OUR STORY - Sport is our family business

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Whilst Whitewall Sport has become one of the fastest growing sports consultancies, well known to sports leaders and businesses all over the world, our roots are steeped in over 70 years of sports and sports business success.

Founder, Andy Crook, from starting his first sports business at the age of 12, to become a professional cricketer at the age of 17, launched himself into a career in the business of sport in England at the age of 27, something he was always destined to do.

Here's why.

The Crook family, originally from England, settled in Adelaide, South Australia in 1964. Arthur Crook (pictured above), a semi-professional footballer and cricketer from Middlesex near London, England set about building a life for his family, in their new home in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, based almost entirely around sport. 

In the late 1960's and considered a pioneer by many, Arthur led the creation of cricket and football (soccer) clubs as an avenue for himself and his 4 boys, as well as countless other English immigrants, to connect in a competitive yet social environment. This simple act of building a sporting community set off a chain of events for his family.

Martyn Crook, former Australian Socceroo and Australian Joeys Head Coach, was one of Arthurs 4 boys to make an impact in the sporting world. With over 250 games for Australian National Soccer League (now the A-League) side West Adelaide and nearly 20 years as an elite level coach until his untimely passing at the age of 52 whilst in the position of Australian Joeys coach, Martyn also made his presence felt as one of Australia's early sports entrepreneurs. 

Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, Martyn launched several business ventures in the world of sport, most notably a sports store in Adelaide's northern suburbs and with his elder brother, a revolutionary satellite TV service that saw English First Division football (soccer) games aired live in soccer clubs all around Adelaide and Perth. Live feeds were used to update fans on all the games on that day. Unfortunately for Martyn, his vision for the business was dealt a blow that could never be recovered from when in early 1992, the Rupert Murdoch (himself originally from Adelaide) owned Sky Sport UK announced it had purchased the rights to the new English Premier League, a force not even a dedicated entrepreneur such as Martyn could contend with.

However, it was on two of Martyn's sons, Andy and Steven Crook, that both his, Arthur's and the wider Crook family's pioneering pursuits in the sporting world had a profound impact on. 

Andy, was a professional cricketer for over a decade, playing for the South Australian Redbacks, Lancashire County Cricket Club (CCC) and Northamptonshire CCC. Mostly notably featuring in a losing T20 Blast Final at the Oval in a team full of Test and ODI stars, and holding Lancashire's List A record of 162* for over a decade, he retired at the age of 27 and launched himself into a career in the business of sport. Andy's career took off quickly, following successful roles as the Commercial GM of Northants Cricket, and then as the General Manager of England's Netball Superleague, he landed a coveted role as the CEO of the ANZ Championship, Australia and New Zealand's professional netball league. Following the decision made by the shareholders (Netball New Zealand and Netball Australia) to end the trans-Tasman component of the league, Andy consulted to Netball Australia on the development of the now Super Netball, with numerous recommendations made to the Netball Australia Board being put in place for the new Australian only league. 

Next came what can only be described as being at the wheel of a 'sports business rocket ship'. 6 months after successful entrepreneur, Larry Kestelman, purchased the right to Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), Andy was hired by Larry and Commissioner, Jeremy Loeliger, to run the day to day business of the NBL, and use his experience to drive the strategy for growth. In the next 5 years, the NBL turned from the poor cousin of professional sport in Australia into the fastest growing sports property in the world, and a shining light on the world stage of what is possible if an entrepreneur invests in the right strategies. During this time the team under Andy grew from 6 people to what has been reported as being well into the hundreds, attendances & revenue's of the NBL sky rocketed and he led negotiations and delivery of ground breaking programs such as the NBLxNBA games, NBL1, 3x3Hustle and was the architect of NBL Media, now producing and distributing over 1,500 basketball games each year.

With these learning's and experiences, and with the principles handed down through the Crook family, Andy founded Whitewall Sport, where he leads a dedicated team helping support and drive outcomes for sports organisations, from community and grass roots, through to elite professional and international organisations.

Andy's brother Steven, also with Whitewall Sport, enjoyed a nearly 20 year professional cricket career in England, calling Lancashire CCC, Northamptonshire CCC and Middlesex CCC home at various stages of his career. Perhaps most well known for a scintillating unbeaten 142 against a touring Aussie Ashes side in 2015 for Northamptonshire, he was also a key member of two Northamptonshire Steelbacks T20 Blast championship sides in 2013 and 2016, as well as being a part of Lancashire's 2005 runner-up side, and the Steelbacks 2015 runner-up side. After cricket, Steven moved into the business of sport, taking a role occupied by brother, Andy, over a decade early, the Head of Commercial at Northants Cricket.