'Horrible to lose that pathway': New hurdle threatens future of NBL1 South

The future of the NBL1 South competition in Tasmania is on a knife's edge following a surprising revelation by the Hobart Chargers.
The southern-based club on Thursday informed its community that its current model is not financially sustainable, and has requested that its men's and women's programs be put into recess.
It raises fresh concerns about the future of the semi-professional competition in the state, with no guarantee a northern licence will be issued in 2026 and beyond.
"[It would be] horrible to lose that pathway and so detrimental to the sport," North West Thunder chairman James Leslie said.
"We hope it doesn't come to that.
"That pathway is so vital for kids to understand that they have access and ability to play in the bigger leagues."
The Chargers' announcement comes a week after the Thunder reissued their submission to secure the sole northern licence for 2026.
Basketball Victoria, who operate the NBL1 South, announced in April that the men's and women's teams in the North-West and North must be under the same licence.
It has led to weeks of back-and-forth between the two northern clubs, with a decision on the licence to be made on August 29.
While the southern situation wasn't ideal, Leslie did not believe that the northern uncertainty played a role in the Chargers' decision.
"I think they've done a really good job on the floor, but I don't know how off the floor they've been," he said.
"It sounds like they've been facing these [financial] challenges for a while, and I don't think [our situation] has affected them too dramatically.
"It justified what we've been saying; the financial model isn't ideal when it's split over two regions."
Leslie reiterated the club's position and felt it was a financially viable option to service the North-West's thriving basketball scene.
"We're really strong financially and our model works quite well," he said.
"Our position has been that we have great strength in the market with an amazing array of talent. We've put ourselves in a position to foster that and we'd hate to see it removed in the state."