By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The region’s iconic and financially-pressured Dandenong Basketball Association has replaced chief executive Graeme Allen.
Mr Allen was said to have formally departed the DBA in April but had been absent on “sick leave” for the past two months.
He has served as DBA’s chief twice, in 2008-12 and 2015-19
It marks some upheaval at the top of the giant sporting organisation, which hosts three national-league teams, 42 state-league teams and 800 domestic sides a week.
Since June, four of its seven board members have resigned.
The new chief executive Stephen Walter, who started on 6 May, is well-known for leading Knox Basketball from near-receivership to profits.
With Mr Walter’s appointment, it’s expected that the future of the DBA’s jewel-in-the-crown Dandenong Rangers will be clarified soon.
The team is currently without a coach, and the retention of its WNBL licence has also been subject to speculation.
DBA vice president Dale Wood was tight-lipped on why Mr Allen had departed.
Mr Walter’s financial performance was one of “many reasons” for him being a “good fit going forward,” Mr Wood said.
“Stephen Walter has been through similar sorts of things getting (Knox) back on track, though it is a different set of circumstances.
“There’s a positive outlook. It’s stable. We’re heading in the right direction.”
According to a DBA statement, Mr Walter led Knox through a “most difficult period” and “helped establish Knox’s status as a strong, financially stable organisation”.
“With Knox now thriving at an elite, representative and domestic competition level, (Mr Walter) will no doubt look to do the same at Dandenong.”
At an open meeting two months ago, DBA revealed its financial woes to members. At that stage, Mr Allen had just gone on leave.
Members were told action needed to be taken for the DBA to recover from a “perilous” state, a member said.
According to its 2017-18 annual report, the DBA recorded a $158,000 loss while selling off its house for import players.
It was hit by “several unforeseen one-off expense items” totalling $175,000, it reported.
They included unexpected legal fees, back-pay for unpaid staff penalty rates, extra maintenance for its player house, and a stadium rental hike.
In September, the DBA sold its house for import players in Simpson Drive, Dandenong North, settling a bank loan against the property.
Mr Wood said the house was an ageing property that had become costly to maintain.
“We’re not in the business of property, we’re in the business of basketball.
“We decided we could house players more economically by leasing a property for the periods needed.”
Much of the “unexpected” legal fees stemmed from an ugly, protracted and unsuccessful legal battle against junior coach Josh Henshaw in 2018.
The DBA had unsuccessfully tried to ban Mr Henshaw from the stadium, despite the coach winning an injunction that temporarily lifted his Basketball Victoria suspension.
Basketball Victoria and the DBA eventually backed down in an out-of-court settlement.
The new chief executive Mr Walter said in a statement that he would work to enhance DBA’s standing in the local and wider basketball community.
“Dandenong Basketball has a rich history in junior and elite competition and I am confident we can take our outstanding community organisation to yet another level.”
Mr Allen didn’t return the Star Journal’s calls.
