The Indian Panthers have been suspended from the NBL effective immediately - after allegations players weren't paid and were left to ask for food from a foodbank.
The Panthers – owned by India’s INBL Pro league and CEO Parveen Batish – have had a turbulent tenure off the court since announcing they would join the New Zealand competition late last year, which in turn has led to a winless start to the season from nine games.
How does this happen - and did the NBL do their due diligence?
Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper joined Nick Mills for the Friday Sport Kickoff.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said, B getting you said for your
sporting weekend, It's the Wellington Mornings Friday Sport kickoff on
news Talks. Ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Joining us for Friday Sports as they always do is
Jason Pine the host of the Weekend Sports program, award
winning Sports program and All Sports Breakfast host Adam Cooper,
the award winning All Sports Breakfast Show. Good morning to
you both, Good morning, Good morning Indian Panthers. Piney, Piney,
(00:54):
Piety Piney As mister sport, what have you made of
the story.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Hugely disappointing from the player's point of view. I think
the way that the players have been treated in particular
is hugely disappointing, in fact unacceptable. Anybody who signs up
to play for a professional sporting franchise signs a contract
which says, in exchange for playing for this team, I
receive money, and they clearly haven't. It just seems as
(01:23):
though any due diligence that was done on the Indian
Panthers organization by those here in New Zealand was not
deep enough, was not extensive enough. And while they've said,
look we did do the due diligence on it. We
checked it out. Clearly, not enough was done. They won't
be back this season. I can't see how they can
be suspended for the rest of the season or just
(01:43):
suspended it a moment.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Suspended at the moment. But I'm seeing a pr exercise
like never before. I mean, the Panthers CEO. The Panthers
CEO is coming out and us on Hosking this morning.
He was on Darcy Heather yesterday afternoon. I think he's
just been on this whole route fairest wheel, trying to
get the publicity behind him to actually keep it going.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, pay them, pay them, I mean, be responsible owner
of this team and pay your players. Yes, simple as that.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
I agree, And there's every indication that that hasn't been
done yet despite this sort of charm offensive he's been doing,
I think in the last twenty four hours. Clearly, it
just seems to me having talked to a lot of
people that haven't wanted to be quoted in this story
but have sort of said a lot that you know,
it's pretty grim, like you've got these a few Indian
players that have come down to play for them, who
(02:32):
are having to go to food banks just to you know, live,
you know, imagine that after their time is done here
and they go back and they talk with then his
ill an experience like that, it's been pretty bad. But yeah,
the Panthers CEO clearly has been advised to get in
front of people and try and convince them and win
them over, because he's certainly in the limelight a lot
(02:55):
more than someone under fire should be.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I feel well, and he has, up to this hasn't
said a word when everyone was asking for money. He's
been running for cover. So then suddenly, you know he's
given them a little bit of money. I think, Well,
I don't. I don't actually know what the story is,
whether they've got paid or not. But I do know
for a fact that they've been going to food banks,
and I do know for a fact that their accommodation
has been substandard. I do know for a fact when
they came to Palmerston they had to get kids in
(03:18):
the in the bleachers, in the stands to play for
them from Palmerston. You know, I mean, it's just it's
just unprofessional.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
You're right, all of at its very base level, it's unprofessional,
you're right, and it's you know, and it's if you
take it out, it's exploitation of these of these players. Yes,
everybody wants to play, you know, professional sport, and these
Indian players and some of the others who were pulled
into the team probably thought, hey, here's our chance to
play professional basketball. That's all very well, but you you
(03:46):
can't be in a position where you play a game
on the Sunday and then go to the food bank
on Monday in order to eat. It's just even saying
these words, it's utterly ludicrous.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
And the story I heard from Palmerston, the Indian CEO
was turning around and saying, what we're doing all this
wonderful cultural thing, Like we went out for a meal
with the Palmerston guys afterwards at a you know, at
an ethnic cultural dinner. Well apparently they had no food
and had nothing to eat, and the Palmerston team had
to actually take them out for dinner. So he's trying
to sell that and doing the right thing.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
What I will say is, I've said this often on
my shows over the weekend, is that at the moment,
nothing should be off the table when it comes to innovation,
when it comes to looking for new ways to innovate,
to get eyeballs on your sport, because, as we all know,
it's a tough sporting market when you're looking for sponsors,
for viewers, for TV numbers, all of that stuff. There's
(04:41):
nothing wrong with innovation, but you're not always going to
get it right. They haven't got this one right because
they haven't done enough due diligence on it. They need
to suspend them for the rest of the season, draw
a line under them, say we tried this, it didn't work. Look,
it doesn't mean we can't innovate again in the future,
but this says, Look, Nick, this will go down in
(05:02):
history as a very very unsatisfactory, unhappy chapter in New Zealand. B.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Apparently there'd been no game called off in the NBL
since the seventies. You'd probably know more than that, more
about any of us than that neck. But that's pretty damning,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
It is pretty damning. And the thing is that they
can't just suspend it. They're going to chuck it out
and clean it, get it clean and start again. I mean,
you know you just can't carry it on.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
No, I just I just think you say, Okay, everybody
who is still scheduled to play the Panthers, gets two
points or.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Take the whole the whole season, the game.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Just basically say okay, because they haven't beaten anybody, have
they everybody's beaten them.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
So who's actually going to play for them? Who's actually
going to answer a phone call from this guy or
the Panthers and suit up for them or sign a
contract with them. No one, There's absolutely no one that
will do that.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Okay, let's talk. Let's move on. Let's talk about the
Hurricanes game against the Chiefs, because I think the Hurricanes
are going to beat the Chiefs, I really do. I
think the Hurricanes are playing football, amazing football. LA's two games.
I mean they only drew. They drew or lose, and
they drew, and then last week they won. I mean,
you know they looking they're looking really good.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Coops. What are you think?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yeah, absolutely totally agree, looking fantastic. The injection of Billy Proctor,
in particular, I think, really changed how they played and
you know, won a game that in other circumstances without
him earlier in the year they might have been with
a chance but not being able to pull off a
very impressive win like that. The two you know, great
tries that sort of secured the game from out wide, beautiful,
beautifully constructed backline play. So it shows the Hurricanes, you know,
(06:29):
we've talked about it a lot. There's been glimpses of
some brilliants this season, but they show that brilliance can
lead to results.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
And they didn't lose over in Australia, you know, like
most all other New Zealand teams have so far this yere.
So yeah, brilliant performance and Chiefs are under strength. Damien
McKenzie not there, Antonina Brown not there. A huge chance
at home for the Canes tomorrow night.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Massive. I think season defining game tomorrow night, and I
think the return of it. It's hard to say that
one guy makes some you know, you know, a significant
difference to a team. But Billy Proctor's return into the
Hurricane side has been significant and criminally underused in the
All Blacks last year. Has to be putting massive pressure
on Rico Yoani for that thirteen jersey this year. But
(07:11):
has a chance tomorrow night, you know, with Riley Higgins alongside,
he's another very good player. You know, they're back together.
I feel like the Hurricanes have just got enough time.
You know, they're in the top six. Now enough time
this season to go on a bit of a run.
And who knows. I mean, last time the chief came
to Wellingford was the semi final last year, very disappointing night.
Wallace a Titi had the game of his life and
(07:33):
the Chiefs beat the Hurricanes in the semi last year.
That'll be sitting in the back of their minds without
a shadow of a.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Doubt, one hundred percent. Go the Hurricanes and get a
big crowd to go. Now we're running out of time,
earning it a minute to go. But the Phoenix final
game has been postponed. Now I can't remember a game
being postponed? Can you binding? You to have a better
memory than me on this? But it doesn't really matter.
It doesn't matter. The game is still going ahead this weekend.
And I hate to say it, I don't want to
get a kick under the table from you, but who
really cares?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
No, No, you're right though, you're right though. It's the
sooner this Phoenix season finishes the better and it's been
pushed out a couple of days. Look, I mean, I
just hope they finished with a bit of a flourish.
I don't have high hopes that they will because last
week they had nothing on the line and they were
pretty bad against Brisbane. So look, I just hope we
get a few people along there on Sunday draw line
(08:19):
under the season, say goodbye to a couple of long
serving players and look forward to next season.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Yeah, that's all we can do for farewell, a few
good servants of the game for the club and look
ahead to next season.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Really, can I just quickly tell you that I heard
from someone reliable sources that the players' heads are on
the floor at halftime at the moment. Now, any of
us that know about sport know when the players heads
on the floor at halftime when the coach is talking
is a problem.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I think they need to refresh. I was just going
to ask, though, was the reason the game the National
Basketball League game was postponed back in the seventies because
they didn't have enough hair gel for you.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Seventies was before my time, guys. I started eighty one
the league, and the league only started at eighty one,
so it was before the even started. Jason Pine, Adam Cooper,
thank you very much for this morning. Have great shows
over the weekend. Adam obviously hosts the morning show Tomorrow,
All Sports, Breakfast and Pioneers on nationwide Weekend Sports starting
(09:17):
at twelve o'clock on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said, B getting you said for your
sporting weekend, It's the Wellington Mornings Friday Sport kickoff on
news Talks. Ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Joining us for Friday Sports as they always do is
Jason Pine the host of the Weekend Sports program, award
winning Sports program and All Sports Breakfast host Adam Cooper,
the award winning All Sports Breakfast Show. Good morning to
you both, Good morning, Good morning Indian Panthers. Piney, Piney,
(00:54):
Piety Piney As mister sport, what have you made of
the story.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Hugely disappointing from the player's point of view. I think
the way that the players have been treated in particular
is hugely disappointing, in fact unacceptable. Anybody who signs up
to play for a professional sporting franchise signs a contract
which says, in exchange for playing for this team, I
receive money, and they clearly haven't. It just seems as
(01:23):
though any due diligence that was done on the Indian
Panthers organization by those here in New Zealand was not
deep enough, was not extensive enough. And while they've said,
look we did do the due diligence on it. We
checked it out. Clearly, not enough was done. They won't
be back this season. I can't see how they can
be suspended for the rest of the season or just
(01:43):
suspended it a moment.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Suspended at the moment. But I'm seeing a pr exercise
like never before. I mean, the Panthers CEO. The Panthers
CEO is coming out and us on Hosking this morning.
He was on Darcy Heather yesterday afternoon. I think he's
just been on this whole route fairest wheel, trying to
get the publicity behind him to actually keep it going.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, pay them, pay them, I mean, be responsible owner
of this team and pay your players. Yes, simple as that.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
I agree, And there's every indication that that hasn't been
done yet despite this sort of charm offensive he's been doing,
I think in the last twenty four hours. Clearly, it
just seems to me having talked to a lot of
people that haven't wanted to be quoted in this story
but have sort of said a lot that you know,
it's pretty grim, like you've got these a few Indian
players that have come down to play for them, who
(02:32):
are having to go to food banks just to you know, live,
you know, imagine that after their time is done here
and they go back and they talk with then his
ill an experience like that, it's been pretty bad. But yeah,
the Panthers CEO clearly has been advised to get in
front of people and try and convince them and win
them over, because he's certainly in the limelight a lot
(02:55):
more than someone under fire should be.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I feel well, and he has, up to this hasn't
said a word when everyone was asking for money. He's
been running for cover. So then suddenly, you know he's
given them a little bit of money. I think, Well,
I don't. I don't actually know what the story is,
whether they've got paid or not. But I do know
for a fact that they've been going to food banks,
and I do know for a fact that their accommodation
has been substandard. I do know for a fact when
they came to Palmerston they had to get kids in
(03:18):
the in the bleachers, in the stands to play for
them from Palmerston. You know, I mean, it's just it's
just unprofessional.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
You're right, all of at its very base level, it's unprofessional,
you're right, and it's you know, and it's if you
take it out, it's exploitation of these of these players. Yes,
everybody wants to play, you know, professional sport, and these
Indian players and some of the others who were pulled
into the team probably thought, hey, here's our chance to
play professional basketball. That's all very well, but you you
(03:46):
can't be in a position where you play a game
on the Sunday and then go to the food bank
on Monday in order to eat. It's just even saying
these words, it's utterly ludicrous.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
And the story I heard from Palmerston, the Indian CEO
was turning around and saying, what we're doing all this
wonderful cultural thing, Like we went out for a meal
with the Palmerston guys afterwards at a you know, at
an ethnic cultural dinner. Well apparently they had no food
and had nothing to eat, and the Palmerston team had
to actually take them out for dinner. So he's trying
to sell that and doing the right thing.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
What I will say is, I've said this often on
my shows over the weekend, is that at the moment,
nothing should be off the table when it comes to innovation,
when it comes to looking for new ways to innovate,
to get eyeballs on your sport, because, as we all know,
it's a tough sporting market when you're looking for sponsors,
for viewers, for TV numbers, all of that stuff. There's
(04:41):
nothing wrong with innovation, but you're not always going to
get it right. They haven't got this one right because
they haven't done enough due diligence on it. They need
to suspend them for the rest of the season, draw
a line under them, say we tried this, it didn't work. Look,
it doesn't mean we can't innovate again in the future,
but this says, Look, Nick, this will go down in
(05:02):
history as a very very unsatisfactory, unhappy chapter in New Zealand. B.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Apparently there'd been no game called off in the NBL
since the seventies. You'd probably know more than that, more
about any of us than that neck. But that's pretty damning,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
It is pretty damning. And the thing is that they
can't just suspend it. They're going to chuck it out
and clean it, get it clean and start again. I mean,
you know you just can't carry it on.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
No, I just I just think you say, Okay, everybody
who is still scheduled to play the Panthers, gets two
points or.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Take the whole the whole season, the game.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Just basically say okay, because they haven't beaten anybody, have
they everybody's beaten them.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
So who's actually going to play for them? Who's actually
going to answer a phone call from this guy or
the Panthers and suit up for them or sign a
contract with them. No one, There's absolutely no one that
will do that.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Okay, let's talk. Let's move on. Let's talk about the
Hurricanes game against the Chiefs, because I think the Hurricanes
are going to beat the Chiefs, I really do. I
think the Hurricanes are playing football, amazing football. LA's two games.
I mean they only drew. They drew or lose, and
they drew, and then last week they won. I mean,
you know they looking they're looking really good.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Coops. What are you think?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yeah, absolutely totally agree, looking fantastic. The injection of Billy Proctor,
in particular, I think, really changed how they played and
you know, won a game that in other circumstances without
him earlier in the year they might have been with
a chance but not being able to pull off a
very impressive win like that. The two you know, great
tries that sort of secured the game from out wide, beautiful,
beautifully constructed backline play. So it shows the Hurricanes, you know,
(06:29):
we've talked about it a lot. There's been glimpses of
some brilliants this season, but they show that brilliance can
lead to results.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
And they didn't lose over in Australia, you know, like
most all other New Zealand teams have so far this yere.
So yeah, brilliant performance and Chiefs are under strength. Damien
McKenzie not there, Antonina Brown not there. A huge chance
at home for the Canes tomorrow night.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Massive. I think season defining game tomorrow night, and I
think the return of it. It's hard to say that
one guy makes some you know, you know, a significant
difference to a team. But Billy Proctor's return into the
Hurricane side has been significant and criminally underused in the
All Blacks last year. Has to be putting massive pressure
on Rico Yoani for that thirteen jersey this year. But
(07:11):
has a chance tomorrow night, you know, with Riley Higgins alongside,
he's another very good player. You know, they're back together.
I feel like the Hurricanes have just got enough time.
You know, they're in the top six. Now enough time
this season to go on a bit of a run.
And who knows. I mean, last time the chief came
to Wellingford was the semi final last year, very disappointing night.
Wallace a Titi had the game of his life and
(07:33):
the Chiefs beat the Hurricanes in the semi last year.
That'll be sitting in the back of their minds without
a shadow of a.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Doubt, one hundred percent. Go the Hurricanes and get a
big crowd to go. Now we're running out of time,
earning it a minute to go. But the Phoenix final
game has been postponed. Now I can't remember a game
being postponed? Can you binding? You to have a better
memory than me on this? But it doesn't really matter.
It doesn't matter. The game is still going ahead this weekend.
And I hate to say it, I don't want to
get a kick under the table from you, but who
really cares?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
No, No, you're right though, you're right though. It's the
sooner this Phoenix season finishes the better and it's been
pushed out a couple of days. Look, I mean, I
just hope they finished with a bit of a flourish.
I don't have high hopes that they will because last
week they had nothing on the line and they were
pretty bad against Brisbane. So look, I just hope we
get a few people along there on Sunday draw line
(08:19):
under the season, say goodbye to a couple of long
serving players and look forward to next season.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Yeah, that's all we can do for farewell, a few
good servants of the game for the club and look
ahead to next season.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Really, can I just quickly tell you that I heard
from someone reliable sources that the players' heads are on
the floor at halftime at the moment. Now, any of
us that know about sport know when the players heads
on the floor at halftime when the coach is talking
is a problem.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I think they need to refresh. I was just going
to ask, though, was the reason the game the National
Basketball League game was postponed back in the seventies because
they didn't have enough hair gel for you.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Seventies was before my time, guys. I started eighty one
the league, and the league only started at eighty one,
so it was before the even started. Jason Pine, Adam Cooper,
thank you very much for this morning. Have great shows
over the weekend. Adam obviously hosts the morning show Tomorrow,
All Sports, Breakfast and Pioneers on nationwide Weekend Sports starting
(09:17):
at twelve o'clock on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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