One Big Load of HYPErbull?

Rebel League Management Vanishes Overnight

The Rebound Table Tennis War appears to have ended before it really began, with National HyperBall League (NHBL) management disappearing overnight from their Collins St, Melbourne headquarters.

No notice or warning was given to any of the teams who were scheduled to take part in the 2010 NHBL season, which had continued to be officially scheduled to take place "Later this year", however at this stage in the year this was raising some serious doubts as NHBL management continued to apparently stall, and occasionally sent out glib and sometimes confusing press releases.

A brief statement on the NHBL website (hyperball-league.blogspot.com) simply indicates "We regret to inform our fans that the 2010 HyperBall League Championship will not go ahead", and goes on to cite "several irresolvable logistical and hyperlotastical (sic) issues", but does not go into any further detail.

Teams left in the lurch include all ARTTSL Second-Division sides - North NSW (was Tweed Heads), Darwin, Tasmania, Greater Blacktown, North Queensland, North Melbourne, Ipswich, Adelaide, Geelong. These teams defected to NHBL in July on the promise of inclusion in a First-Division competition and a better share of takings. These promises now appear to have proven to be unsustainable. Their negotiations have failed.

Meanwhile it seems almost certain that the Goulburn club established by NHBL will fold, having never played a ball in any Rebound Table Tennis competition. The local Council have indicated they may consider suing NHBL management for costs they've put into the fledgeling team, which had been struggling due to no funding support from NHBL and had even been practicing with "rolled up pieces of tin foil" for balls. However so little is known of NHBL management it may be difficult even to track them down.

Fans of several defecting clubs are said to be keeping vigil outside the deserted NHBL office, with placards saying things like "WHAT A LOAD OF HYPErbull" and "GIVE ME MY TEAM BACK YOU BASTARDS!"

ARTTSL President Wilkington Tuffy, who has been apparently leaning towards a compromise, was uncharacteristically stony-faced when met by a media throng this morning outside his Gold Coast holiday home. He simply gave the traditional "V for Victory" sign, in an apparent reference to having won the Rebound Table Tennis War, which could presumably now go down in history as a "War of Nerves".

NHBL clubs now face an apparent certainty of not playing any competition in 2010, and uncertainty as to their futures in 2011. With the NHBL challenge off the table, Tuffy is nolonger in a position to need to negotiate. Any deal could presumably now only be based on goodwill, or the good of the game. However there are also questions of the sustainability of allowing clubs to return, which would lead to an ARTTSL roster of up to 20 teams. A recent independent study commissioned by ARTTSL indicated that 12 to 16 teams was the most economically viable target range for professional Rebound Table Tennis in the Australasian region.

The situation is particularly nasty for the new North NSW club, the renamed Tweed Heads portion of the former Gold Coast-Tweed franchise, which split in July to join HyperBall. Gold Coast franchise management have not returned our calls or emails regarding whether they would consider a re-merger with the rebel Tweed Headians.

More as it comes to hand on this breaking story.