Former Adelaide United chairman Mel Patzwald jumps to the Adelaide 36ers Mitch Creek drives hard to the basket for the Sixer in a Pre-season Blitz match against the Cairns Taipans in Sydney. FORMER Adelaide United chairman and director Mel Patzwald has jumped ship from soccer to basketball, supporting the 36ers this year because "this group looks fantastic." Patzwald's Adelaide Travel Centre is now the NBL club's official travel agency partner and the long-time Sixers fan could not be happier at the prospects for 2013-14. "I was looking at the 36ers" (off-season) signings and thought: " Wow, this is starting to look good,"" he said. They've got a great coach, an MVP, a new import and players who have been top guns at other clubs. Dual NBL Coach of the Year (2004, 2007) Joey Wright is the only coach in the league this season with a championship at this level on his resume, Gary Ervin won a league MVP at Wollongong in 2011, Jarrid Frye is a breathtaking athlete and BJ Anthony comes into the team as a NZ international and a championship winner. Jarrid Frye shoots for two for the Sixers against the Cairns Taipans. Patzwald was a director at Adelaide United for four years and briefly chairman of the A-League club. But he is a renowned supporter of elite SA sporting teams, having also been an official partner with Port Adelaide during its AFL premiership year. "I love my sport," he said. But I'm really excited with the way the Sixers have come together. Adelaide's NBL season tips off on Friday-week when the 36ers are away to traditional rival Perth Wildcats at Perth Arena. Its first home game on Saturday, October 19 is a WNBL double-header, with the 36ers hosting Wollongong Hawks and Adelaide Lightning entertaining Logan Thunder. "We are now looking after all the travel needs for both the Sixers and Lightning," Patzwald said, the WNBL team also expected to feature heavily in the run to the title. The Lightning open their season at Adelaide Arena on Saturday against West Coast Waves