Stevenson Appointed NBL CEO

The Hungry Jack's National Basketball League, and its Executive Director and Owner, Larry Kestelman, are delighted to announce the appointment of David Stevenson as Chief Executive Officer.

Stevenson comes to the League with a wealth of leadership experience having previously held positions at the AFL as General Manager of Operations, the Western Bulldogs as CEO and Nike as VP & GM of Emerging Markets. During almost seven years at the AFL and 17 years at Nike, Stevenson held many executive positions in sports, commercial, operations, and retail both in Australia, New Zealand and Internationally across Asia and the USA.

Stevenson also has strong governance experience as the board chair of a state government health service.

“David is a growth focused executive and the perfect fit for the NBL as we enter the most exciting period in our history,” Kestelman said.

“We have seen unprecedented growth and achieved significant records in key areas across the business including TV viewership, commercial revenue, attendances, fan growth, database, digital media following and engagement, and media exposure, but we are striving for much, much more.

“I am confident David is the right person to lead the business to capitalise on these recent results and achievements and keep the business growing across all focus areas.

“David has most recently led the AFL industry on its hugely successful Gather Round in South Australia and has been a key driver of growth for the League on a number of fronts.”

Kestelman says the League has never been in a better position and is fast becoming a major player on the Australian sporting landscape.

“The resurgence of the NBL has been undeniable and we are widely regarded as the second-best basketball league in the world outside of the NBA, and bringing David on as CEO is a significant step forward for us,” Kestelman added.

“We have achieved a lot in recent years, but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels and must push forward aggressively to engage more fans not only in Australia and New Zealand, but across the globe and take the NBL to where we think it belongs.

“We want more eyes from around the world on our League, and we have big plans in place to make that a reality.”

Stevenson said he’s watched the rise of the NBL with great interest as a fan of the competition, and acknowledges the foundations of a successful business model have well and truly been laid.

“What Larry and his team have achieved to date is nothing short of extraordinary and I truly cannot wait to start with the team,” he said.

“During my discussions with Larry, it’s clear his appetite for more growth and success here and internationally is insatiable, and his enthusiasm for basketball is undeniable. I share the same optimism and excitement about the growth prospects for the NBL.

“I’ve enjoyed my time at the AFL immensely and have learned a lot from Gillon McLachlan, Travis Auld and the team over the last six and a half years. I thank everyone at the AFL, the clubs, players, broadcast & commercial partners, and state and federal governments for their fantastic support and partnership as we delivered growth and success across the AFL industry.

“The opportunity to join the NBL at this particular time was impossible for me to turn down as there’s clearly been a revival of professional basketball in Australia and New Zealand under Larry and his executive team’s leadership.”

Jeremy Loeliger will continue as NBL Commissioner and work with Stevenson, Kestelman and the Board on international relations and key strategic outcomes.      

“I’m looking forward to working with David and believe he will be a significant asset for the League moving forward,” Loeliger said.

Kestelman added the League will aggressively pursue more growth and will explore potential expansion with Stevenson at the helm.

“It’s no secret we have been inundated with interest from all over Australia and even Asia for new licences so it’s integral we build out our strategic capacity to ensure we take full advantage and set up prospective organisations for success.”

Stevenson will commence his role at the NBL in July.