Tigers ditch DarwinCaroline Wilson
October 21, 2011RICHMOND has placed football ahead of finances and foregone next season's contracted game in Darwin, having on-sold the game to Melbourne in a decision which will cost the club an estimated $500,000.
In a move certain to prove a big winner among the Tiger faithful - not to mention the football department - Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale confirmed yesterday the club had negotiated an exit agreement with the AFL upon learning the Demons harboured long-term plans for a presence in the Northern Territory.
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"We entered into an agreement and had every intention of meeting our obligations,'' Gale told The Age. ''However, circumstances have changed and that has allowed us to bring this home game back to Melbourne."
Gale said the Tigers would continue to honour its obligations in Cairns - where the club is contract to host home games against the Gold Coast until 2013 - but that all other Richmond home games would be played in Melbourne.
While the Darwin deal was struck before Gale took over as CEO, he was criticised by supporters two months later when the Tigers lost its second sold home game in northern Australia to the fledgling Suns.
Gale denied the decision to abandon a home fixture in the Northern Territory was pushed by coach Damien Hardwick and his football department, insisting the cash-strapped club had received the AFL's blessing after receiving a multimillion-dollar boost from broadcast rights distributions. ''Damien and his team certainly don't blame the fixture for that loss,'' said Gale.
''Following discussions with the AFL, it became apparent that the Melbourne Football Club was interested in Darwin as a longer-term strategic play and … it made sense for them to take up this opportunity.
"The decision to play in Darwin was made in the best interests of the club … and there are some short-term financial implications. However, the support of the AFL through the Club Future Fund Distribution now provides us with the resources that we think will allow us to hit key commercial targets.''
The Darwin deal was a four-club agreement struck between the AFL and the Northern Territory government in 2009, which would feature six games played over three years involving Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs and Richmond, with each hosting two games and Port Adelaide, at least until the end of 2011, earning money as the away team.
Melbourne has already hosted its two games but will replace the Tigers in 2012, with the Bulldogs sticking to their commitment.
AFL executive Simon Lethlean said the deal with Darwin was in place until 2014, but that the home clubs had not been negotiated beyond next season. ''Melbourne has made its presence felt in the Northern Territory community and done some good work there and the club is keen to continue that, so we were happy to make the change,'' said Lethlean, who added that Port Adelaide could forgo one of next year's two ''away'' spots at TIO Stadium in place of the Gold Coast Suns.
With the Tigers now only playing one ''away'' home game in Cairns, Gale has lobbied hard for the club to host nine of its remaining 10 home games at the MCG. Lethlean said the AFL had guaranteed the Tigers a minimum of eight MCG games with at least one at Etihad.
With the club also guaranteed the Thursday night MCG Melbourne season-opener against Carlton, the Tigers have achieved a number of coups. Gale said the Fighting Tiger Fund would continue to raise funds for football and eliminate the club's multimillion-dollar debt over the next 12 months.
The outstanding broadcast rights deal achieved by the AFL in May has proved a considerable boost to Richmond, which proved a financial winner in the equalisation distributions, with the club awarded an additional $4.7 million above the $3.25 million awarded as a base dividend to all clubs.
''It won't happen overnight,'' said Gale, ''but if our increased investment in football delivers improved performance on-field, we will be able to capitalise and build the financial muscle of this club. "We felt it would be better for the club to concentrate on one interstate market, which will be Cairns for the next two years."
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