澳洲职业篮球联赛（NBL）的内部冲突持续激化。珀斯野猫队、伊拉瓦拉鹰队和东南墨尔本凤凰队正联合向联赛所有者Larry Kestelman追讨总计超过150万美元的款项，主要涉及过去三个赛季的旅行成本补偿[1]。三支球队各自寻求约60万美元的赔款[1]，这场纠纷已持续近18个月[1]。
除了经济诉求外，这三支球队还向国际篮联FIBA提起治理上诉，要求NBL由独立委员会运营[1]。球队的主张是参照澳洲橄榄球联盟AFL和橄榄球联盟NRL的模式，由联赛而非各俱乐部承担旅行费用[1]。此外，凤凰队和野猫队已向新南威尔士最高法院提起诉讼，要求披露联赛的财务信息[1]。
Basketball Australia独立调查在4月13日驳回了相关投诉[1]。Kestelman自2015年收购NBL以来执掌联赛，2025-26赛季联赛创纪录地吸引了120万球迷观看比赛[1]。
Three Australian National Basketball League clubs are pursuing combined refunds exceeding $1.5 million from league owner Larry Kestelman, with each team seeking approximately $600,000 in compensation for travel costs incurred over the past three seasons [1]. The dispute has persisted for nearly eighteen months, prompting Perth Wildcats, Illawarra Hawks, and South East Melbourne Phoenix to escalate their campaign on multiple fronts [1].
Beyond financial claims, the three clubs have lodged a formal appeal with FIBA, basketball's international governing body, challenging the NBL's governance structure [1]. They are calling for the league to be operated by an independent committee and to adopt the funding model used by the AFL and NRL, whereby the league rather than individual clubs bears travel expenses [1]. Their legal strategy has expanded to include litigation filed in the New South Wales Supreme Court, where Phoenix and Wildcats are seeking disclosure of league financial information [1]. Basketball Australia's independent investigation rejected the clubs' complaints on April 13 [1].
The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of improved financial performance for the league. Kestelman, who acquired the NBL in 2015, has overseen significant growth, with the 2025-26 season attracting a record 1.2 million spectators [1].