New NBL boss aims high
The NBL’s new executive director Larry Kestelman has floated the possibility of a second Perth-based team as part of his grand plans for the future of the struggling league.
Kestelman, the founder of internet service provider Dodo, yesterday took a controlling interest in the NBL via a $6 million investment from his company LK Group.
The millionaire co-owner of Melbourne United will step down as that club’s chairman as a result of the new role.
His investment comes at a delicate time for the league, with the Wollongong Hawks still in voluntary administration and plenty of work still to be done to secure a television deal and major sponsor for next season.
Kestelman yesterday toldThe West Australian his first priority would be to make the league a more entertaining product across the board, hopefully to one day rival the country’s biggest codes.
Next season is set to again be an eight-team competition, with the Hawks understood to be close to announcing their survival.
However, Kestelman said eventually the league would look to expand, with all options considered.
“My thought process about expansion is that there is one market that is most important, and that is of course the Brisbane area,” he said.
“Apart from that it’s more to do with who and what proposals come forward as credible proposals that can run businesses that have credible business cases.
“It’s not about just putting a basketball team on a court. It’s about being able to run a business.
“We’ll assess any proposal, be it from Brisbane, be it from Tasmania, Canberra or you guys have two AFL teams in Perth. If someone wanted to put forward a Fremantle team we’ll assess it.
“We will assess and look at any credible proposal.”
Kestelman said his involvement with United had been discussed with all clubs and would not prove to be a conflict given his new structure for the league’s front office.
He said he loved the sport and the league and believed that with a few tweaks it could again become a major player.
