JackJumpers' Ownership Search to Ramp Up

NBL owner Larry Kestelmen has revealed the search for the Tasmania JackJumpers’ next ownership will commence in the next three weeks.

It is a busy and pivotal time for the JackJumpers with the search for new ownership, discussions around renovations which will hopefully see an increased capacity at MyState Bank Arena and the resignation of the club’s CEO Simon Brookhouse.

Kestelmen spoke to the media on Brookhouse’s exit from the club, and thanked him for his contribution with the expansion club over the past two seasons.

“We need to acknowledge the wonderful work that Simon has done, and the wonderful things that he has managed to achieve alongside his team and myself in the time he was there,” Kestelman said.

“The overwhelming feeling is of what a success it has been, and I wish him all the best for the future.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JackJumpers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JackJumpers</a> released the following statement on Thursday:<br><br>&quot;The Tasmania JackJumpers would like to sincerely thank Simon Brookhouse for his significant contribution to the club, after the JackJumpers Board accepted his resignation on Thursday.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/wzLhb7VW3c">https://t.co/wzLhb7VW3c</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1633669453660721152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Kestelman spoke on handing over the interim CEO responsibilities to both head of commercial Christine Finnegan and operations general manager Jorrick Chivers, before allowing the new owners to make a permanent decision on the club’s new leadership.

“We will have Christine and Jorrick as interim co-leaders, they will lead the club in the interim. I’d love to see the new owners make a decision as to how they feel about the longer term,” he said.

“I feel good about giving that opportunity to the new ownership group to decide how they see the leadership evolve.

“The start-up phase as far as I’m concerned is over and I think that’s how Simon felt as well.

“We’ve had a lot of conversation on what an operational on-going CEO looks like. There’s a lot of recognition that needs to be given to his contribution to the club.”

With the search for new ownership approaching, Kestelman was adamant in assuring the JackJumpers will be partly Australian owned.

“I’m hoping within the next few weeks they’ll start the sale process, so a new chapter begins and the start-up phase as far as I’m concerned is over,” Kestelman said.

“We have had a lot of interest both local and overseas in the club. We have not held any serious conversations because that will be done through the advisors we’ve appointed.

“The club has to be minimum 30 per cent Australian owned, we won’t be selling at 100 per cent overseas.”

He also stated the ideal outcome would be the club being fully owned by Australian buyers, and more importantly, from Tasmania.

“My intent is to be ready within the next 30 days to start having those conversations, and I would like to see first conversations happen with potential Tasmanian buyers,” he said.

“That’s what I would like to see, and explore the possibility of the club being completely owned by Tasmanians or at least part owned by Tasmanians.

“I will first come and talk to anyone who is interested in Tasmania.

“That will be the first step, then we will go far and wide and see who the other rightful owners are.”

The offseason will be vital for the JackJumpers to continue building the club, with Kestelman also stating he is in conversations with the state government on increasing the capacity at MyState Bank Arena.

The JackJumpers have built an empire with their Tasmanian fanbase, having sold out every home game in the first two seasons of the club’s history.