Breakers owner slam dunks rumours of sale
Absentee New Zealand Breakers owner Matt Walsh has confirmed the high-flying Kiwi Australian NBL club is not up for sale, and that he hopes to return soon to take a more hands-on role over the business end of the season.
Walsh’s Breakers have made a rip-roaring start to the 2022-23 season, overcoming a series of gruelling travel and schedule challenges to win eight of their first 11 games and emerge hot on the heels of defending champions the Sydney Kings (8-2) at the pointy end of the standings.
But it has been notable that majority owner Walsh, who heads a US-based consortium that bought the club from the Blackwells in 2018, has been absent through this campaign, remaining stateside for his club’s first normal home-based season since 2019-20.
Walsh, in a zoom call with New Zealand media yesterday, rejected rumours that he has put the club up for sale, and that he would not be returning to the country.
‘‘Absolutely not,’’ Walsh told Stuff when asked if the club was on the market. ‘‘We’re committed. I don’t know how our ownership group could show further commit
ment than what we’ve done the last two and a-half years, continuing to support the club during Covid, with zero home-game revenue.
‘‘The team is not on the market, and has never been on the market. This is something we love, and barring someone coming in with a massive cheque that would be too good to say no to, we’re as committed as ever.’’
Walsh, now based in Austin, Texas, said he had done it tough watching the strong start to the season from afar and confirmed plans to return to Auckland soon.
‘‘I’m dealing with some personal stuff back home, some family issues with my parents, and that’s just the nature of getting older,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m absolutely gutted I haven’t been there for this awesome start. My plan is to come over in December-January, depending on some things back here in the States.’’
The Breakers owner also explained what he saw as the key factor behind the club’s resurgence in ‘22-23, following tough hauls in ‘20-21 (8-28) and ‘21-22 (5-23)..
‘‘We’re the only professional sports organisation in the world that was out of our market for two years. I think that’s hardened us, and made us tough. The fact now we’re dealing with some crazy travel and we’re able to overcome those obstacles . . . our staff and players are resilient.
‘‘[Coach] Mody [ Maor] has elevated the club and done everything we could have asked for. I think I drive him nuts with my texts and calls, but he’s been amazing.’’
In terms of the tough schedule through the first part of the NBL season (continuing this weekend with a Cairns away-Brisbane home Friday-Sunday double), Walsh toed a conciliatory line, conceding it was always going to be a challenging load for a Kiwi team in an Australian league.