WNBL’S hub will ‘connect with fans’

TOWNSVILLE Fire general manager Sam Pascoe says the WNBL hub will come with greater freedoms than the COVID-19 “bubble” other sports have adopted for their players.

While biosecurity measures will be implemented to ensure the safety of athletes and the community, teams will not be confined to the same limitations as the NRL and AFL clubs have endured. The hub will operate between Townsville, Cairns and Mackay, with the Fire to also play some of its fixtures away in their neighbouring towns.

Competition fixtures are yet to be announced — though they are expected this week — and Pascoe ( pictured) said it was an exciting opportunity to connect with fans away from Townsville.

“It’s a WNBL hub, not bubble, so it is different to some of the other professional sports we’ve seen where they have been in that bubble process of lockdown,” she said. “Obviously, we will have biosecurity rules in place to ensure not only is everyone’s safe but the whole community is as well, but it isn’t that complete lockdown.

“We’ll be like every other team in the hub and will visit Cairns and Mackay and play some games there, which I’m actually really excited about.

“We are the only team, not only in Queensland but Northern Australia, so we have a really big footprint.

“You’re going to have every Opals player here, we’re going to have an array of the best female athletes in the country and for the kids to be able to take part in that. Our No 1 thing here at the Townsville Fire is to promote strong, healthy females, and for little girls who are playing any sport or wanting to take part, they can’t be what they can’t see and over the hub there’s going to be a lot to be seen.”

Pascoe said while the pandemic had thrown a spanner into the Fire’s 20-year celebration plans, it would ensure the milestone was recognised.