23/05/08

Leopards will return to the Brentwood Centre in September following an agreement with centre management and the club’s board of directors.

The Big Cats last played at the Essex venue in the 2005/6 season, but a hike in hire from 1,400 per game to 4,000 meant that they were forced to move to Dagenham before spending last season playing at Wodson Park in Ware.

“We’re delighted to be back at the Brentwood Centre” said Leopards’ director Fred Dicker. “It is the only place that we were able to consistently get good crowds. It’s the best venue in the EBL, and we’ll look to put on the same kind of show we did when we last played there.”

The decision to return to the Brentwood Centre came after the talks with the centre’s new management which has seen the two sides come to an agreement whereby they will share the game-day revenue.

“We’ll be working with the Brentwood Centre, rather than just being a paying customer” said Leopards general manager Dave Ryan, “The exciting thing is that both sides will have a common goal. There were times during our last spell when it seemed they were only interested in taking our money.”

Leopards expect to make their return to Brentwood on Sunday September 21 with a special match to mark the occasion before tipping off their EBL Trophy campaign the following week.

They are expected to play around ten games at Brentwood, with the club still considering other venues for their remaining six games. The options for the Big Cats include remaining at Wodson Park or finding a court in east or north London.

The original Leopards played at Brentwood between 1999 and 2003 before the club closed down due after its financial backer withdrew. A group of supporters revived the club for the 2004/5 season, and they won the National Cup in December 2005.

The Big Cats finished fifth in the England Basketball League Division One last season, with an British squad, but will be strengthening that side as they look to challenge for the title next season.

Leopards expect to announce their full fixture list by the end of June, and reveal some new signings over the course of the summer.

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