The Canberra Capitals hope building a $250,000 court in the city will help them attract more fans as the WNBL club sets its sights on breaking a finals drought.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Capitals will move into a new home at the National Convention Centre this year after the ACT government allocated $125,000 in budget funding on Tuesday for a move from Tuggeranong to Civic.
The University of Canberra, owners of the Capitals' licence, will commit $125,000 to the move, which is aimed at giving fans and players a better experience.
The Capitals are still building their roster for the 2017-18 season and it's understood WNBL championship winner Kate Gaze is set to sign a new deal as early as Wednesday.
The Capitals are also still negotiating with seven-time title winner Nat Hurst about a Canberra homecoming and a decision could be made by the end of the week.
Capitals general manager Matthew Phelps believes the new-look roster, WNBL television coverage and a venue change can breathe new life into the franchise.
The court at the convention centre will likely be built in the coming months to be ready for the start of the season in October with a capacity of 1700.
The shift to the convention centre will be a major boost as the AIS continues to weigh up the future of the AIS Arena as Canberra's premier indoor sporting and concert venue.
"It's going to be fantastic for our players and fans. Moving into the theatre, the comfort levels are going to be fantastic and a great spectacle for basketball in Canberra," Phelps said.
"Tuggeranong was good for our fans last year as a boutique venue. But playing in an air-conditioned theatre at the convention centre is going to be fantastic.
"There's new seats, there's wifi ... we're getting into a modern stadium with similar sorts of things for fans that the NBA has. It will be a completely new experience."
The government has committed $11.6 million for upgrading broadcast and media facilities at Manuka Oval while $9 million will be spent on venues around the city.
There will also be ongoing funding for Canberra Stadium to ensure it maintains minimum industry standards while the Manuka Oval grass will be ripped up and replaced at the end of the year.
The government will increase funding for sports to bring national competitions to Canberra, with $1.85 million to be spent next year and $5.52 million over the next four years.
Part of that will be a $250,000 injection per year for the Capitals and a $1.5 million plan to invest in women's sport, including W-League team Canberra United.
Canberra United's sponsorship will increase from $90,000 to $125,000.
The government will spend $624,000 over the next four years to improve safety and integrity in combat sports as part of developing new compliance requirements and $160,000 for early planning for multi-purpose indoor sports centres in Woden, Gungahlin and Belconnen.
