TCS Chester Jets are counting the cost of the collapse of ITV Digital - nearly two years after the television company went bust.
And like many of their British League rivals, they are going to have to tighten the purse strings even if it means losing at least one of their American stars at the end of the season.
The BBL had a £21m deal with ITV Digital over 10 years and although they received some money after the company went broke, that has now run out and handouts to the clubs have been cut by a third.
Sky Sports have shown a tentative interest in the BBL and the BBC screened the Haribo Cup Final live a fortnight ago, but the sport's profile in this country needs to be higher to attract more sponsorship.
Explained Jets director Mike Burton: 'We held money over from last year to this year, but now we are facing the future with less money and our head coach Paul Smith has been prepared for this.
'Unfortunately, it is likely we will lose our captain John McCord, who I believe to be the best player in the BBL.
'He qualifies for his British passport this year which means he will almost certainly play somewhere in Europe, where he can earn up to five times more than in the BBL.'
Other clubs will be facing the same problem with a reduction in revenue from the BBL, making sponsorship even more vital.
Jets have another year on their contract with their sponsors Trident Corporate Services and Burton believes Chester will still be one of the stronger clubs in the BBL.
'Jets are solid. We don't get ourselves in financial trouble because we cut our cloth accordingly,' he said. 'And we usually play to full houses at the Northgate Arena.'
Smith, who is in his first season as head coach, is bracing himself for a tough summer of recruiting. He revealed in his exclusive column in The Chronicle last week that he could have to rely on more homegrown players next season.
Jets have no matches this weekend - a bonus for Smith with McCord recovering from knee surgery. He is expected to make a return at Scottish Rocks tomorrow week.
