NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - The Adelaide Lightning are something of an iconic women's basketball club in Australia and potential failure to navigate the current storm clouds would be a hammer blow for the WNBL.

Mired in financial difficulties, the caps, buckets and any other method of gathering emergency funding to effectively keep the club afloat have all been pushed out in earnest during recent days.

It's a scene that has been witnessed around the globe so many times - sports clubs being bailed out in times of extreme difficulty as everyone rallies around in a bid to try and save the day.

Naturally the biggest issue is whether such actions (whilst admirable) are like sticking a plaster over a gaping wound and in reality, whether more far reaching surgery is required.

For most clubs to get into this kind of desperate situation and to be threatened with folding, something is normally fundamentally wrong.

I guess I am pointing out the obvious with that statement.

But seriously, if the Lightning are to make use of the extended stay of execution handed to them by the WNBL which runs into this week as they try to make up a shortfall of AUS $150,000, it needs to be recognised that it is simply buying further time and little else.

The spiral of financial difficulties experienced by others in the past serve as evidence that it is a slippery slope which Lightning find themselves on.

Well intentioned collections by the community are not exactly a one-off event, but they have a shrinking quality to them. Those who give generously this time, are less likely to do so again if the club needs another bail out.

In these kind of situations, I find it something of a frustrating 'Catch 22' scenario.

Businesses, individuals, fans and others would give more if they had the confidence it would provide a springboard to greater things, but nobody can give such assurances – because that is the nature of the best as a women’s team in a highly competitive sporting marketplace.

It's a tough gig.

Still, if Lightning do hopefully pull through, I expect they will initiate a transformation of the way they are structured.

A more fluid mix of funding streams from a variety of sources and stronger links with institutions such as the University have been touted and that looks very sensible indeed.

Ultimately though, even if the club survives the storm, they will have to accept that those clucking around to help right now may feel they have discharged their responsibilities (and in some place guilt of not supporting earlier).

Wholesome and longer-term support is required from the media, from businesses, from fans and everyone in Adelaide and the surrounding area.

Throwing dollars into a collection bucket is fantastic. But that is stage one - it isn't a green light to then look the other way and feel good that you have somehow done the right thing and nothing else is required.

Pushing the media for more coverage of women's basketball and of the team, then actually getting to the venue with a ticket in the hand alongside family members and friends on a regular basis is the second vital part.

Without the second, the first is a waste of time - as harsh as that sounds.

Having seen the response of those in Adelaide such as the 36ers who have donated 10 percent of their membership sales this week to help the cause, there seems to be an appetite to keep Lightning in existence.

But nobody wants to merely exist and certainly not a club like the Lightning.

They want to thrive.

I am sure there will also be work to be done for Basketball Australia too - in terms of lessons learned and horizon scanning after this saga closes.

A look both ways on the kerbside is required by the organisation and that will be accentuated immeasurably if Adelaide don't make it.

I am crossing my fingers and watching intently to see how this one pans out in coming days.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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