NBL owner Larry Kestelman is adamant the league has 'zero intention' of taking the Hawks away from the Illawarra permanently.
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In the fallout of the decision to dump Illawarra from the team name under the new ownership, the regions politicians are angered and sponsors threatening to walk away.
The club, taken over by a consortium led by ex-Sydney Kings part-owner Dorry Kordahi and controversial former Philadephia NBA general manager Bryan Colangelo, will simply be known as the Hawks, as part of the NBL's plans to take more games to Canberra, across regional NSW or further interstate.
But Kestelman moved to allay fears it was the first step in plans to find the club a new home base, potentially in western Sydney.
"I can absolutely rule that out," Kestelman said.
"Our intent is to keep the Hawks where they are, but represent all of NSW, so there is zero intention to look somewhere else.
"If we wanted to do that, now would be as good a time as any, but we have no intention of doing that. We're working with Venues NSW and the club to have funding available to upgrade the facilities and standards at WIN Entertainment Centre.
"Our intent is for fans to enjoy a better product and a successful club."
However, Kestelman's guarantee did come with a warning, saying Hawks fans and sponsors had to support the club to ensure its long-term viability in the region.
The Hawks slumped to a 5-23 record last season to finish last, before plunging into another round of voluntary administration at the end of Simon Stratford's time in charge. Dropping the name 'Illawarra' is the latest chapter in a long history of turmoil, which also includes the 2009 'Save The Hawks' campaign led by title-winner and club general manager Mat Campbell, when they were bailed out at the last minute by Indian mining magnate Arun Jagatramka.
The Kordahi-Colangelo group was chosen ahead of a bid from former Hawks guard LaMelo Ball and prominent Illawarra businessman Tory Lavalle, who had been in prolonged negotiations.
Kordahi is a Sydney marketing and clothing entrepreneur who has been part of Australian rich list reviews and former owner of the Kings, while Colangelo is expected to take up a strategic role in the running of the Hawks, with US businessman and college basketball identity Michael Proctor also involved.
"When the club went into administration, we had to have a look at what was sustainable and how we could co-ordinate the best way to move forward," Kestelman said. "It was clear this couldn't happen again.
"The league has moved a long way in its professionalism and global presence, we want the Hawks to widen the footprint and stand for all of NSW. But we also need the Hawks to be commercially viable and supported, if that's not happening then we will look at the situation again."
While GWS play games in Canberra and Hawthorn and North Melbourne have bases in Tasmania, Kestelman said the decision to drop Illawarra was also to attract new supporters in key target markets like Canberra and Newcastle.
"There are arguments both ways, it's never an easy decision," he said. "But we want the club to keep the Hawks identity and history but for all of NSW."