BREAKING NEWS: THE Cairns Taipans have been returned to the National Basketball League.

Cairns was among nine licencees named this morning by Basketball Australia chief executive Larry Sengstock to compete in the 2010-11 competition.

Pictures: Cairns Taipans 2009-10 

All eight teams that took part last season - the Taipans, Townsville Crocodiles, Gold Coast Blaze, Wollongong Hawks, Melbourne Tigers, New Zealand Breakers, Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers - were returned as well as the Sydney Kings, who return to the competition after folding in 2008.

Taipans general manager Mark Beecroft said the club could now move forward to shore up season ticket pledges and more sponsorship.

"This is terrific news for the entire Cairns and Far North community,"  Beecroft said.

"It means the region continues to have a team represented on the national sporting stage, giving tremendous exposure to Cairns and the Far North across the country and in New Zealand.

"We are under no illusions that we still have a lot of hard work to do in solidifying our financial position but we are confident we can reach all our goals now we have the certainty of our inclusion in the competition."

Beecroft said the club had taken some great steps forward this past season in engaging fans and sponsors, community groups and especially children through school visits, and already had more than 2000 season tickets pledged for 2010-11.

"We will be announcing soon how people who have pledged to buy tickets for next season can purchase their tickets," Beecroft said.

Beecroft said the Taipans anticipated announcing player signings over the next couple of weeks, with the NBL's free agents list to be released on April 1.

Already 2009-10 MVP Dusty Rychart and captain Phill Jones have indicated they want to remain Taipans next season.

The Taipans thanked their foundation and syndicate members, the Cairns Regional Council, Queensland Government Department of Communities, corporate box and season ticket holders, Reef Magic Cruises, Raging Thunder and all other sponsors, in particular naming rights sponsor Skytrans, for their ongoing support.

NBL Commission Chair Diane Smith-Gander said the NBL would look to continue to expand its footprint by including a team in Brisbane in the future but only teams that had satisfied the new, more stringent financial criteria would be awarded licenses.

"The NBL Commission and the BA Board are taking a controlled and strategic approach to expansion and are not rushing into additional marketplaces before the time is right," Smith-Gander said.

"We have Sydney now and that leaves Brisbane as the only major Australian market in which we don't have direct representation.

"We are continuing discussions with a group there and are confident that they will come to fruition, we are targeting the 2011-12 season, but we will not hamstring a team by rushing them into the competition before they are completely ready."

• Full report in The Cairns Post tomorrow.

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