NBL boss taps into club chief executives to assist with finding suitable candidate for 10th team

No time has been wasted in the search for the CEO of Tasmania’s NBL franchise, with the vacant position advertised only hours after the announcement the state was back in the league

Melbourne United CEO Vince Crivelli will assist NBL owner Larry Kestelman in the search for Tasmania’s chief executive. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

TWO of the longest serving chief executives of the NBL will assist owner Larry Kestelman help find the suitable candidate for the same position for the league’s newest club.

Vince Crivelli (Melbourne United) and Mark Beecroft (Cairns) will provide advice to Kestelman as the hunt for Tasmania’s CEO officially begins.

The position has been immediately advertised, with it the first step in building the franchise from the ground up in time for the 2021-22 season.

Cairns Taipans Chief Executive Officer Mark Beecroft will also be consulted in the search for a Tasmanian CEO. PICTURE: JUSTIN BRIERTY

“Having the right CEO is critical, our preference is it is someone that is integrally connected to Tasmania,” Kestelman said.

“I have an advisory board in Tasmania, and Vince and also Mark Beecroft from Cairns are the two oldest serving CEO’s and GM’s in the league, and I have asked them to give me advice.

“Someone that really knows Tasmania, knows the people, understands the culture and is really well integrated into business, government and community, that would be the ideal candidate.

“We will go from there. Number one they need to be the right person that understands how to run a business, and preferably business of sport.

“It is a very commercial person we need in the CEO role and we will look for best in breed and if that person happens to not be Tasmanian, then so be it … but then they would have to be prepared to relocate to Tasmania.”

Former Chargers president and state premier David Bartlett — who was instrumental in getting the wheels in motion for Tasmania to re-enter the league for the first time in 25 years — appears a logical candidate, however he won’t be applying for the job.

Bartlett has been on the Tasmanian advisory committee alongside THA chief executive Steve Old, Basketball Tasmania CEO Chris McCoy, Launceston Tornadoes president Janie Finlay and Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief Luke Martin.

Former Chargers president David Bartlett watches on at last year’s 2019 NBL Blitz Pre-Season tournament. Bartlett will not apply for the CEO role. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“I have given everything I had on the journey to get Tasmania back in the NBL,” Bartlett said.

“I believe there are plenty of people more suited to the job of CEO than I would be. It’s time to step away, embark on some new projects and enjoy the journey as a fan from here in.”

Once a chief executive has been appointed attention will turn to coaching staff and signing players, as well as finding a permanent base for the club.

Kestelman said that might not be on the Derwent Entertainment Centre site, where a $20 million, four court multisport facility will also be built as part of the $68.5 million redevelopment.

“We need to still think about location, where the team will be based. We don’t have a proper place to train,” Kestelman said.

NBL owner and executive chairman Larry Kestelman finalised his deal with the State Government on Wednesday. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“We have a commitment from the Government to look at a proper high performance centre over the next two, three years.

“There will be a proper high performance centre for the team and a facility in the coming years, but in the initial stages we need to find a temporary home and figure out where that is.

“It hasn’t been finalised, it will either be on the DEC site and exclusively for the team, or it will be part of a bigger multisport facility.”