The long-term future of Nelson's national league basketball team is at risk as it seeks a naming sponsor for the coming season.

The Giants, NBL champions in 1994, 1998 and 2007, and the province's most successful sporting franchise, have ended their partnership with Nelson firm ecogise.

The sustainable energy company, part of the Boxman group, took over naming rights last year, following on from failed one-year associations with Blue Chip and CPS Properties.

"We've known for some months that ecogise wouldn't be with us as a naming sponsor in 2010," said Steve Fitchett, a director of the Giants franchise.

"We hope to still have a relationship with Boxman but currently there's no-one with their name attached to the Giants.

"It's been pretty tough in the last three years, since the demise of the company we thought was going to be with us long term."

The Giants organisation has been busy trying to secure a new backer but it's proved futile so far. One strong prospect fell over when the Auckland head office of a Nelson firm vetoed a deal, while one other local company remains in the mix, with a decision due within the next week.

The team has experienced a surge in season ticket sales, while there has been healthy interest in sponsoring at the corporate-box and second-tier levels.

Fitchett said one of team owner Nenad Vucinic's strong platforms had been to seek Nelson companies to back the Giants but that stance might have to soften.

"Nenad has said Nelson supports the team and the team should support Nelson. His preference has always been to keep it close to home, if possible, but we've contacted [former Giant and Tall Black] Chris Simpson as a national sponsorship manager to ask around. It's getting fairly late in the piece, though."

Fitchett said the Giants would "definitely" see out the season but the future would rely on a more stable financial base.

"I guess you could say that prudent financial management has us in a position to give our full attention to performing on court this year but it's probably not a sustainable position for the future."

The Giants have assembled a championship-calibre roster with Tall Blacks past and present in Phill Jones, Tony Rampton, Mike Fitchett and Mika Vukona, quality American forward Michael Harrison, Tall Blacks trialist Darryl Jones and Junior Tall Black Josh Bloxham on contract.

Each has opted to play for Nelson despite having the ability to command higher salaries elsewhere.

"We might be here through the good graces of our players who have accepted very moderate payments to be in Nelson.

"They're motivated by the chance to win, the chance to be part of a good bunch of guys and the exposure to the Tall Blacks environment that Nelson offers, more than just the money."

With the first pre-season matches less than a month away and the NBL campaign due to start in early March, Fitchett remains hopeful of securing the one naming rights backer the team needs.

"I'd like to think that, although the Makos [rugby team] are still with us, the Giants remain the Nelson sports team that people know and associate with the town.

"The fan support is legendary, the profile is strong and the history of success is pretty special.

"I still believe that the company that wants to get alongside the team is out there and we maybe just haven't met them yet."

The Nelson Giants can be contacted through their website, giants.co.nz