As the great modern bard Billy Joel once sang: "It's a matter of trust. It's always been a matter of trust".
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Giving you a moment to clear your head of that 1980s pop rock earworm, it's clear now, by gaining the Illawarra name back, the new Hawks owners have earned the trust and support of a community.
Out of the ruins of a club in liquidation, co-owner Dorry Kordahi had made giant strides to rebuild the corporate backing and fan base.
But only on Wednesday, as the ILL-A-WAR-RA chant rattled around the dilapidated WIN Entertainment Centre, had the new owners truly made it a success.
Read more: Froling reflects on 'special' homecoming
Forget the result, the occasion was a triumph of belief and perseverance.
A triumph for Kordahi, who kept selling the vision and showed the ownership group has true independence from the NBL's disastrous terms, which included taking the name away in the first place.
But also a triumph for a fan base battered and scarred by the litany of failures by previous owners.
The Illawarra name has security in the NBL again, hopefully for a generation and more to come.
In truth, the platform was built for Illawarra's return when coach Brian Goorjian took it upon himself to champion the cause.
"I've been thinking about it and, I've been around Chuck Harmison, Greg Hubbard, Glen Saville, Mat Campbell ... these guys have earned that right," he said.
"They're Illawarra and we're Illawarra. I'm feeling that strong about it now."
The statement brought predictable blowback at headquarters, but it also forced the NBL into facing the reality of the situation.
The membership target was a sideshow, one which Kordahi handled masterfully to reach.
Remarkably, out of this prolonged saga, the Hawks now have the most well-financed, resourced and connected ownership in the foundation club's history.
Of course, fans will have to continue to repay the faith and support at levels which ensure the dreaded curtain at the eastern end of the court is never drawn again.
But why would it, when Hawks fans have reason to believe.
Build it and they will come.
The Hawks have gained as much respect on the court as they have trust off it.
The 91-88 loss is their second for the campaign, but showed Illawarra have the tools be genuine contenders, provided COVID-19 doesn't stop a another season in its tracks.
The first half was breathless, as much as United, even without Chris Goulding, turned the screws when it mattered down the stretch.
And if in future the ownership wants to take the odd game to a revitalised AIS Arena at Canberra, or the new stadium at Newcastle - or even the Madison Square Garden of the south-west - at Bolton Park at Wagga, Hawks fans can live with it.
The desire to 'broaden the footprint', as NBL boss Larry Kestelman outlined when taking the name away, is understood as a potential necessity.
But it will be done with the Illawarra name, because it's our team.
