Latest news with #ParveenBatish
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Why the Indian Panthers' debut season ended in failure
Indian Panthers CEO Parveen Batish Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom Indian Panthers CEO Parveen Batish has blamed the franchise's inability to bring less than half of its Indian-based players to New Zealand as the main reason for withdrawing his team from the National Basketball League. Just three of the 10 Indian players initially named in the squad travelled to New Zealand, an outcome Batish blamed for the franchise's disastrous debut season. Batish withdrew the franchise from the tournament on Monday, acknowledging it was unable to meet the conditions laid down by the league to complete the season. The league accepted the Panthers' withdrawal from the competition subject to the finalisation of an agreement that ensured the franchise paid compensation for pulling the plug. The league also wanted the franchise to honour all outstanding payments to creditors, including players and staff. Batish vowed to compensate the league and pay all creditors, including players and staff, "in a short period of time". "[Even after what has happened] everyone involved understands the vision and the opportunity was great," Batish said. "Everyone has left on good terms." The Panthers' chief acknowledged that mistakes were made early in the launch. "We underestimated how difficult it would be to bring a team from a different country for five months to play here in New Zealand. Unfortunately, we ran into all sort of problems, including visa issues for Indian players," Batish said. "So, we decided the best thing would be to withdraw from the league so that the season can continue as in the past." Batish said the franchise's inability to bring over a full complement of players from India was primarily to blame for the debacle. "Our vision was to provide Indian basketball players an opportunity to play in a well-established league," he said. "[So] the first part, which we weren't able to fulfil, was to bring the right number of Indian players over to play in the league." The non-availability of Indian players due to their commitments with the Indian national basketball team also contributed to its woes, Batish said. "Because of this, we were over-reliant on New Zealand players, which was not something we wanted," he said. The team's debut season was fraught with challenges from the start. The team took the court without any of the Indian players initially named in the squad in its season opener against the Hawke's Bay Hawks, citing international commitments . Further disruption followed when head coach Miles Pearce resigned just two days before the Panthers' first home fixture. Tensions reached a boiling point at the end of April, when players refused to play against the Canterbury Rams in protest over delayed payments, prompting the match to be postponed . The franchise then shifted its base from Takanini to Pukekohe to save costs. The Panthers didn't win any of the nine league games they played, raising serious questions about performance. The National Basketball League suspended the Panthers on 1 May over allegations of non-payments. On 9 May, the league issued an ultimatum to the Panthers to satisfy a series of requirements within 10 days , with financial viability a key area of concern. That deadline expired on Monday, which was when the Panthers voluntarily withdrew from the competition. Batish, who spoke passionately about the Indian connection of the team at the season launch in March , apologised to the community for failing to see the season out. "Firstly, to the Indian community, thank you for your support. [In the short period] we have been here we have seen opportunities in basketball here. I encourage young players from the community to keep seeking those opportunities," Batish said. "Secondly, I am sorry [for what has happened] and that we couldn't compete for the whole season."
NZ Herald
30-04-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Indian Panthers: NBL team's CEO responds to concerns about pay delays
Indian Panthers CEO Parveen Batish admits players were being short-changed, but said the matter had been resolved ahead of the Rams contest. 'There's some truth in that, I won't deny that – but that's been rectified,' he told Newstalk ZB. 'I had a discussion with three or four of the players, told them what was going to happen. 'Were they OK with what I was planning to do and would they be playing? The answer was yes. And then I heard nothing from them all day.' Batish said cashflow issues led to payments – which he says amounted to $3,200 – being delayed. 'For a new company, sometimes it's just cashflow. We've come off the back of our largest league in India and so sometimes, that just happens. 'But it wasn't that we didn't communicate what was happening, because we did. Discover more 'We're not the first company to be in cashflow issues.' However, a source within the Panthers organisation spoken to by ZB claims that players, coaches and operational staff had yet to be fully paid. The living conditions were particularly difficult for the team's four overseas players who made the trip to New Zealand, with the source saying the imports were leaning on food banks after being given a credit card that had insufficient funds. 'Everyone is frustrated, everyone is tired and the sad thing is this is the product,' the source told Newstalk ZB. The source also claimed the team had been without their interim coach Goodman, CEO Batish and their general manager for a fortnight, with the trio based in Melbourne. 'We haven't had practice, there's no training facility and there's no schedule.' There were also frustrations over the delayed arrival of the team's Indian players. 'Every week we'd ask when the rest of the guys were coming from India and there was no definitive answer.' The source believes the difficulties faced by Indian players already with the Panthers in New Zealand were putting off their compatriots in India. Batish acknowledged the issues the new franchise has faced, admitting the team had fallen short of expectations. 'We haven't delivered the product that we promised, so having three Indian players when we should've had eight to 10, that's our fault. So, our overreliance on local players, which has led to this, shouldn't have happened in the first place.' In a statement, the NBL said they had known about the delayed payments since last Friday and were considering their options regarding the Panthers' future. Advertise with NZME. But the Panthers source claims officials from the NBL and Basketball New Zealand had known about the delayed payments for three weeks. That in turn, led to the planned televised protest against the Rams in an effort to be heard, before the game was canned at the eleventh hour. It's understood the team's mid-season shift from Takanini to Pukekohe for their home games, was due to the club being unable to afford the operational costs at Pulman Arena. The source was adamant that there was no future in sight for the Indian Panthers, and that if the franchise continued, the concerns around player payments would heighten. All 12 clubs – including the Panthers – met league officials, with Batish staking his claim for his franchise to remain. 'I presented to the other clubs and it was a discussion; it was an opportunity for them to ask questions of us and ask questions of the league. 'But there was certainly no consensus out of that meeting to say that our license should be removed. If there was, then there would've been a second meeting that I don't know anything about.' A source within the NBL confirmed there was only one meeting between the clubs, and that no vote took place. That same source expected the league to announce the removal of the Indian Panthers license.
