New Wildcats Owner Mark Arena on the NBL Team Sale Process, Financial Upsides of Sports Ownership, and Expanding Basketball’s Reach in Asia

New Perth Wildcats owner Mark Arena joins the podcast to break down the intricate details behind purchasing an NBL team and his vision for the club's future. As a lifelong Wildcats fan and successful tech entrepreneur, Arena shares insights into the business side of sports ownership and how he plans to elevate the Wildcats' brand, both locally and internationally.

In this episode, Mark discusses:

• What makes owning a sports team financially advantageous (2:30)
• The complex process of buying the Wildcats and how NBL approvals work (12:00)
• Why his focus is on winning championships rather than purely on financial gain (19:00)
• Why expanding into Asia, including partnerships with Japan’s B.League, is a priority for the Wildcats (24:00)
• His views on the NBLxNBA format and why he prefers hosting an international preseason tournament annually instead (26:00)
• How he sees a potential second NBL team in Perth impacting the Wildcats (28:00)
• Plans for rebranding the Wildcats (39:00)
• The long-term vision for the Wildcats, including facility upgrades and community initiatives (42:00)
• What he's learned from his first 90 days as owner of the Wildcats (44:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring:

• Australian Basketball Legends: Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, Sam MacKinnon, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin, Brad Newley
• Current NBL Stars: Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Xavier Cooks, Tyler Harvey, Dejan Vasiljevic, Jordan Hunter, Flynn Cameron, Keli L