The Canberra Capitals have been left "homeless" for finals games this season, with team members and management questioning if professional men's teams would have found themselves in the same position.
The Capitals have played their home games at Canberra's National Conventional Centre Canberra (NCCC) this season, but general manager Lucille Bailie said there was little availability for dates for the finals, which run from March 23 to April 9.
In a meeting this morning, Capitals players and management voiced concerns that the lack of a home court could impact future sponsors and player recruitment.
"It's most likely that most of our finals games in the current season will need to be relocated to Wollongong or interstate, due to a lack of availability at the NCCC and quite simply the absence of any other suitable venue here in our home town," Ms Bailie said.
The Canberra Capitals had to move to the National Convention Centre after the AIS Arena was closed in June 2020 for repairs — something neither the federal or ACT governments have yet committed to fund.
The AIS Arena is now also being used as a mass-vaccination hub by the ACT government.
Ms Bailie said while grand final games at the AIS Arena attracted about 5,000 spectators, the National Convention Centre could only accommodate 1,700.
Team questions whether the scenario would have eventuated for men
In 2020, the University of Canberra capitals won their ninth Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) championship.
But club captain, Kelsey Griffin, has questioned whether a premiership-winning team would have been left without a location to play finals in men's codes of sport.
Coach Paul Goriss said it was "disgusting" that the Capitals did not have a permanent home.
"It guts me to feel that we're just homeless, that these girls put their livelihoods and lives on the line and sacrifice day in and day out to then have to pack up and go to Wollongong, Sydney or wherever we get to play. And right now we don't know where we're going to play."
Ms Bailie thanked the players for working and playing so hard but said the future of the team was at stake without a proper home venue.
"But this ongoing uncertainty threatens the team's future ability to market itself for new players, fans and sponsors."
Financial viability of the team depends on this season's revenue
Ms Bailie said not having a home court seriously hurt the side's championship chances and also robbed the club of a vital source of income.
"Our continued growth is now under threat as we face the reality of not having the security of a fit-for-purpose venue, particularly for finals games," Ms Bailie said.
Griffin said in order to play this season for the Capitals, she took a significant pay cut.
"I still had to take a $20,000-$30,000 pay cut from other clubs in the league to play this season for the Caps and that was a decision that I made because I wanted to stay here and play and I believe in Gos [Goriss] and the character of the people I get to play with," she said.
"If we don't have that revenue what are contract negotiations going to look like for players that have done everything right next season?"
