Sky's Justin Nelson (left) and InBL Pro chief executive Parveen Batish unveil the Indian Panthers' logo. Photo: Supplied
The Indian Panthers are seeking to unite the Indian community through sport as they prepare for their debut in the National Basketball League next year.
The franchise will field a men's NBL team and a women's Tauihi team, featuring top national team players from India alongside internationals from New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
Based in South Auckland, the team will call Takanini's Pulman Arena home.
"We're basing ourselves in the biggest Indian population in New Zealand, and that's not by accident," says Parveen Batish, CEO of the Indian Panthers.
According to the 2023 Census, Auckland is home to more than 60 percent of New Zealand's Indian population, with a third of the community residing in South Auckland.
Batish envisions the Panthers as a celebration of Indian culture, aiming to make the team feel like a community asset.
"We'll hopefully be playing our games at Pulman Arena and will encourage people to come and watch," he says. "Everything we do will enhance Indian culture in New Zealand."
He sees the NBL as a significant platform for young Indian players, describing it as an "awesome opportunity" to showcase Indian talent.
Parveen Batish is CEO of the Indian Panthers and INBL Pro. Photo: Supplied
Basketball is one of India's fastest-growing sports, and Batish hopes the Panthers will inspire young Indian players to dream big.
"The vision is for the Panthers to be one of the key teams [that] young Indian players aspire to play for," he says.
The Panthers are owned by INBL Pro, which operates India's national basketball league, where Batish also serves as CEO.
"We want to showcase the sport to a wider audience and make basketball matter more," he says.
"This opportunity will give Indian players a chance to experience playing in a foreign league and understand what it means to compete abroad."
The Panthers kick off their league campaign with an away match in Napier against the Hawke's Bay Hawks on 12 March.
Their first home game at Pulman Arena is scheduled against the Franklin Bulls for 21 March.
"We want it to be entertaining because, at the end of the day, if we're not entertaining, it's just another basketball game," Batish says.
"We want to give it that Indian flavour, so we'll work with the production team to incorporate that Indian flavour, whether it is the music, DJs or local dance groups," he says. "We're open to it all."
Although Batish is tight-lipped about player signings, the Panthers CEO promises a few surprises.
"Everyone is keen to ensure we're competitive," he says. "We want to bring the best Indian talent to help them grow, which is our primary goal."
He also mentions plans to include international players from leagues in the US and Europe, as well as Kiwi internationals.
Batish hopes the Indian Panthers will become a regular fixture in New Zealand basketball and a cornerstone of the local community.
Justin Nelson, Sky's head of commercialisation and fandom, is a key figure behind the project.
"Expansion is always exciting but, in this case, it's doubly exciting because it reaches beyond the boundaries of the game itself," Nelson says.
Ethan Jon Wood is a basketball fan and member of Auckland Tuatara's management team. Photo: Supplied
He says the partnership creates opportunities not only for basketball but also for business, fandom and viewership.
Nelson explains that discussions with Batish about Sky Broadband Rapid League in New Zealand led to the idea of Indian teams joining local competitions.
"The Indian Panthers playing in New Zealand is a big opportunity for the game," he says.
"We needed to build a bigger and better professional league here, where basketball is experiencing unprecedented growth," Nelson says.
Basketball is the second-most popular sport among New Zealand secondary school students behind netball, but it's projected to take top spot by 2026.
In 2023, School Sports New Zealand census data revealed a 61 percent rise in secondary school basketball participation since 2000.
The sport's rapid growth has presented significant challenges for Basketball New Zealand, which is struggling to meet the soaring demand.
To support basketball, Sport New Zealand plans to invest $2.9 million in the sport over the next four years.
Comparatively, $3 million has been allocated for rugby, $3.6 million for football and $3.7 million for netball over the same period.
While Nelson does not expect more Indian teams to join immediately, he notes strong interest from other Asian countries.
"Since the news broke about the Indian Panthers, I've been contacted by people from Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, China and South Korea," he says. "It shows the power of thinking differently and embracing change."
Ethan Jon Wood, a basketball fan and a member of the Auckland Tuatara basketball team management, is enthusiastic about the Panthers' launch.
"Basketball is a very diverse sport, and seeing Indian players in our league is something you don't see in Super Rugby or other sports," Wood says.
"From what I'm hearing, the Indian Panthers are going to be a really competitive team."
The 2025 Sal's National Basketball League season will commence on 12 March and conclude on 20 July.