News

Number crunching proves United not making gains

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We Are Not United have crunched the numbers between the Tigers last four regular season games and United’s first four regular season games at Hisense and have found that the Tigers had larger numbers of attendance.

By counting the 2013/14 Tigers four regular season games at Hisense plus one final the total is 30,552 people for an average of 6110.4 so that’s 6110 people per game when rounded down while Melbourne United’s first five regular season games have had a total of 23,773 people for a total of 4754.6, rounded up to 4755 people per game which means the Tigers had 6,779 more people and a bigger average per game of 1355 people.

Now if we take only the four Tigers regular season games and exclude the finals they had 26,551 for an average of 6637.75 rounded up to 6638 while United’s first four regular season games at Hisense had a total of 20,366 at an average of 5091.5 so comparing the averages the Tigers are on top by 1547 people which proves that no matter which way you slice up the numbers the Tigers have had a superior turnout.

Melbourne United may claim a superior season overall attendance over the Tigers at the end of the season but it should be noted that the Tigers played 10 games at the smaller The Cage and only four games at Hisense with none at Margaret Court Arena compared to United who play the majority of their season at HA and MCA.

WANU Tigers SEN wrap

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Andrew Gaze and Nigel Purchase have been on SEN in the last week to talk up Basketball and other topics, Andrew of course co-hosts ‘The Morning Glory’ and one segment had Ask Gazey where he answered questions from those on Twitter who had #AskGazey,

Nigel Purchase appeared on Kevin Bartlett’s ‘Hungry for Sport’ where he talked about his son Jack and his college basketball experience in the US, they discussed Golf and then talked a little about D-Mac and Brian Goorjian, United’s form and who they will be coming up against while suggesting people check out the game .

Returns do happen

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There is no denying that people hate sports teams folding, relocating or being booted out and most never return but there are teams that have gone due to various reasons only to return to the league they came from years later, below are three examples with a potential fourth example coming next year.

1. Sydney Kings returned to the NBL competition in 2010 after being removed in 2008.
2. South Sydney Rabbitohs returned to the NRL in 2002 after being booted in 1999, won title in 2014.
3. Cleveland Browns were reformed and returned to the NFL in 1999 after the original team moved to Baltimore for the 1996 season.
4. Brisbane Bullets may be back for the 2015/2016 NBL season after folding in 2008.

Although the Cleveland Browns were moved to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Ravens, legal battle erupted and after negotiation between all major parties, the Browns were declared deactivated and the intellectual property from the team name to the training facilities of the Browns were not included in the move and were protected in a trust to allow Cleveland to have the Browns back when the NFL expanded which happened in 1999 therefore the Ravens have no claim on the past success of the Browns.

South Sydney after they were left out of the league at the end of the 1999 season was reinstated to the NRL for the 2002 season thanks to court cases and people power and now with private ownership the team has become a success by regularly featuring in the finals and winning the 2014 NRL Premiership.

Sydney Kings collapsed due to fraudulent actions by Firepower International chairman Tim Johnston who brought the club for two million dollars, Sydney Kings players were owed a total upwards of a quarter of a million dollars while Super Rugby team and NRL team South Sydney Rabbitohs were left in the lurch financially after Firepower collapsed, the Kings returned to the competition in 2010 and after a slow start is now playing great Basketball.

The Brisbane Bullets fell after Eddy Groves business empire started to collapse in early 2008, banks loaned money to Groves against the value of his company’s shares and unfortunately for Groves and the Bullets his company had a massive net profit loss of 42% which combined with rumours that the company were in default of it’s lending covenants the banks were owed money and the Bullets were cut loose to try keep ABC Learning Centres afloat, unfortunately for the Bullets no buyer was found and the team was gone at the height of success.

It is now believed a return of the Brisbane Bullets would create a more solid foundation for the NBL for teams would now be in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane and so the NBL will be working overtime for the Bullets to return for the 2015/16 season.

The Melbourne Tigers situation is closer to the Cleveland Browns than the others although the team (now Melbourne United) never really left it’s home but changed everything else while keeping the Intellectual Properties of the Tigers to itself but it is hoped that common sense will prevail and the IP of the Tigers is released and in a Browns like deal a place in the NBL is given to the team in the future.

A great night for Melbourne

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Melbourne Tigers fans had plenty to cheer about last night as the Tiger teams in the VJBL scored multiple wins across the competition.

Wins were achieved by the Tigers boys and girls in Under 14’s, 16’s and 18’s matches while the Boys U/12’s and the Girls U/12 Tigers 2, U/14 Tigers 1 and U/18’s Tigers 3 fell in their matches although there is no doubt that all who participated in the matches played to the best of their ability and had fun at the end of the night.

Overall it can be said by Tigers fans that they had a much better night than Melbourne United fans whose team lost in the NBL to the New Zealand Breakers who scored revenge against United after losing on United’s home turf earlier this month.

Tigers fans hoping for good news

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It’s been a quiet week for Tigers fans as they await word of the effort by the Tigers consortium to get the team into SEABL for the 2015 season, fans are hoping that the consortium is having success in their quest to raise a quarter of a million dollars to finance the Tigers having teams in both the Men’s and Women’s competition.

It has long been said that if the SEABL plan is unable to happen the team will then focus on the competitions that the Tigers currently play in and there is no doubt that the consortium will keep trying to get the Tigers in SEABL eventually as the team makes it’s way back to the NBL and take on their former NBL spin off Melbourne United who in what some say is a hypocritical twist sponsor the VJBL which is participated in by the Tigers.

We Are Not United will continue to report on the progress of the Tigers consortium as more information comes to the public.

Save The Melbourne Tigers group restructures for Tigers comeback

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Facebook group ‘Save The Melbourne Tigers’ is restructuring itself in an effort to be of more assistance to the Tigers consortium now and into the future.

The group will be changing it’s membership criteria to allow more fans to become part of the group while the group will also be updating it’s behavioral standards by encouraging fans to forget about venting anger and frustration at Melbourne United and their fans, while this is not an easy thing to do giving Melbourne United and their fans their space could have benefits for the future.

This encouragement does not signal capitulation for Tigers fans are asked to work towards getting the Melbourne Tigers ready for an upcoming SEABL or BigV campaign as well as following the various junior teams so they become well known to Basketball fans.

Tigers fans are still awaiting more news on the SEABL plan but are confident that progress will be made and more news will become available shortly as the clock ticks down to the release of the fixture for the next SEABL season.

Could China bring Tigers hopes to life?

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Tigers fans listening to SEN this morning were surprised to learn that Andrew Gaze is currently in China on personal business which has lead to speculation that Mr Gaze could pick up some sponsors for the Melbourne Tigers SEABL effort while he is doing his business over there.

While it seems China is an odd place for chasing sponsors, it is not too far-fetched considering China’s rise as a world power and also the Tigers had Chinese sponsorship during it’s successful NBL finals campaigns of the late 00’s and so perhaps the Chinese companies who had some dealings with the Gaze family may feel inclined to go around with them again only this time be part of a new adventure.

Then again Andrew Gaze could be just putting his feet up watching the Chinese play ball and maybe even call in on former Tigers player and Tigers coaching rival Brian Goorjian or some other pals over there, speculation can sometimes be a wondrous thing.

Tigers fans ready to roar their support

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While the Tigers consortium is busy trying to secure business support for the SEABL plan, Tigers fans are eagerly awaiting to hear about the ways they can contribute to help the Tigers get back on their feet sooner rather than later, fans are hoping they will be able to contribute via bank deposit or Paypal to give as many fans as possible an opportunity to voluntarily contribute funding.

Another option thought up by fans for consideration by the consortium is crowdfunding although legal experts will have to look into the legalities of such an option before it can be given major consideration, those who are supporters of crowdfunding believe that if a Formula One team can do it then there is no reason why the Tigers can do so as well and hope it gets the tick of approval.

Tigers fans are also hoping to give the consortium the fans prospective on what fans would like to see and buy to help keep the cash rolling in for the Tigers to ensure long term success.

United respond to Tigers building plans

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Melbourne United have responded to the plans by a consortium aiming to restore the Melbourne Tigers to the highest levels of Basketball by repeating that they own the name and history to the proud club.

Melbourne United CEO Vince Crivelli was at first open to a new Melbourne Tigers by saying;

 ‘I think the board and (United owners) Larry (Kestelman) and Michael (Slepoy) would listen to anything – they want to see the game thrive’

Things suddenly taken a turn with Crivelli seemingly extinguishing any feelings of goodwill by next saying the following.

“I’d love to see an NBL team come in and match our funding of Basketball Victoria,” he said.

“We genuinely see ourselves as the organisation who are here to serve the game of basketball at NBL level.

“That is why it is ‘Melbourne United’ as opposed to Melbourne Tigers and its one team for all of Melbourne to get behind.”

The Age newspaper reports that United’s hold of the Tigers name in semi professional sport is a gray area and both sides are negotiating on the release which appears to be a contradiction of Crivelli’s comments unless Vince Crivelli was talking about the NBL name which is professional basketball compared to SEABL’s semi professional state.

Melbourne Tigers are understandably curious about why Kestelman, Slepoy and Crivelli did not fund Basketball Victoria when the team was the Melbourne Tigers and waited until they were a new entity to do so, it is a question that will most likely never receive an answer and will leave Tigers fans no doubt wondering what else was held back in the 2013/14 NBL season.

Tigers fans are confident that the Melbourne Tigers once they are in SEABL and are making good business will be able to match or beat Melbourne United’s contribution to SEABL and show that Melbourne United is not the lone voice in the state of affairs of Victorian basketball.

Melbourne Tigers fans are now eagerly awaiting announcements on ways that they can participate in helping the club get it’s SEABL plans underway while calling on Larry Kestelman and Michael Slepoy to be reasonable by negotiating fairly with the Tigers consortium to hand over the name and history at an affordable price so the SEABL journey can begin without problems and the expected to be slow going NBL buildup can start simultaneously as well.

Tigers expansion plans now public

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Melbourne Tigers fans woke up this morning to the news that all the speculation about the long road towards return of the Melbourne Tigers to the NBL is true and the work to make it happen is underway, the Tigers will not be in the NBL for a couple of years for finances will need to be secured to make a re-entry possible but the team will make every effort to get there.

Nigel Purchase and Andrew Gaze were both talked to on SEN during the day with Nigel\s appearance on SEN’s ‘Hungry for Sport’ available at https://soundcloud.com/sen1116/hungry-for-sport-nigel-purchase-nbl-veteran while Andrew’s appearance of SEN’s ‘Harf Time’ is available at

The Melbourne Tigers are planning to have a team compete in SEABL which is considered by many to be equal or superior to the NBL before the team either expands or returns solely to the NBL, it is hoped that by going the SEABL route the Tigers return to the NBL will be successful from the resumption of the team’s 30 year existence in the league.

Melbourne Tigers will also be working to provide women the opportunity to play for the famed club in the WNBL, the Tigers entry into the WNBL would no doubt provide a boost to the league which has enjoyed success over the last couple of years compared to the struggles of the NBL.

Tigers fans are encouraged to keep their eyes and ears open in the coming weeks and months as more details will come to hand and there is no doubt now that fans will be eager to participate in any move to make the Tigers return happen sooner rather than later.