The dream of seeing a professional men's basketball team return to the nation's capital is alive, with Canberra officially locked in a three-city race for the National Basketball League's next expansion franchise. The revelation comes as the city prepares to host its first regular-season NBL game in years, a pivotal moment for local fans to demonstrate their unwavering support.
A Capital Showcase: Sell-Out Game to Prove Canberra's Mettle
This Wednesday night, the spotlight will be firmly on the AIS Arena in Bruce as the Sydney Kings face the league-leading Adelaide 36ers in a predicted sell-out. This marks the first regular-season NBL contest in Canberra since 2019. The match is more than just another fixture; it's a live audition. The game follows the successful NBL Blitz pre-season tournament held at the same venue in August and arrives in the same week league executives confirmed Canberra, Sydney, and the Gold Coast as the preferred candidates for a new team.
NBL chief executive David Stevenson has made it clear that fan support is vital, but the deciding factor will be infrastructure. He pointed to 55 sell-outs across the league last season as evidence that future venues need a capacity of "8000-plus" to fuel growth—double the current capacity of the AIS Arena. While not ruling out using the Bruce arena as a temporary home, Stevenson emphasised that the current setup "is not at the size that we need it to be."
The Venue Question: A Critical Hurdle for Expansion
The future of a Canberra team is intrinsically linked to the city's plans for a new convention centre. Stevenson confirmed he is in active discussions with ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr to understand the proposed centre's potential to host basketball. "Until we get certainty beyond that, then we wouldn't be announcing [a new team]," Stevenson stated. However, he left the door open for a scenario where a team begins play at the AIS Arena to build momentum if a firm commitment to the new venue is secured.
The league's head of basketball operations, Vince Crivelli, has previously noted that NBL fans advocate for a Canberra team more than any other candidate. The sentiment is echoed by Sydney Kings coach Brian Goorjian, who fondly remembers the atmosphere generated by the champion Canberra Cannons before the team folded in 2003. "I go back to the days when the Cannons were in the competition, and it was so good for the league," Goorjian said. "The Centre of Excellence is up there, too, so it's just a basketball place."
More Than Just a Game: Ignite Cup Stakes and Local Connections
Wednesday's fixture is also a key match in the NBL's new in-season tournament, the Ignite Cup, which has added 21 mid-week games this season. Teams are competing for a significant prize pool, with $300,000 going to the tournament winners and $100,000 to the runners-up. For the Kings, currently fourth on the ladder, the game is crucial as playoffs approach.
The Kings have strong ties to the ACT, being the nearest NBL team to Canberra and featuring guard Bul Kuol, who is from the capital. Former King and Canberra product Alex Toohey was also selected in the NBA draft earlier this year. The decision to host a game in Canberra was attractive due to the ready-to-go courts following the Blitz and the existing presence of the WNBL's Canberra Capitals.
As the ball tips off at the AIS Arena, the outcome on the scoreboard will be secondary for many. The real victory for Canberra will be a packed house, loud support, and a clear message to the NBL that the capital is ready to revive the Cannons dream and reclaim its place on the national sporting stage.
