Basketball Superliga

Burgenland clubs have no worries about license

The derby is back on Saturday - both Eisenstadt and Oberwart are expecting the license.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

While the Vienna Timberwolves are threatened with economic relegation from the Basketball Superliga to the 2nd division, Oberwarts Gunners and Eisenstädter Nord Dragonz are in a much better position in this respect.

At least two clubs seem to be "wobbling"
 Red alert in domestic basketball! Although the Timberwolves from Vienna, like all other clubs in the Superliga, submitted their documents for licensing on time by the deadline of 31 March, without a financial injection from the city (which is currently not in the cards), it will hardly be enough for another season in the top division, with relegation to the 2nd division looming. Similar rumors are also being heard from Fürstenfeld...

Gunners managing director Thomas Linzer (left) with president Wolfgang Steflitsch.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Linzer is relaxed about the decision
And what about the Burgenland clubs? "I'm assuming that we'll get the license without any conditions," says Gunners managing director Thomas Linzer, calmly awaiting the league's decision. Even if it is naturally becoming increasingly difficult to finance ongoing match operations in times of general inflation. "I'm not thinking of player salaries, but simply of all the costs we incur, which are also increasing - you can't transfer them one-to-one to the revenue side. A supermarket simply sells milk at a higher price, but in Oberwart you can't keep increasing ticket prices, which had to be raised anyway after corona. We are very well positioned with our two main sponsors and many loyal smaller sponsors."

Well positioned: Knor (2nd from left) with Mayor Steiner, Coach Jambor and Provincial Councillor Dorner.(Bild: Nord Dragonz)

Conditions are not too strict
The license is not a problem in Eisenstadt either. "In contrast to the sporting misery, we are doing very well economically and have kept to the budget very well with our cooperation partners," says club boss Roland Knor. Who, like Linzer, does not believe that the license requirements are too strict: "You need the required minimum budget of EUR 400,000 anyway if you set up youth teams from U12 to U19 and take into account hall, coaching and travel costs."

Even in our first Superliga year, when we only had to raise 250,000 euros, we still needed more than 400,000 euros - you simply need that as a club with all the youth teams.

Nord-Dragonz-Obmann Roland KNOR

The derby against the Gunners will take place again next Saturday in Eisenstadt - at least for both without any financial worries.