Australia's National Basketball League Calls For Second Melbourne Club

The National Basketball League has commenced a formal process to establish a new South East Melbourne club as part of its expansion plan for the '15-16 season. An advertising campaign was launched in Victorian newspapers on Monday calling for expressions of interest from prospective license holders. It is intended to focus primarily on scheduling games throughout the shires of Dandenong, Casey, Knox and Cardinia (NBL). In Sydney, Jon Pierik wrote the NBL "has long been keen on a second franchise in Melbourne, but a lack of finances has been a major issue." The South East Melbourne Magic "was a championship winning franchise when coached by Brian Goorjian in the 1990s, and the name could be reprised" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 3/24).