The Dunedin club basketball calendar could receive two notable additions this year.
A pre-season blitz and a proposed midyear all star weekend will bring new dimensions to the season, which tips off in late April this year.
While details were still being confirmed, the blitz would possibly mean both men's and women's tournaments being held on one day over Easter weekend.
It is hoped it could contain 12 men's teams and six women's, although that would depend on the number of entries received.
Clubs from around the lower South Island had been approached to compete, alongside the ones in Dunedin. Short games would be played, allowing teams to run against several opponents prior to the season beginning. It would also provide the region's developing referees a chance to officiate at a higher level.
Meanwhile, an all star weekend is being proposed to be held during the university holidays. Historically, the competition has run through the holidays. The amount of students in the league often left teams struggling for numbers, with many university teams being forced to default.
It has been proposed the competition take a two-week break, with the all star game held during that period. The clubs will make the decision on whether it goes ahead.
A game involving the competition's best players would be held, alongside a veterans' game.
There was potential to include a three-point shootout, slam dunk contest and women's all star game too. The women's game was likely to be more difficult, as the weekend falls in the middle of the Otago Goldrush season.
Basketball Otago general manager Justin Ludlow said the events were aimed at bringing some fun to the season without compromising the competition itself.
''That was one thing we got from our feedback last year; it seems to be the club season and that's it,'' Ludlow said.
''So we want to put an element into the club season this year where we have the pre-season blitz and then have a bit of fun with the all star game in the middle of the season. Try to bring back the social element, I think that was something that was missing last year.''
Details of the all star game were still being confirmed, although the favoured idea at present was a City versus Suburbs game. That would mean the Mid City Magic, City Rise Bombers and University combine to form the City team and the Bay Falcons and St Kilda Saints make up the Suburbs.
-By Jeff Cheshire
