Save Our South Dragons

To all Dragons fans,

I have seen countless articles, emails & fan forums angry at the Dragons,

but if only you could see it from our families perspective. We sincerely miss the dragons, and this was never meant to happen.

We took a move to rescue the sport, and basketball australia was to ignorant to support such a lifeline, that offered free to air coverage, impeccable business profiles to lead the operations, mass marketing and a redefined league that could see the sport shine. 

then BA shut the dragons out... at first this meant we could take a year off with the hope of re-entering, but then BA made a press conference the shunned the dragons of ever being able to enter. Now if you a losing millions a year, with no promise of ever being accepted back in, then what other choice did the organisation have?

I just don't get how people can blame us for trying to grow the sport.

In my opinion it was most definitely a risk worth taking, and it is a shame that we can no longer support the dragons with such passion.

Best wishes, and we thank you for your immense dedication & support.

Ryan

It was never meant to happen...but IT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN EITHER.

What was ever stopping the Dragons from re-entering the league, just the like the Tigers did?

When your Dad was overseas, a BA board member phoned the Dragons to see if they'd reconsider their position. What did Mark do? He called them back and gave them a spray. That's straight out of his mouth btw.

Sure, BA hasn't implemented the reforms that everyone was wishing for, but did our club really have to be killed as a result?

We would love to accept your family's perspective, but Dragons fans have been gutted by this decision and just want their club back, whether it be at the 2000-seat Dandenong Stadium or the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena.

This season will be in much better shape than 2008/09. The TV deal will be the best in many years, and BA is set to announce a naming rights sponsor. If it's good enough for the other eight clubs, including the self-serving Seamus McPeake, it should be good enough for us.

Once again, you're portraying yourselves as the victims, but the true victims are us fans who have lost our club just because two businessmen cracked the shits because they didn't get their way.

It would be a travesty if this is the end of the Dragons, because Mark appeared to be a brilliant, committed owner with genuine passion. Unfortunately, it seems like he had too much passion for his own good.

<It was never meant to happen...but IT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN EITHER.>  Here Here KTFB.

That response to the Fans Disappointment and Anger !. .....

OMG ! is that guilt, I doubt it, I think its self defence yet again ! thinking about themselves AGAIN !!  I want to beat up everything I can get my hands on ..

I MISS MY TEAM, I MISS MY BOYS  !!  How can one of the most succcessful franchises (go on time in the league and achievements thanks!) How can the current Champions NOT be in the league.

Raining Champions ! GONE ! 

This letter to us infuriates me even more.  Challenging us to stop blaming them ? Who should we blame, the players, the supporters ? BA for wanting to keep striving at keeping Basketball a continuing sport for every supporter out there !

:-((

wow, if we were to think of ourselves and not the fans, we would have left after the first season! Everything the Dragons did, they did with the fans best interests at heart.. INCLUDING the final decision to stand up against BA. My father actually said to me the fans of australian basketball deserve better than some semi professional league.

And i do value your opinions, this is why I've been on this site since the get go, and I do understand where you are all coming from, but all i wanted to do was let you know that we never wanted this to happen, and that we are sorry that it has... but clearly you all dont care.

It would be nice if you could at least be grateful for the years we did have, the championship we won and the great players and staff we had along the way.

We do care what you have to say, hence the reason we read your post in the first place. We simply don't agree.

And we LOVED the three years we had together, and I was always EXTREMELY grateful of your father and Ruffy for giving us a team to follow. The attachment we developed with the Dragons is the reason why we are so hurt and angry by this decision.

I don't understand how you can say the final decision was made in the fans' interests...

I've got a hypothetical for you: imagine the Dragons were a members-owned club, just like the AFL clubs. In that case it would have been the Dragons members who voted on which direction the club should take. I can guarantee that  100% of them would have voted to continue playing in the NBL.

You say the fans deserve better than a semi-pro league? I say fans fans deserve better than having their team ripped away from them just because two people didn't get their way with the league.

look wether you think you did the right thing or not all you did is screw over Basketball in Australia and left B.A to pick up your mess and rebuild ever more, they have done a great job and the comp is going, Dragons management isn't a victim its the problem now!

The fans are lost to the sport forever and most people see the title holders dropping out as a making the sport a further laughing stock here, the players the fans the volunteers and the workers are the victims not YOU or you rich little daddy who doesn't have to worry about getting a job because his team folded, wake up mate and smell the roses..

The sport is bigger than one team and that's been proven.

Most will never be passionate about another second Melbourne team after all the years of defunct clubs.

The B.A offered help to the Dragons and stadiums were throwing offers at us, there was no attempt to sell the licence or even salvage the situation just a big im taking my ball and going home attitude.

As Fire wrote their is a bigger TV deal this season and government backing along with a new sponsor and a new league, the league who actually cares about its players welfare set up this season to save jobs and next season we will see the additional 2 or 3 teams enter.

Having said that,i appreciate everything the Dragons did and loved em all through the 3 seasons.

Mark Cowan is a top bloke and was a great passionate owner,god bless..

I want to thank Ry' for posting this. I think that it takes a fair bit of courage to come on here and I Believe that some of the criticism that have been posted is unfair.

Also please refrain from getting personal..

Mark Cowan is the reason that we have a team and I find it hard to be angry at him considering he is the reason that I fell in love with bball. What he did was amazing and he brought many people into the sport like you angie. However I do agree that from a fans prospective we just want OUR team.. Whether we had to play all of our games at dandy or msac or whether we played at the G.

The fact is that the Dragons were losing money, yet from what i have heard the folding of the Dragons has more to do with Germinder than Cowan and i do know that he tried to get out of the Dragons after the first year, wanting to invest his money in the Carlton Football Club.

The reason many of the Dragons supporters are bitter and angry is that on wednesday, Cowan says that everything is going very well it is fantastic and then on Friday we are pulling out of the league because it is a shambles.. What changed in the two days is the real question???

I'm upset as we don't have a team, but am grateful for being brought into bball and seeing us in a championship. 

So far I have the highest respect for Cowan, yet I believe the real test will be when a community run Initiative is put together and will be wanting to gain the Dragons name, how Cowan and Germinder react.. I hope that they will make it as easy as possible to ensure that the fans and the brand that they put so much time into can flourish again. Ry' maybe you can answer whether you believe they would be Interested in helping or selling the brand or maybe get your dad to speak to me so i can talk to him personally??

Either way I'm so gratefully for the Dragons and especially Cowan. He was a truly a passionate, committed owner who did heaps for the bball in Victoria. Thanks heaps for addressing us RY' you are always welcome.

I don't pretend to know the beaurocracy behind it all.  I don't know truthfully what happened, he says she says, they say.

 I am glad we had the dragons, I am glad we had the hype, thanks for that, I just wish it contintued. 

Part of me understands, but part of me also cannot understand why it couldn't go on as the other teams have.  Even community run and supported clubs are still running, why not the current champions !.

Ultimately  It all boils down to it being a "business", and nobody will put their money into something they do not believe will make money.  So thanks ! for what was, but don't go bleeting dedication, because dedication doesn't exist when it comes down to making money.  Either Its viable or its not and the powers that be have made their choice.  Nothing much we can do about it, no matter how much passion we have.

I am tired... I think for me its time to move on and find a way to enjoy basketball in Victoria.  Whatever comes in the future, for now I am moving back to the league and gleaning what I can from what we have be given for this season.

south01 at 02:30AM on Jul 01, 2009

Having said that,i appreciate everything the Dragons did and loved em all through the 3 seasons.

Mark Cowan is a top bloke and was a great passionate owner,god bless..

Spot on. That's what I'd also like to make clear.

Mark was a great owner, who put a lot of time, money and passion into our club. He led the way in marketing, and gave us a championship after just three years. He was always approachable and willing to talk to supporters.

I do not hate Mark Cowan. I simply hate the decision he made.

He is more than welcome to have a change of heart and bring back the Dragons, whether it be with Ruffy, another owner or even Basketball Victoria.

Surely that would truly be in everyone's interests...including his.

i still dont know why the team wasnt put up for sale before being shut down?

south01 at 02:39AM on Jul 05, 2009

i still dont know why the team wasnt put up for sale before being shut down?

I agree with that, but lets just hope that the dragons in the future can survive in one form or another and that the current ownership group can give ip the name and stuff.

Ryan at 07:44AM on Jun 27, 2009

To all Dragons fans,

I have seen countless articles, emails & fan forums angry at the Dragons,

but if only you could see it from our families perspective. We sincerely miss the dragons, and this was never meant to happen.

We took a move to rescue the sport, and basketball australia was to ignorant to support such a lifeline, that offered free to air coverage, impeccable business profiles to lead the operations, mass marketing and a redefined league that could see the sport shine. 

then BA shut the dragons out... at first this meant we could take a year off with the hope of re-entering, but then BA made a press conference the shunned the dragons of ever being able to enter. Now if you a losing millions a year, with no promise of ever being accepted back in, then what other choice did the organisation have?

I just don't get how people can blame us for trying to grow the sport.

In my opinion it was most definitely a risk worth taking, and it is a shame that we can no longer support the dragons with such passion.

Best wishes, and we thank you for your immense dedication & support.

Ryan

I would just like to extend our thank you to your family foreverything they have done. Your fathers visions were one well beyound what currently is available in Australian basketball.

Although every dragons fan out there including your father would like to see the dragons playing this season but lets not forget that a decission to stand down would not have been an inpulse one. alot of time would have been put into making a correct decission.

To All Dragon Fans

First off I would like to thank everyone for a magical year last year.....this is the first time i have reached out to the fans since my public outburst on SEN and i want everyone to know how i feel on this matter now that i have had time to reflect......

When the decision was made, nobody was more shocked than myself. I had gotten the call from Mark to round up the boys and meet at his office. I knew straight away what the meeting was gonna be about since i experienced the same fate in Sydney just one year before. Mark explained to us the situation and naturally i was pissed as what you guys are now. I truely believe that Mark's and Ruffy's decision was right and there vision is far superior to the standards that are in place. I also commend Larry Senstock for his passion and drive and could of quite easily let this season go, so then nobody would enjoy the season ahead. Where does it leave you know? Obviously bitterly disappointed that another Melbourne team has followed the same path as the one's before.....

My word's will never be able to heal the void that a lot of you are feeling and Ryan you are a good man for sticking up for your father. He is a great man and along with Ruffy the Best owner's a player could ask for. I have no doubt that one day the dragons will be back one day. I hope that they are back sooner rather then later and they can once again climb to the mountain top of the NBL.  

On a side note i realize that my move to the Melbourne Tigers would of hurt a lot of fans. But my partner Andrea that some of you met is only 13 weeks away from the birth of our first child. Her comfort in this was paramount and staying in Melbourne in our house was the best option for her and me.

Once again I'm truely sorry for the demise of the Dragons. You were all great fans and I hope we all meet up again sometime in the future. The team is gone but the dream run in 08/09 will never be taken away from us. 

Wortho

Wortho at 11:41AM on Aug 30, 2009

To All Dragon Fans

First off I would like to thank everyone for a magical year last year.....this is the first time i have reached out to the fans since my public outburst on SEN and i want everyone to know how i feel on this matter now that i have had time to reflect......

When the decision was made, nobody was more shocked than myself. I had gotten the call from Mark to round up the boys and meet at his office. I knew straight away what the meeting was gonna be about since i experienced the same fate in Sydney just one year before. Mark explained to us the situation and naturally i was pissed as what you guys are now. I truely believe that Mark's and Ruffy's decision was right and there vision is far superior to the standards that are in place. I also commend Larry Senstock for his passion and drive and could of quite easily let this season go, so then nobody would enjoy the season ahead. Where does it leave you know? Obviously bitterly disappointed that another Melbourne team has followed the same path as the one's before.....

My word's will never be able to heal the void that a lot of you are feeling and Ryan you are a good man for sticking up for your father. He is a great man and along with Ruffy the Best owner's a player could ask for. I have no doubt that one day the dragons will be back one day. I hope that they are back sooner rather then later and they can once again climb to the mountain top of the NBL.  

On a side note i realize that my move to the Melbourne Tigers would of hurt a lot of fans. But my partner Andrea that some of you met is only 13 weeks away from the birth of our first child. Her comfort in this was paramount and staying in Melbourne in our house was the best option for her and me.

Once again I'm truely sorry for the demise of the Dragons. You were all great fans and I hope we all meet up again sometime in the future. The team is gone but the dream run in 08/09 will never be taken away from us. 

Wortho

Welcome to the site wortho, and I appreciate you reaching out to fans, even though you are now a Tiger :lol:. We hope to hear more for you. 

I do not doubt that the Vision that the Dragons owners have a far superior vision for the league, however it just doesnt seem that the rest of the teams can follow, and maybe it is something that we have to work towards??

Once again thanks so much for taking your time out, and hopefully you could in the future help spread the word, and be laying with us again..

Welcome Mark to our wonderful site,its good to hear what went on and see that you are still passionate as always.

Hopefully one day we will be back.

WOW, thanks heaps for joining the site, and we all appreciate the fact that you are reaching out to fans, when you didnt have to. Thanks for getting onboard as an ambassador for the group.

my pleasure guys.... I loved my time at the dragons and would love to have them back in the comp.... keep up the great work everyone....