In 2020, the
Launceston Tornadoes and
North-West Tasmania Thunder were granted jointly-held licences to compete in the
NBL1 South competition. The agreement at the time was that this shared licence would conclude at the end of the
2025 NBL1 season and that a male and female team must be fielded under a single entity from 2026 onwards. In September 2025, it was announced that a newly established
Northern Tasmania Basketball Club (NTBC) would enter the
NBL1 South for the
2026 NBL1 season with a men's and women's program, replacing the Tornadoes women and Thunder men. Basketball Tasmania awarded the licence to the Tornadoes-backed NTBC entity, leaving the Thunder's bid unsuccessful. The NTBC's official representative team name was revealed as the
Northern Force in February 2026, with purple, white and black colours. The Force will host 11 home games in 2026, spread evenly between Launceston and the
North West. ==References==