NBL leadership and business dealings face scrutiny

National Basketball League (NBL) leadership and business dealings involving owner Larry Kestelman are facing scrutiny. Terry Egger, chairman of the Illawarra Hawks ownership group Crest Sports and Entertainment, has been barred from attending an upcoming NBL growth conference in Sydney. NBL CEO Dave Stevenson cited an ownership technicality, stating Egger is not an “authorised” official because he chairs the parent company rather than the club itself. Egger described the decision as “a clear case of retaliation.”

Separately, a Tasmanian parliamentary report has raised concerns regarding a lease agreement between the state government and Kestelman’s firm, LK Group. The report found that the lease for MyState Bank Arena in Tasmania is effectively costing the firm less than $30,000 annually after a $175,000 government hiring fee contribution is applied to a $200,000 base rent. The committee also reviewed government dealings regarding the sale of prime waterfront land for potential redevelopment by LK Group.