Basil Sellers AM has long been a significant contributor to the Sydney Swans. A ‘True Believer’, he was part of the ownership group, together with John Gerahty and Mike Willesee, who helped save the club in the late 1980s and he served as a director from 1989-1993. Our former home at the SCG was named the Basil Sellers Centre in his honour.

Having a life-long love of sport that began with playing cricket in India as a child, Basil and his family moved from India to Australia in 1948, settling in Adelaide. He played cricket, baseball, and basketball himself, and developed a love of Australian Rules through following the North Adelaide Roosters in the SANFL – a team that is also red and white. It was no surprise then when, years later as a successful businessman living in Sydney, he began following the Swans when the team made the move from South Melbourne.

Outside of sport, Basil also has a love of art. He brought his two great passions together as the benefactor of 11 sculptures of sporting greats around the SCG – including Swans greats Paul Kelly and Paul Roos – another eight sculptures at Adelaide Oval, and the Bob Skilton sculpture at Lakeside Oval in Melbourne. Earlier this year he helped deliver the sculpture of Swans Legend Adam Goodes that stands proudly outside Sydney Swans HQ.

Sellers has also been inducted as a life member of the Sydney Cricket Ground. This is the highest individual honour awarded for sporting excellence and contribution at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium.

Sellers, alongside former chairman Richard Colless, became the only administrators since Craig Kimberley to receive the honour of becoming Swans Hall of Fame members, on the same night that it was revealed Sydney Swans HQ will be formally known as the Basil Sellers Richard Colless Centre.