Northern Tasmania Basketball Club

Last updated

Northern Tasmania Basketball Club
Leagues NBL1 South
FoundedSeptember 2025
HistoryNorthern Tasmania Basketball Club
2026–
Arena Elphin Sports Centre
Ulverstone Sports & Leisure Centre
Location Launceston, Tasmania
Ulverstone, Tasmania
Team colorsTBA
PresidentCraig Gibson [1]
Head coachM: Jayden Smith [1]
W: Zoë Mesman [1]
Website NBL1 - Northern Tasmania

Northern Tasmania Basketball Club (NTBC) is an Australian basketball club set to debut in the men's and women's NBL1 South in 2026. The club will split their operations across two northern Tasmanian cities, Launceston and Ulverstone, and will play their home games at Elphin Sports Centre and Ulverstone Sports & Leisure Centre.

Contents

History

In 2020, the Launceston Tornadoes and North-West Tasmania Thunder were granted jointly-held licences to compete in the NBL1 South competition. The agreement at the time was that this shared licence would conclude at the end of the 2025 NBL1 season and that a male and female team must be fielded under a single entity from 2026 onwards. [2] In September 2025, it was announced that a newly established Northern Tasmania Basketball Club would enter the NBL1 South for the 2026 NBL1 season with a men's and women's program, replacing the Tornadoes women and Thunder men. [3] [4] [5]

The NTBC's official representative team name, including colours and uniform, will be revealed in early 2026. [1] [6] The NTBC will host 11 home games in 2026, spread evenly between Launceston and the North West. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bevis, Jacob (8 December 2025). "'Competitive spirit': meet the man who is taking the reins of this new team". www.theadvocate.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 Miles, Jessica (12 September 2025). "Northern Tasmania NBL1 License Statement". Basketball Tasmania. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  3. "Northern Tasmania Basketball Club awarded NBL1 South license". launcestontornadoes.au. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. "'Emotional time': Thunder hit back at 'monumental step back' for basketball". nbl1.com.au. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  5. Brown, Peter (11 September 2025). "Tasmania lands new NBL1 South club in 2026 | Basketball.com.au". www.basketball.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  6. Hann, Ben (5 November 2025). "New Tassie club's board ratified, begins 'big undertaking' before first game". www.examiner.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 November 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.