Illawarra Basketball Association president Graham Lancaster holds real fears for our National Basketball League team.
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His personal concern stems from the new owners stating on Wednesday that the Illawarra part of the name would be dropped and the NBL club would now simply be known as the Hawks.
"I share the concerns that have been expressed by a number of other people that by removing the name Illawarra from the club suggests a plan to remove this club from this area in the future," Mr Lancaster said.
"I have a concern that the history of the club is being removed in effect.
"It is a concern especially considering that the Illawarra Basketball Association started the club back in 1979, some 41 years ago.
"I am very happy and grateful that we do have owners step in to keep the club going as a foundation club, and the only foundation club.
"As a sponsor I will certainly be watching to see how the NBL and new owners respond to the campaign to reinstate the name."
Having lived in the Illawarra for almost 50 years, the 53-years-old has come to love the region's basketball fraternity, including the "jewel in the crown" Illawarra Hawks, the only club in the NBL to play 41 continuous years in the league.
He said removing the name Illawarra won't necessarily effect the pathways for up and coming juniors, but wasn't ideal particularly for players in the "country areas".
"I'm hoping that the owners keep a name that ties the Hawks to the region," Mr Lancaster said.
"When it was Wollongong Hawks, I understand that might have been too narrow a focus. Illawarra certainly has that regional basis. I don't know how you include Canberra and Newcastle into that bubble.
"I would certainly like to have some recognition that this is the area in which the club was formed, developed and it has played so many years in the NBL."
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