The Otago Nuggets have been granted a stay of execution.
The beleaguered franchise has until Friday evening to pay the first instalment of the National Basketball League fee or it will be tipped out of the league, NBL chairman Sam Rossiter-Stead says.
The Canterbury Rams and the Hawks Bay Hawkes also face expulsion after all three teams failed to confirm their commitment to the 2009 season and pay the fee.
"Although we have pressing commercial time lines to meet, the board has extended the deadline for receipt of the initial $5000 payment until 5pm on Friday, December 5," Rossiter-Stead said in a press release yesterday.
"That is the very latest we can leave things and hope it gives Canterbury, Hawkes Bay and Otago time to confirm their respective entries.
"I have spoken to representatives of all three teams [yesterday] morning and offered them whatever support we can in order to help secure their participation."
Basketball Otago (BBO) announced last week it would not be entering a team in the 2009 NBL, citing a lack of resources.
The BBO board backed down after the basketball community rallied around the cash-strapped franchise.
But with just $100,000 set aside for the Nuggets' campaign in 2009 the franchise faces an uphill battle to remain in the league.
Nuggets assistant coach Gavin Briggs is heading a campaign to save the team and said the "savethenugs" group needed to raise an additional $150,000 on top of the $100,000 already raised by BBO.
Securing that money in the current economic environment would be an enormous challenge but Briggs was pleased the franchise had a little more wriggle room.
"We've got a clear goal now and we'll do whatever we can over the next few days to get some corporate and community support for the team, remembering we still have to convince the BBO board," he said.
"Obviously the NBL board must be satisfied that there are reasons to keep the Nuggets in the league and are clearly sending the message that they want us to be there."
The group received an anonymous pledge of $5000 over the weekend and relaunched the "500 club" campaign yesterday.
The club costs $500 to join and can be paid in instalments.
Members get four tickets to all the Nuggets' home games, four tickets to a catered courtside table or a corporate box for one home game, some signed Nuggets' merchandise and entry for two children to the Nuggets' holiday programme.
To join, email savethenugs@kol.co.nz.
