The NBL is prepared for a seven-team competition next season, as the cash-strapped Wollongong Hawks race the clock to come up with the financial support to stay in the league.

The Hawks have launched a website in an appeal for community and corporate backing, while owner James Spenceley took to Twitter to announce he was in discussions with a potential new co-owner.

After the NRL last month guaranteed the future of the Gold Coast Titans, who also went into voluntary administration, NBL chairman Graeme Wade admitted the governing was not in a position to ensure the Hawks had a future.

‘‘It really is a pretty clear statement, if the people of Wollongong want the Hawks, they have to show their support,’’ he told the Mercury.

‘‘The NBL has been quite accommodating to regional clubs and flexible with the license agreement.

‘‘But it’s a pretty clear set of deadlines in relation to the voluntary administration period, it’s not going to go on forever and the problem can only be solved if the community gets behind the Hawks.’’

While discussions continue about the NBL expanding into Brisbane and Canberra, Wade said the NBL was prepared for any scenario.

Wade said the league would not commit to the introduction of a new team next season, after former NBL chief executive Fraser Neill declared Brisbane would be part of the competition at last year’s pre-season competition.

Canberra also remains a prospect of returning to the NBL, but Wade admitted the NBL would continue even if there was only seven teams in the competition.

‘‘Either side of that equation is fine,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve seen with the Big Bash cricket situation, a different product and different model can come into the market and it’s been incredibly successful in different ways.

‘‘The Hawks of course are historically attached to the NBL (as a foundation club) and again they need the support of the community to help them out of the current predicament.

‘‘I certainly can’t guarantee a Brisbane team next year, but we are working on it.’’

Spenceley is expected to meet with a preospective investor on Friday, just one year after taking over the club ownership.

‘‘Off the phone with an awesome potential investor for the hawks, wants to put money in and become an co-owner could be a great lead Hawks’’ he posted on Twitter on Wednesday.

The Hawks plight comes five years after the Save the Hawks campaign was launched by ex-captain Mat Campbell, who kept the team in the NBL after a financial guarantee and sponorship by mining magnate Arun Jagatramka.

This season’s major sponsor Wollongong Coal and the Hawks agreed to a reduced sponsorship agreement on Wednesday.

The NBL no longer demands the same financial guarantee from clubs to be in the competition, but the Hawks will require to show significant progress during the period of voluntary administration to be given more time.

The Hawks dire situation has put a dampener on the NBL grand final series, which starts on Friday night in front of a sell-out crowd in Cairns.