Auckland Stars
The Auckland Stars were a New Zealand basketball team based in Auckland. The Stars competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and played their home games at ASB Stadium.
| Auckland Stars | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | National Basketball League |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Folded | February 2010 |
| History | Auckland 1982–1989 Auckland Cannons 1990–1991 Auckland Stars 1992–1996 Auckland Rebels 1997–2000 Auckland Stars 2001–2009 |
| Arena | ASB Stadium |
| Location | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Team colours | Blue & white |
| Ownership | Tab Baldwin |
| Championships | 9 (1982, 1983, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005) |
| Website | AucklandStars.co.nz |
Team history
The Auckland Stars, then known as Auckland Metro,[1][2] were a foundation member of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1982. They were champions of the league in the first two seasons, before finishing as runners-up to the Wellington Saints in both 1984 and 1985. They returned to the NBL final in 1989, where they lost to the Canterbury Rams.[3]
Between 1995 and 2006, Auckland reached the championship round eight times. They won three straight championships between 1995 and 1997, with four more titles coming in 1999, 2000,[4] 2004 and 2005. Despite their success, the Stars struggled to capture a sizeable fanbase.[5]
In February 2010, the team was suspended from competing in the 2010 NBL season after falling into financial strife and failing to pay some players and coaching staff.[6][7][8]
References
- "OVER THE YEARS – NBL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS". nznbl.basketball. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- Long, David (2 January 2020). "Forgotten sporting teams; a brief history of Kiwi teams that went bust". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- Egan, Brendon (4 April 2014). "Keith Mair reflects on Rams' halcyon days". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
- "Rebel Sport Auckland Secure 5th Title With Stunning Upset of Giants". aball.co.nz. 17 August 2000. Archived from the original on 2 March 2001.
- Hinton, Marc (15 May 2020). "Auckland Huskies unveiled as the latest new addition to New Zealand's NBL". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
The Auckland Stars (1982-2009) were mainstays of the league and won seven of their nine championships between 1995 and 2005. But they struggled to capture a sizeable fanbase to reflect their success.
- Hinton, Marc (17 February 2010). "Auckland Stars bounced out of NBL". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
- "Basketball: Auckland Stars booted from NBL". NZHerald.co.nz. 17 February 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
- Deane, Steve (4 March 2010). "Basketball: Falling Stars hit rock bottom NBL licence void". NZHerald.co.nz. Retrieved 24 January 2017.