19 Jul 2012

ANBL greats concerned about Gold Coast demise

12:07 pm on 19 July 2012

The demise of the Gold Coast basketball franchise has left two of the sport's legends deeply concerned about the Australian National Basketball League which will start this season with the equal smallest number of teams in its chequered history.

The withdrawal of the Blaze due to financial difficulties means the league is set to start on October 5th with just eight teams, compared with up to 17 teams in the mid-1980s.

The Sydney Kings former top point guard Steve Carfino says he's concerned about a possible ripple effect, and the credibility of the league.

Andrew Gaze, one of Australia's greatest players, says it's a significant setback, although the league's attendances, television and online audiences all increased last season.

The ANBL will increase its efforts to come up with a Brisbane team for next year's competition.