The board of the National Basketball League has announced that 11 teams will contest the 2010 competition: Auckland Stars, Bay Hawks, Christchurch Cougars, Harbour Heat, Manawatu Jets, Nelson Giants, Otago Nuggets, Southland, Taranaki Dynamos, Waikato Pistons and Wellington Saints.

The Nuggets return to the NBL after taking a year out from the competition in 2009 and Southland will enter a team for the first time, following the failure of their previous bid in 2002.

The 11 teams will be issued with licences covering the period from 2010 to 2012 by the NBL Board, which has recently signed a new three-year agreement with the Board of Basketball New Zealand for the management of the competition. The administration of the NBL will continue to be undertaken by Starpak Ltd of Wellington.

NBL Chairman Sam Rossiter-Stead explained that the NBL Board was delighted with the quality of the submissions from the 11 teams. “A great deal of work has gone into putting together the licence applications from the teams, which has made the job of the NBL Board that much easier. Many teams have secured new sponsors and other revenue streams for next year and beyond, as interest in the NBL continues to grow.

“We’re very pleased to see the return of Otago to the NBL and also the addition of a new team from Southland, increasing the number of franchises on the South Island to four. We are all now looking forward to next year and a highly-competitive league with a genuine national representation.”

For further information please contact:

Sam Rossiter-Stead


NBL Chairman


021 650 532


sam@wrfu.co.nz