Isaac
Years ago
NBL review company's association with Firepower
Thankfully this looks like a bit of a non-issue (well, if you take the NBL's press release at face value), but not great press in the SMH regarding DSEG's past involvement with Firepower. DSEG is the company contracted to review basketball's structure in Australia. Firepower is the company championed by Tim Johnston, the owner of the Sydney Kings. Hopefully the league's release sheds a bit more light on the scenario for those following this issue:
NBL AND BA MAKE STATEMENT ON DSEG
The National Basketball League (NBL) and Basketball Australia (BA) have released the following joint statement in response to a media report in the Sydney Morning Herald concerning the previous association of the company currently undertaking the Second Stage Review of Basketball, Dynamic Sports and Entertainment Group (DSEG), and Tim Johnston's company, Firepower.
"BA and the NBL were made aware on Sunday that DSEG had previously worked on behalf of Firepower. We have since spoken at great length to James Henderson of DSEG to clarify their relationship, given Firepower's owner Tim Johnston is also the majority owner of the Sydney Kings license and the current on-going issues surrounding that team."
"We have been informed by DSEG that they were commissioned to develop marketing strategies on behalf of Firepower in 2006. DSEG have assured us they have absolutely no on-going relationship with Firepower or Johnston, nor are there any unresolved issues between the two companies that could impact in any way their ability to deliver a balanced and unbiased Second Stage Report."
"The NBL and BA unanimously appointed DSEG from a strong field of candidates based on their detailed response to the criteria laid out in an open and transparent expression of interest process. They were clearly the best candidate for the task of producing the stage two commercial review of basketball, having successfully helped soccer, horse racing, the NRL, and many other sports reform themselves. Their credentials are simply impeccable and, whilst in hindsight it would have been better had DSEG disclosed their pervious association with Firepower at the outset, BA and the NBL are both comfortable that there is no conflict of interest that would prevent DSEG from completing their part in Basketball's review process."
"Even had the relationship been disclosed, BA and the NBL agree that it would not have prevented the appointment of DSEG based on their outstanding track record."
"DSEG's final Stage Two recommendations will be delivered shortly, and will then be considered on their merits by the recently appointed interim Board of Basketball, which includes Mark Peters (CEO, Australian Sports Commission), Diane Sias (Group Executive, Business & Technology Solutions & Services at Westpac) and David Thodey (Group Managing Director of Telstra Enterprise and Government)."
