sanction the running of the national South East Australian Basketball League after the end of the 2019 season.
The idea was to sanction state-based competition, with a strong Victorian league muted and the Pioneers not yet invited to participate.
However, according to Pioneers president Tom Kosch, the Victorian-based clubs have had an agenda to run a Super-V style competition, which would include the majority of SEABL clubs, plus possibly a few others from the current Big V.
Basketball Victoria will hold a meeting tonight which could decide the ultimate fate of the SEABL competition.
It appears likely the national competition will no longer exist going forward, with the majority of Victorian clubs apparently not interested in a 2019 competition, with no competition to run after that.
If the competition is to end and the Pioneers are not invited to participate in a newly-formed Victorian “premier” league, it leaves the Mount Gambier club in a tough situation.
Kosch said it was disappointing the way the situation had transpired, leaving the club in limbo.
“What has happened since August 18 is a lot of the clubs basically said they would not want to be part of SEABL if there was not a 2020 season,” he said.
“They were basically ready to leave and jump now, rather than wait another 12 months.
“Essentially as a whole the competition was not broken and it worked really well.
“A meeting is happening with Basketball Victoria (tonight) and the Victorian clubs are all invited to that.”
Kosch said Basketball Australia would not confirm whether it would attend the meeting.
“We did ask the question whether Basketball Australia would be attending, but it is unconfirmed whether they will or not,” he said.
“At this point in time the Pioneers’ future can’t even be guaranteed from Basketball Australia – they have been very non-committal about it.”
Kosch said one thing that “flew in the face” of everything is the Tasmanian clubs could possibly be invited into a new competition.
“North West Tasmania and Hobart at this point in time have had the olive branch extended to them and look like they will be given an invitation into that competition,” he said.
“From our reports, there seems to be little appetite for the Victorian-based teams to travel to Mount Gambier.
“It puts us in a position where essentially we haven’t got too many options.
“Our future is very much uncertain.
“We are working as a board to ensure we can be part of a Victorian competition.
“While the details or the direction from Basketball Victoria or Basketball Australia aren’t quite clear, we will do everything we can to ensure the future of the Pioneers.
“But we need to make sure it exists within a viable competition which aligns with our constitution and values.”
Kosch said Basketball Australia would hold a meeting on October 5 where acting CEO Paul Maley will conduct a presentation regarding the challenges facing all clubs involved.
Whatever the outcome, Kosch said the plight of the Pioneers needed to be put in context, considering the unique status and the community input over the 30 years of its existence.
“You immediately think about the 30 years of history and the people who have put the hard work in to get it to this point, regardless of the on-court success,” he said.
“There have always been people willing to put their hand up and support what has been a really good community asset for the region and the town.
“It is also about the people who haven’t missed a game in that 30 years, the life members who have put blood sweat and tears into its existence.
“To lose it would be extremely disappointing.
“We are fully committed to try to retain it in the most premier competition we can.
“It is the number one sports entertainment the town and the region has.
“There is nothing quite like it and we are quite unique in the country in that regard.
“We can’t just let it die.”
