Basketball On The Internet.

NBL CEOs and GMs will be teleconferencing today and expect two major shocks - the merger of its two North Queensland-based teams into one and a new club in Brisbane for an eight-team 2015-16 season.

There also will be confirmation Wollongong Hawks have flown out of the woods (and administration), with the last remaining foundation club living on to play another day.

Despite the age-old and fierce rivalry, the Cairns Taipans have been working feverishly to help save Townsville, with the solution a merger that will rock fans of both clubs.

While the "Cairns Crocodiles" has been the unofficial working title of the new club, expect the real new name to be North Queensland Tropical Fever.

As the senior partner - if not saviour - in this deal, eight of the 14 homes games next season will be played in Cairns, with six at the Townsville Entertainment Centre.

While NBL fans nationwide will be reeling, new colours for the Fever will include both orange (of the Orange Army) and green (of the Crocnation), a grocery chain to be confirmed by next week as the naming rights sponsor.

Brisbane Bullets stalwart Brian Kerle, has utilised his friendship with former import Wayne McDaniel, now an accomplished actor - check him out in The Sapphires - to confirm Russell Crowe's interest in "buying into basketball".

Crowe, part-owner of South Sydney Rabbitohs, will reveal when he returns from spruiking The Water Diviner overseas, that his NRL club is providing financing for the new team in Brisbane.

The Rabbitohs will be the major stakeholders in the NBL's new Brisbane Bilbies.

Sorry fans of the "Bullets" name. It's the Bilbies now.

But hey, at least you'll have a team again.

Further details after the teleconference breaks up at midday.