Push continues to Save The Jets despite early funds
The clock is ticking, but already there is plenty of support behind the second “Save The Jets” campaigning as many months.
The deadline has been set for November 30th in order to secure the future of the Cheshire franchise for the remainder of the season, and £50,000 is needed.
Four principal sponsors are being sought after, and many other partners and backers throughout the area.
Andrew Donaldson and Terry Hearfield, of BiG Storage and Aspect Construction respectively, are the main players so far. Each businessman has pledged £7,500 each towards the kitty.
The founding father of the Jets, Mike Burton, and team manager Andy Green are also working hard behind the scenes to help put things in place.
The BBL have agreed that if the total is raised, the Jets can continue as a Community Interest Company, and is hoped that from this point onwards, that any future team is owned and ran by the community in a similar fashion to that of Chester FC, who, in the past two years, have achieved back-to-back promotions since being reformed. They currently are fighting it out for top spot in the Blue Square North, one league below where the former team, Chester City, ended their history.
Haydn Cook, who still owns the naming and logo rights of “Cheshire Jets”, has also stated in an exclusive from the Chester Chronicle, that he would consider licensing out the name to any team willing to participate in the BBL.
However, he also remains confident in building from the bottom and using the name in that way.
He highlighted the difficulties involved, and also made clear that any profit to be made from basketball must be quickly disregarded.
Speaking to the Chester newspaper, he said: “I came into the club having been told a number of things about the financial figures and they proved not to be true. I found it was not possible to bring in enough income to make ends meet and I would be happy to impart the lessons I have learned to anyone considering investing in basketball.
“It is a shame that I came in to try and do a good job and now I feel I am not even welcome at home games.
“I am now working on the possibility of setting up an amateur Division Four team and reducing all the costs down to their base. If we can make that work perhaps, when the economy recovers, we could consider a BBL team in the future.
“I believe having a professional team in Cheshire is good for the area but I do not see how the numbers add up.
