The Hawks basketball organisation have engaged sporting and experience start up FAN+ to assist with commercial, travel and experience opportunities ahead of the 2020/21 NBL season.

FAN+ is an Australian owned and operated centralised marketplace that provides sport fans access to athlete experiences including training sessions, personalised messages and game-day exclusives across a range of games and sporting codes.

The start up has previously partnered with the NRL’s Men of League and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

FAN+, CEO, Rod Harys told Ministry of Sport that FAN+ will bring knowledge and commercial strategy to the Hawks.

“We will look at new property opportunities, create new community CSR initiatives for the organisation and build our travel opportunities for fans,” said Harys.

“FAN+ will create the best money can buy experiences, such as meet and greets with the players, running onto the court with the team, change room visits, attending training sessions and getting to sit courtside and hi-5 the players running onto the court.”

Hawks, president and co-owner, Dorry Kordahi is excited about the expertise Fan+ will bring to the Hawks.

“Fan+ is led by former CEO of the Sydney Kings, Rod Harys and former commercial boss of the NRL Bulldogs, Aaron Warburton; to have them involved in our journey of rebuilding the Hawks and assisting us with our commercial opportunities is fantastic,” said Kordahi.

“We have assembled an exciting roster with NBA talent which is led by the most successful coach in NBL history, Brian Goorjian,” he added.

The appointment follows a tough year for the club formerly known as the Illawarra Hawks, as they were put into voluntary administration in May.

Goorjian told the ABC his first order of business would be to find staff capable of developing players and supporting a long-term future for the club.

“My number one thing is competent staff — guys I can trust and are competent in development,” Goorjian said.

“The goal of the organisation is foundation and to build a team that’ll be in the top four every year, and every now and then breakthrough and win a championship.

“We’re coming from the bottom and getting into the market late, so we’ll throw some punches next season, but it’s going to be a build,” he said.

The 2020/21 NBL season is due to kick off in mid-January 2021.