The Oita HeatDevils of Japan's professional basketball league are asking fans to donate money to keep the team in business next season.
The team’s owners posted a message on Oita’s official website saying they need to raise $550,000 to keep the team going for the 2011-2012 season.
Fans are being asked to make contributions of $125 or $150.
The HeatDevils averaged only about 1,000 fans for home games this season. The team finished seventh in the nine-team Western Conference with a record of 16 wins and 32 losses.
The team fired its American head coach L.J. Hepp in March after he was unable to convince three American players to stay in Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
