Mal Speed (NBL Chairman 1980-97) on the move to summer and the 90s basketball boom

Aussie Hoopla NBL & NBA Podcast

Mal Speed was named the chairman of the NBL after the conclusion of the league's debut season in 1980. Speed had a key role in developing the sport of basketball both nationally and internationally and his guidance over the 1980s and 1990s saw basketball boom during the early 90s down under.

On this episode of Aussie Hoopla host, Dan Boyce dives into the growth of the NBL in the 1990s and why it was so successful, the league's rapid decline in the late 1990s and what changed as well as the decision to shift the league from summer to winter, what led to that decision and in hindsight was it the right move.

All of this and a whole lot more... Topics include.

• Thoughts on the NBL and its current situation (2:00)
• How Mal became NBL chairman in 1980 and how the NBL changed during his time as chairman (9:00)
• A financial model that works for the NBL's big market teams and small-market teams (14:30)
• How TV deals impact the growth of the NBL (20:00)
• David Stern and his involvement with the NBL in the 1990s (26:00)
• Hobart, Geelong and Gold Coast exit the league in 1996, how did this decision come to be (33:00)
• The NBL's move to summer, was it the right move? (38:00)
• Did the NBL refuse to work with the NBA during the 1990s? (43:00)
• Mal Speed's favorite NBL players (45:00)
• What does Mal Speed think the NBL got wrong during the 1980s and 1990s and what did he learn from them (48:00)
• Did the AFL try to take down the NBL in the 1990s (55:00)

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

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere, Doug Overton

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [e-mail]