Spirit to survive

Here's a media release I just received from the NBL. Good to see that the Spirit are going to survive until the end of the season. The team is doing well oncourt and it would've been sad to see them go already.

SPIRIT SET TO SEE OUT NBL SEASON

The Sydney Spirit National Basketball League (NBL) team has been saved, with players and coaching staff from the club voting overnight to accept an adjusted rescue package offered by the League.

The League met with the team on Tuesday morning to confirm their individual financial situations and subsequently adjusted the proposed salary component of the rescue package accordingly.

Interim Chief Executive Officer of Basketball Scott Derwin said the decision by the players to accept the rescue package meant that the Spirit would now complete the 2008/09 season.

“Sydney sports fans are now assured the Spirit will play out the current NBL season, with the players and coaching staff courageously agreeing as a group to play on despite it being necessary for them to take significant pay cuts,” said Derwin. “They really are playing for the love of the game and have accepted the absolute bare minimum salary to cover their families’ living expenses. We are glad that we have managed to find a way for the Spirit to continue in the League, given their outlook just over a week ago was very bleak.”

“The issues facing the Spirit have been truly unique and therefore called for a unique solution,” Derwin added. “The League funding the on-going operations of a team in financial trouble is highly unusual, but we believe it was absolutely necessary in this case and we are pleased that the Spirit will now see out the season.”

Derwin said that gate receipts from all remaining Spirit home games will continue to go towards paying the players and coaching staff for their outstanding contractual salaries owed over and above those covered in the rescue package.

“We have made the commitment that, once basic operational costs are covered, all additional profits will be funnelled back to try to make up for what the players and coaching staff are owed under their contracts with the club. That means that by Sydney fans buying a ticket to a Spirit game, they are directly helping the players, coaches and their families through what has been a tremendously stressful period.”

Sydney next travel to Cairns on Thursday to prepare for their clash against the Taipans this Friday night. The Spirit’s next home game will be against the Townsville Crocodiles on Sunday 21 December at the Sydney Olympic Park Entertainment Centre. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults, $5 for children (13 and under and $25 for families and are available through Ticketek (www.ticketek.com.au).