TIP OFF FOR UNITED CLUB
NEW OUTFIT FOR BASKETBALL
A NEW era for basketball in Geelong was welcomed yesterday, as powerbrokers unveiled the colours and logo of the new Geelong United.
Banners featuring the bold navy blue and white logo provided the backdrop at AWA Alliance Bank Stadium in Belmont, as the boards of Basketball Geelong and Corio Bay Stingrays came together to launch the partnership between the associations.
As early as this summer’s VJBL season, basketballers in Geelong will wear a new uniform and represent a unified region.
It is a venture Basketball Geelong commission chairman Sebastian Loader described as a long time coming.
“Our region is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia in terms of population, economics, and, unfortunately, for too long basketball hasn’t been leading the charge,” Loader said.
“When Mark (Neeld) first started with Basketball Geelong (as chief executive), we really gave him an agenda that the sport has to be put No.1 — forget egos, forget history, forget anything that’s gone in the past, we need to make sure we are in the best position to give everybody who participates in the wonderful sport that is basketball the best opportunity to be the best they can possibly be.
“I think there’s a long way to go but this is a fantastic step towards it.”
Joining Stingrays president Adam Natonewski in launching the partnership, he said talks had started with Basketball Victoria, Big V and Basketball Victoria Country to convert teams to the new branding.
NBL1 men’s and women’s teams will maintain the Geelong Supercats name and branding, but from Big V Championship, Youth League and down, all Supercats and Stingrays teams will be rebranded Geelong United, potentially from next season.
“Aspirationally, we want everyone in the region to aspire to play for the Geelong Supercats in the NBL1,” Loader said.
“That’s a national competition that Geelong is fortunate enough to have representation in.
“We want everyone to aspire for them, to barrack for them, but ultimately we’re providing a pathway for people to be engaged all the way up to that level, and that is Geelong United basketball.”
Geelong United’s VJBL trials will be held in September.