Kym Cheeseman
1 August 2025
Las Vegas, USA Four Basketball Victoria (BV) representatives, Will Scatchard (Sunbury Basketball Association), Craig Armstead (Bendigo Stadium Limited), Darcy Weedon (BV), and BV Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nick Honey, were among 140 participants selected for the 2025 Sports Business Classroom - Business of Basketball program in Las Vegas.
The immersive week-long experience, held from July 13 - 19 alongside the NBA Summer League, offered a deep dive into the professional basketball ecosystem. Thanks to a partnership between Basketball Victoria and Deakin University, each Victorian participant received full or partial funding to attend.
A Front-Row Seat to the Global Game
Participants engaged in lectures, roundtables, and a capstone project simulating an NBA front office. From salary cap mechanics to media, analytics, and operations, the program covered the full spectrum of basketball business.
BV Technical Officials Operations Officer Darcy Weedon described the program as “truly incredible”, adding, "hearing from such high-calibre presenters, from NBA executives to players was seriously inspiring and gave me a whole new perspective on the game and the industry behind it.”
For BV CEO Nick Honey, the global exposure reinforced Victoria’s leading position, “It was great to witness firsthand how the business of basketball operates at the highest level, surrounded by some of the most respected minds in the global game. The experience was not only incredibly educational, from salary cap strategy to media and operations, but also inspiring. It reinforced just how strong our foundations are here in Victoria and gave me real confidence that we are not just keeping up but leading the way in Australian basketball.”
A Career Highlight
Craig Armstead, from Bendigo Stadium Limited, called the experience “a professional highlight”, reflecting on the quality of content and the strength of the network built throughout the week, “To be one of 140 selected, was a real privilege. The content was tremendous, and the connections made will have a lasting impact.”
Sunbury Basketball Association’s Will Scatchard was equally inspired, “It was an incredible privilege to hear from basketball minds like Kenny Atkinson, Nick Nurse, Sam Presti, and Adam Silver. Bobby Marks’ insight into the salary cap and team building was a standout.”
He added, “A huge thank you to Basketball Victoria and Deakin’s Pete Williams for making this possible. I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with our community and continue building the relationships formed.”
What the Sports Business Classroom (SBC) offered participants:
- Access to all SBC sessions
- Exclusive entry to NBA Summer League games
- Reserved seating in the SBC section
- Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) mastery course by ESPN’s Bobby Marks
Key learning areas included:
- Athlete Representation
- Salary Cap Negotiations
- Media and Broadcasting
- Analytics and Scouting
- Basketball Operations
- Career Development
Building Global Connections
The experience reflects Basketball Victoria’s broader mission to grow the sport beyond the court, developing future leaders and creating international opportunities for Victorian professionals.
Click below to discover how you can get involved with our community further.
