Tigers New Deal - from the HUN

[WilliamPowell]

New Tigers deal
07 April 2005   Herald Sun
By Richard Earle

ADELAIDE-based Retail Brands Group, owner of ice-cream chain Wendy's, is set to replace the Traffic Accident Commission as Richmond's major AFL sponsor.

The TAC pulled its $500,000 annual sponsorship with the the Tigers after teenage forward Jay Schulz was charged with speeding and drink driving last week.

Retail Brands Group chief executive Shane Radbone returned from meeting with Richmond boss Steven Wright yesterday expecting to finalise arrangements within a week.

"We approached them, and just felt we had been looking for an association with the AFL and it fits with our target audience for both Wendy's and Quiznos (toasted sub) brands," Radbone said.

Radbone, a former Sturt SANFL rover, said Retail Brands Group would join Motorola as co-major Tiger sponsor, representing a "significant" financial commitment

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,12779222%255E19742,00.html

==============


After a loss it will certainly give new meaning to the term "soft Serve"

Also - the idea of the PINK Wendy's Logo on our jumper leaves a lot to be desired.

[WilliamPowell]

The full story is in today's Adelaide Advertiser - I can just see the entire SA population saying "why a Victorian Club"

=================

Tasty sponsor for Tigers
BY RICHARD EARLE
07apr05

ADELAIDE-based Retail Brands Group, owner of ice-cream chain Wendy's, is set to replace the Traffic Accident Commission as Richmond's major AFL sponsor.

The TAC pulled its $500,000 annual sponsorship with the Punt Rd club after Tiger Jay Schulz was charged with speeding and drink driving last week.

Retail Brands Group chief executive Shane Radbone returned from meeting with Richmond boss Steven Wright yesterday expecting to finalise arrangements within a week.

"We approached them, and just felt we had been looking for an association with the AFL and it fits with our target audience for both Wendy's and Quiznos (toasted sub) brands," Radbone said. "It's just a matter of where the opportunity lies for both Richmond and for us." Radbone, a former Sturt SANFL rover, said Retail Brands Group would join Motorola as co-major Tiger sponsor - representing a "significant" financial commitment.

"We are aiming to have something moving forward within the next seven days. It still needs a few more hurdles to be jumped over but we are into the nitty of the discussions," he said. "Motorola would also be involved as a major sponsor, replacing the TAC. That's what we are going through."

Former Tiger defender Royce Vardy blew 0.14 in 2001 - prompting the TAC to threaten it would withdraw all sponsorship if a similar incident occurred.

Richmond had promoted the TAC's "Drink, Drive, Bloody Idiot" slogan for 16 years.

Radbone said he was sympathetic to cash-strapped Richmond's plight.

"We certainly feel the circumstances haven't been fantastic and if we can help another Australian success story out, then we are there as well," Radbone said.

"Obviously we are keen to get into finer detail and see what comes out in an agreement. There's no doubt they were enthused by our interest."

Radbone's only concern is how the pink Wendy's logo will gel with Richmond's colour scheme. "We are just trying to see how the pink looks on the guernsey," Radbone said.

"There's no doubt from perspective that ice creams or toasted subs are far better for players than alcohol." 

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/footy/story_page/0,8747,12779890%255E25397,00.html

[mjs]

A new quandary for the TAC

By Stephen Mayne (crikey.com.au)

Richmond is today reported to be close to signing a new sponsorship deal
with the Wendy's ice-cream chain, just as the Transport Accident
Commission faces a new test of its hardline approach to sponsoring
organisations that step out of line on the roads.

The Herald Sun today reports
(http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12779543%255E39
478,00.html) that the Australian Grand Prix Corporation could lose TAC
sponsorship because of the behaviour of recipients of its sponsorship
dollars:
The TAC is furious it was not told before this year's race that Grand Prix
general manager of operations Jonathan Caughey had lost his licence for
drink-driving. The TAC board will review its sponsorship of the Grand
Prix, believed to be worth several hundred thousand dollars a year. Mr
Caughey's blood-alcohol reading when tested by police is believed to have
been .10.
This will really test TAC chairman James Mackenzie, a politically active
businessman if ever there was one, because he gets along well with the
all-powerful GP chairman Ron Walker.

Richmond is just another football club, but the Grand Prix is politically
contentious because it costs Victorian taxpayers about $10 million a year,
even though Ron Walker originally predicated it would run at a profit. Any
TAC sponsorship withdrawal would simply increase the size of the taxpayer
funded loss reported by Mr Potato Head and his ever optimistic Grand Prix
board. It would be interesting to know exactly how many millions the
government-owned TAC has pumped into the GP over the years, thereby
cost-shifting within the public sector.

The TAC might have dumped its Tigers sponsorship last week after defender
Jay Shulz got done for drink-driving, but one supporter has come up with a
new sponsor and slighty reworked version of the "We're from Tigerland"
theme song which is good for a laugh:

Oh we're from Liquorland
Drive in a hurry
We're from Liquorland

In any weather you will see us with a gin
Booze dribbling down our chin
If we're behind, it's coz we're blind
Then in our cars get in

Oh we're from Liquorland
We never stop until the copper's siren blows.
Like the Tigers of old
We skull Toohey's Gold
For we're from Liquor ("Blue label not Black")
We're from Liquorland.

Oh we're from Tiger Land,
A bunch of p#ss heads.
We love Liquorland.

In any weather you will see us with a grin
Drinking Scotch or Gin.
And when we drive we blow point 05
And our sponsor chucks it in

Oh we're from Tiger Land
We never weaken 'til the final pub is closed
And like the Tigers of Old
We love our beer cold
Oh we're from Tiger (I'll shout you back)
Oh we're from Tiger land

[bg25]

"Radbone's only concern is how the pink Wendy's logo will gel with Richmond's colour scheme. "We are just trying to see how the pink looks on the guernsey," Radbone said."

Nathan Brown aka Dr Pink, the perfect spokesperson.

Great to see that a potential sponsor actually approached us.

[Bulluss]

Great to see that a potential sponsor actually approached us.

I doubt this would have happened if not for Terry and Greg. If they had not been at the club then they probably wouldnt have been interested.

Great opportunity for us.

Id hate to see our next Wizard Cup jumper if its got the Wendy's colours.

Maybe that may attract some of the gay community to join us!!

[cub]

Dont get me wrong here I am wrapped we have got a new sponsor and will support them - BUT

Probably better off using the quiznos logo - I am sure along with probably about 90% of tiger supporters have never heard of it before - and if they are going to go up against Subway sometime in Melbourne what better way to get the brand name out there.



It would look better on the jumper and I for one will not be buying Richmond gear with pink ice-creams on it - uh ah no way hosie 

[WilliamPowell]

Crazy John in Tigers hunt

By Rachel Kleinman

April 8, 2005

Mobile phone retailer Crazy John's is in the hunt to put its name on Richmond shirts after the Transport Accident Commission withdrew sponsorship of the club last week.

The company, run by Richmond fan John Ilhan, is one of 12 companies considering getting involved with the club.

"We have not formally approached Richmond yet but are discussing it internally," managing director Brendan Fleiter said.

"We are always looking for good value sponsorship options.

"It is potentially a good fit for us because Motorola is already a club sponsor and also a major supplier to Crazy John's."

The commission cut its 16-year sponsorship ties with the Tigers last week after footballer Jay Schulz was caught for drink-driving and speeding.

19-year-old Schulz, a P-plater, was caught with a blood alcohol level of .065 and lost his licence for six months.

In 2001, Richmond player Royce Vardy violated the club's deal with the government road safety agency when he was charged with drink-driving.

And another former Richmond player, Ty Zantuck, was booked last year for driving while talking on a mobile phone, but the sponsor took no action.

Last week, Zantuck, now with Essendon, was fined $500 in the Melbourne Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to the offence.

The commission was the club's joint major sponsor with Motorola.

Its input was worth $600,000 annually. The club had already received $200,000 this year but now needs another sponsor to fill the $400,000 gap.

Yesterday, a newspaper reported that Retail Brands Group, owner of ice-cream chain Wendy's, would replace the commission.

But a Richmond spokesman said the club had been approached by 12 companies and was negotiating with all of them.

Among the options is a bigger deal with Motorola.

"We are still in there and negotiations are progressing," Motorola spokesman Russell Grimmers said.

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/AFL/Crazy-John-in-Tigers-hunt/2005/04/08/1112815712090.html

[WilliamPowell]

12 companies  - gotta admit I am surprised

My personal view is the club should try and do a deal with Motorola.

I wouldn't go near Crazy Johns - its owner the so called Richmond fan Mr Ilhan is so "crazy" about the Tigers he's never (in the past) bothered to be a member. Coupled with this gem in this report....

"We have not formally approached Richmond yet but are discussing it internally," managing director Brendan Fleiter said.

We keen, we're eager but we haven't approached them - give me a break

[mightytiges]

Does anyone know who these 12 companies are?

1. Motorola (agree with WP with a large deal wuth them as my preferred choice)
2. Wendy's
3. Crazy John

Maybe some of them are already "minor" sponsors with the club already such as Silver Top Taxis or Connex Trains. Maybe we have a few connections through the newish Richmond Executive coterie.

Eddie on TFS said they would announce our new sponsorship deal live on the show.

Can we change the strawberry (pink  ) to a dark chocolate (almost black)? With the vanilla (light yellow) we would end up with something close to Y&B  .

[WilliamPowell]

Channel 7 news reported that the Tigers will be announcing their new sponsor tomorrow (Thursday).

Craig Hutchinson said that Quiznos Subs was in the "mix"

[JohnF]

  big time at Wendy's.

That's just too embarassing for contemplation.

[mightytiges]

Just in time to be revealed on the footy show tonight  .

Well done Tigers!

With Wallace doing daily press conferences lol no wonder sponsors want to hop on board. He looks all powerful sitting in that fancy new leather? CEO-like chair behind a desk with the black sponsors background  lol.

[WilliamPowell]

Well it looks like our dream of stuffing our faces with Wendy's Ice-Cream and Quiznos Sub in support of our sponsor has been de-railed.
 

On the back page of todays HUN (and continued on page 93- currentyl not available on the net ) Damien Barrett is reporting that Australian Finance Group will be our new sponsor.

2 years @ $800k per season.

Fantastic news

Official announcement will be at 11.00 am this morning

[WilliamPowell]

Well the story is now on the net

===============

Richmond hits the sponsorship jackpot
14 April 2005   Herald Sun
Damian Barrett

 RICHMOND'S sponsorship crisis is over after a finance company last night agreed to fill the void left by the Transport Accident Commission.

The Tigers will reap up to $800,000 annually from a two-year deal with the Australian Finance Group, up to $300,000 extra than the TAC agreement. It is understood the group also has a two-year option.

The West Australian-based Australian Finance Group will join phone company Motorola as a joint major sponsor of Richmond.

Jay Schulz's drink-driving misdemeanour may have been embarrassing for player and club for two weeks, but it has ultimately proved to be a financial windfall for Richmond.

Forward Schulz's indiscretion two weeks ago saw the TAC withdraw its major sponsorship, and in the desperate search for a replacement the club entered into detailed discussions with an ice-cream chain and a fast foods corporation.

But it was an out-of-the-blue approach last week from the relatively unknown finance group that has left Richmond buoyant.

The mortgage broking company generates revenue in excess of $175 million annually. It will today announce a deal with the Tigers that will place the club among the Victorian elite in terms of major sponsorship.

Richmond was at an all-time low a fortnight ago when, after an horrific off-field power battle in 2004, it opened the season by being thrashed by Geelong. Then followed the Schulz controversy.

Australian Finance Group has 3500 brokers acting for it around the country.

The TAC withdrew its sponsorship of Richmond after Schulz was charged with speeding and drink driving two weeks ago.

Schulz's traffic offences were the second time in the past five years that a Richmond player had breached clauses of the contract with the TAC.

In 2001, defender Royce Vardy was caught drink driving, an incident that prompted weeks of debate by the TAC over the merits of its deal with the Tigers. In deciding to stay with the club, the TAC stipulated that subsequent road infringements would render its deal void.

In announcing the termination of its deal with Richmond, TAC chief executive Stephen Grant said the decision was difficult to reach.

"But it was also a decision which, given the events of the last 36 hours, we had no alternative but to make," he said.

"We told the Richmond Football Club, and stated publicly, that the TAC would instantly terminate its sponsorship of the club, should a repeat drink-driving offence occur.

"We owe it to our staff, our road safety partners and to every Victorian who has been injured or lost a loved one to road trauma to honour that pledge."


http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,12851314%255E20322,00.html

[Tiger Spirit]

Just another day at RFC.  Doom and gloom one moment, hope springs eternal the next.