Defused license

The Bundesliga’s wish: Pirates should be promoted

Shawn Ray (right) and Co. can dream of the Bundesliga.(Bild: Josef Kuess)

The Bundesliga would like to see the Wörthersee Pirates at the top again - and is even offering the club a toned-down license. The sports boss of the Klagenfurt basketball team is not averse. . .

The glory days were a long time ago. Between 1981 and 2011, the Klagenfurt Wörthersee Pirates caused a sensation in the national basketball league. In 2001, captain Joe Buggelsheim & Co. even managed to claim the runner-up title, and the hall in St. Peter was always overflowing. . .

Glorious times. The current second-division club wants to bring them back - even the Bundesliga itself wants that! "Yes, that's true. Carinthia is missing from the map. Klagenfurt has a great basketball tradition, the Pirates were once a crowd puller. We approached them and expressed our wish to see them at the top again," explains Arnold Tuider, Chairman of the League Licensing Committee.

How is that supposed to work? With just relaxed license conditions. "In the first year after promotion, no GmbH has to be founded. The budget should be 400,000 euros, it's not feasible for less than 300,000 euros. And in sporting terms, it would be possible thanks to a wild card - you don't necessarily have to become champions," explains Tuider.

"More than just a thought"
It goes without saying that the highly committed Pirates manager Andi Kuttnig's eyes light up - after all, he experienced the great moments as a player on the pitch back then. "The slightly lower requirements make it an idea for us, it's more than just a thought. The fact that you only need four contracted players would also make it easier," explains the coach and sporting director in personal union.

A lot depends not only on financing, but also on one person: Star Rasid Mahalbasic. The 99-time international has a great basketball CV with 16 international appearances, is without a club and keeps himself fit at his youth club. "If I play anywhere in Austria, it's only with the Pirates. Preferably in the 1st division, of course," the 34-year-old center makes clear.

Mexico offer for Mahalbasic
It remains to be seen whether the Klagenfurt native will make the leap abroad again - but Mexico has already come knocking again. "The Bundesliga wants Rasid and we don't want and couldn't do without him!" emphasizes Kuttnig. The 2nd division starts on September 28, and the license application must be submitted in January. To revive the glory days. . .