A Tasmanian WNBL team will be based in Launceston — or potentially Devonport on the north-west coast — if a bold plan by the Tasmania JackJumpers to expand into the state's two major basketball heartlands comes to fruition.

As part of a proposal being prepared for the state government, the JackJumpers would split its professional men's and women's programs and establish a fully staffed northern base for a WNBL team.

JackJumpers chief executive officer Christine Finnegan told the ABC the organisation was exploring an "enormous opportunity" to install a professional women's team in either Launceston or Devonport.

Devonport has recently emerged as a more-than-viable contender after the coastal city's council this week approved the development application for its new $60 million indoor and multi-sport precinct.

"Certainly, what Devonport are putting forward looks really appealing," Ms Finnegan said.

"It's a tailored centre for basketball, it's got the great training facilities, it's got the change room facilities, so it becomes a facility where you can both play and it also becomes a high-performance centre as well.

How it would work

Under the plan, the JackJumpers would "reverse engineer" its men's program and then base the new women's team in the north of the state.

The bulk of the WNBL fixtures would be played out of Launceston, as well as Devonport's new indoor stadium, which will feature a 2,000-seat show court.

Higher drawing fixtures against bigger opponents would be played at MyState Bank Arena in Hobart.

It would establish a northern operations hub for the team, where an executive lead, operations team and off-court staff would be permanently housed.

"We have to approach this holistically. It has to be where they train, where they live and where they play," Ms Finnegan said.

"There might be a case of us 'tiering' our games depending on which opponent, and if we need the bigger arena, but our home would truly be in the north and the north-west," she said.

'The north deserves it,' JackJumpers owner says 

Larry Kestelman, who owns the NBL and the JackJumpers, and is also in the process of acquiring a controlling stake in the WNBL, told the ABC that the prospect is a "very real possibility".

"The north deserves it, and the balance would be amazing," he said.

Launceston Silverdome has 'worst' locker rooms in Australia 'by far'

Devonport, with its new facility that is due to be built by 2026, has emerged as a viable home for a professional women's team amidst continued frustration from the league over the condition of the Launceston Silverdome.

The Tasmanian government, which would likely need to increase its $2 million per year funding for the JackJumpers to support a women's team, has pledged $8 million towards upgrading the arena.

Mr Kestelman said the Silverdome was still some way from being up to scratch for continued NBL and future WNBL fixtures.

"There's no pre-game, there's no media rooms, there's not good enough AV, there's no LED screens, the seating is not enough, the corporate is not there.

"It's just not fit for purpose."

Regardless of which northern city the team will be based, the granting of a licence will hinge at least partially on the Silverdome being brought up to standard.

North-west coast rich in basketball talent

Basketball has a rich history in the north and north-west of Tasmania, with the two regions producing the cream of the state's on- and off-court talent for decades.

Women's basketball is particularly strong on the north-west coast, evidenced by the announcement of the recent Under-20 women's state team.

Of the 10 players named in the squad, seven hailed from the coast, with a further player coming from Launceston.

Not since the Islanders, who won the WNBL championship in 1991, before folding in 1996, has a professional women's team called Tasmania home — but a JackJumpers women's outfit could take to the court in the next two to three seasons.

Tasmanian basketballer Alanna Smith was part of the Olympic bronze medal-winning Opals team, and played in the recent WNBA finals for the Minnesota Lynx.

She said a professional team would enhance junior pathways and lead to junior players "sticking" with basketball.

"Just building that pathway, helping girls stick with basketball and develop and then go on to play professionally," she said. 

"It's invaluable to have something like that, and those role models in your community."

Devonport dream of 'sporting mecca'

Devonport mayor Alison Jarman said a professional basketball team based at the facility would be "marvellous".

"We certainly want further dialogue with them, and with any sporting club. We want this to be a sporting mecca," Cr Jarman said.

"It's something we absolutely want to achieve, and the whole point of us doing our 'living city' and doing this new sports facility. It's something we've never had before.

"We have a huge catchment of people, we have good access with the Spirits [of Tasmania ferries] and the airport, we've got enough accommodation.